Use the following procedure to reformat your drive.
Choose NTFS as your file system and Windows XP
will use the optimal 4KB file cluster size.
The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:
NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.
NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect the
EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your main
hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.
1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".
===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===>
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm
2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete all the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.
5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]
6. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall.
==>
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/
7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".
8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.
9. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the following resources:
How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310064
Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm
[Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]
Note: If you are unable to activate Windows XP again via the internet,
then select the option to "activate by telephone".
--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/
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| since have large cluster size is so wasteful, i will format my hdd and set
| the cluster size to a
| very small value (partitionning it is my 2nd preference actually). is there
| a min cluster size i can set to? is there any tradeoff if i set it too
| small?
|
| if my cluster size is 32kb, and i have 2 files which is 1kb each, then it
| will take up 64kb of my hdd right, becoz they use 2 clusters.
|
| the 2 files cant share the same cluster is becoz each cluster only has one
| address to reference. and if the 2 files use the same cluster (reference to
| same cluster address), then when i open one of the files the data in it will
| contain the data of other file, am i correct?? therefore 2 files cant share
| a same cluster....??
|
| thanks.
|
|
