DOS prompt

[Gene Grove]

How do I get to a DOS prompt in windows XP, so I can
reformate the hard drive??

 

[Kelly]

Hi Gene,

Use a Win98 boot disk.

 

[Guest]

click start/run and type cmd

 

[John E. Carty]

click start/run and type cmd

As long as it's not the boot volume or any volume in use by Windows, in
which case he would need to use a boot disk to format from DOS

 

[RJK]

Two or three months ago, on a particular hd, I wanted to get rid of an XP
Pro installation that was sat on an NTSF partition and it was impossible to
format from a W98 boot. I had to zero-fill the hd with the hd manufacturers
utility prog., before I could re-partition and format. I've been keeping an
eye out in here for information that relates to this issue but, over time it
seems that it was just me that had that problem. I used to keep a spare
machine for practise, testing etc. but, as usual, somebody wanted it !

regards, Richard

 

[Alex Nichol]

How do I get to a DOS prompt in windows XP, so I can
reformate the hard drive??

There is no DOS - the only way to get to any true DOS is by booting say
a Win98 startup floppy.

If you must format the drive, You do it as part of a reinstall of the
system after booting the XP CD direct. Enter Setup, and after the
license agreement take New Install. When it asks you to confirm where,
hit ESC; select and delete the current partition and make a new RAW one
to be formatted at the next stage

The important point is the delete. Without that it will just go ahead
and make a new install over the top of the old one

I would first try the other choice of a Repair installation, which will
do it without a format and leave third party software installed

 

[NobodyMan]

Two or three months ago, on a particular hd, I wanted to get rid of an XP
Pro installation that was sat on an NTSF partition and it was impossible to
format from a W98 boot. I had to zero-fill the hd with the hd manufacturers
utility prog., before I could re-partition and format. I've been keeping an
eye out in here for information that relates to this issue but, over time it
seems that it was just me that had that problem. I used to keep a spare
machine for practise, testing etc. but, as usual, somebody wanted it !

regards, Richard

Richard,

fdisk, supplied on the Win98 boot-up floppy, will work with NTFS
partitions. After it starts, you choose to delete a partition, then
select the Non-DOS partition for deletion. After that, you can create
new Fat or fat32 partitions to your heart's content.

 

[John E. Carty]

Richard,

fdisk, supplied on the Win98 boot-up floppy, will work with NTFS
partitions. After it starts, you choose to delete a partition, then
select the Non-DOS partition for deletion. After that, you can create
new Fat or fat32 partitions to your heart's content.

Unless you have defined drives in an extended partition that Fdisk cannot
'see' to remove first