Clean Install Windows XP

[Ultrab05]

Ok well I was trying to Delete the "C" partition when it told me that i
couldn't since some of the setup files were needed to reinstall windows. Well
I read an earlier thread about going to this one site to make a boot disk to
rid of a non-dos partition but i had my Dell made without a floppy so i can't
make one. Is there anything i can do?

 

[Codswallop]

Ok well I was trying to Delete the "C" partition when it told me that i
couldn't since some of the setup files were needed to reinstall windows.
Well
I read an earlier thread about going to this one site to make a boot disk
to
rid of a non-dos partition but i had my Dell made without a floppy so i
can't
make one. Is there anything i can do?

You can download a boot CD and boot up into DOS from that.

 

[John John]

What exactly are you trying to do? Why do you want to delete the "C"
partition? What Non-DOS partition are you talking about? It sounds
like you want to delete the Service Partition? Do you have a reinstall
cd for Windows? If you remove the Service Partition you will have no
way to reinstall the operating system unless you made recovery cd's or
otherwise kept an image of the partition. We don't know what you are
really trying to do but by the looks of it I think you are going to get
yourself in a fine pickle and that you might end up having to pay $$ to
get your operating system again, either you will have to pay Dell for a
CD/DVD recovery kit or you will have to go to a local store and buy a
retail copy of Windows. But then maybe you want to get rid of
everything and put an xnix on the laptop...

John

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Ok well I was trying to Delete the "C" partition when it told me that
i couldn't since some of the setup files were needed to reinstall
windows. Well I read an earlier thread about going to this one site
to make a boot disk to rid of a non-dos partition but i had my Dell
made without a floppy so i can't make one. Is there anything i can do?

Are you trying to delete the Windows partition from within Windows?

You can't do that, since that would leave Windows without a leg to stand on.

If you're trying to clean install Windows, just boot from the Windows XP CD
(change the BIOS boot order if necessary to accomplish this) and follow the
prompts for a clean installation (delete the existing partition by pressing
"D" when prompted, then create a new one).

You can find detailed instructions here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

or here http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

or here http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Ok well I was trying to Delete the "C" partition when it told me that i
couldn't since some of the setup files were needed to reinstall windows. Well
I read an earlier thread about going to this one site to make a boot disk to
rid of a non-dos partition but i had my Dell made without a floppy so i can't
make one. Is there anything i can do?

It sounds like you started Setup from within WinXP and therefore
you're trying to format the drive containing the system volume from
within WinXP. You can't. This would be the computer equivalent of
sawing off the tree limb you're sitting on, and WinXP is "too smart" to
allow this.

Simply boot from the WinXP SP1a installation CD. You'll be offered
the opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as part of the
installation process. (You may need to re-arrange the order of boot
devices in the PC's BIOS to boot from the CD.)

HOW TO Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;316941

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Ultrab05 via WindowsKB.com]

Ok yes you hit the nail on the head. I couldn't format the drive when booting
from windows with the cd so i booted the cd from startup and was able to
format the drive. I had done this long ago and since forgotten how to do it.
Thank you

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Ok yes you hit the nail on the head. I couldn't format the drive when booting
from windows with the cd so i booted the cd from startup and was able to
format the drive. I had done this long ago and since forgotten how to do it.
Thank you

You're welcome.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell