format c:

[javier]

my original OS is windos ME
but i want to FORMAT C: so i can install clean
windows XP without to have to upgrade it..
thanks for your help

 

[John Barnett - MVP]

If you have Windows ME you should have made a Start Up Floppy Disk either
during the installation of ME or afterwards. If you have this startup disk
then you can insert it into your floppy drive, reboot your pc and at the 'A'
prompt type 'format c:' (without the quotes).
But before you do anything you must make sure that you have a full retail
copy of XP and not an upgrade. If you have an upgrade copy of xp you will
need to reinstall Me. So make sure you have a full retail copy first. You
will also need to make sure that you can boot directly from your cd-rom. You
may need to enter the bios to change the boot options.
Now assuming you have a full retail copy of xp and you can boot from your
cd-rom, another way of formatting is to use the xp cd.
1/ Put the xp cd into the cd-rom and reboot your machine
2/ Setup will start copying files
3/ At the welcome to setup you will be asked where you want to install xp.
Select the C: drive
4/ At the next screen the option 'leave file system as it is' should be
highlighted.
5/ Change this so that 'format in fat32' is highlighted instead. You can
change it to ntfs file system if you don't want fat32.
6/ Press Enter and the hard drive will format in the file system you have
chosen.
7/ After formatting windows xp will continue to install.

Hope this helps

John Barnett - MVP
Associate expert

 

[T.C.]

Some misinformation below. You CAN do a Windows XP clean install from a
Windows XP Upgrade CD. Set your System Setup to boot from the CD drive.
(Usually the first screen after the manufacturer's logo says something like
"Press F1 key to enter Setup" or something like that. If might be a
different key, depending on the make of the system. Once in System Setup
(BIOS) move around until you find the screen that has the drive boot
sequence setup, and move the CD drive to the first boot device, save
settings and exit Setup.) Then boot with the Windows XP Upgrade CD and
proceed with a New Install, where you'll be given options for formatting and
partitioning the drive. If at some point you're informed that the upgrade
can't find a prior version of Windows, eject the Upgrade CD and insert a
Windows 98 CD or Windows ME CD, and point to browse to that CD for upgrade
eligibility. When upgrade eligibility is accepted, swap back to the Windows
XP Upgrade CD and continue with the install. Don't forget to select the
option for New Installation, where you'll be able to configure special
options like formatting, partitioning etc...

 

[Michael Stevens]

my original OS is windos ME
but i want to FORMAT C: so i can install clean
windows XP without to have to upgrade it..
thanks for your help

Yes you can if you have Windows qualifying media not currently in
use[95/98/98se/Me/Win2K disk/s. OEM restore disks are not qualifying media].
You will need to set the bios on your computer to boot from CD before hard
drive and when setup does not detect a qualifying Windows OS, it will prompt
you to replace the XP CD with qualifying Windows media.
Detailed step by step on a clean install in the link below.
You boot from the CD and do a clean install.
Click on or copy and paste the link below into your web browser address bar.
How to clean install XP.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
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[Alex Nichol]

my original OS is windos ME
but i want to FORMAT C: so i can install clean
windows XP without to have to upgrade it..

Run the XP CD from your ME system. Take Install, change Upgrade to New
INstall, and when it asks where hit ESC. You will then be able to
delete the current partition and make a new clean one, which will be
formatted at the next step. And if you use an Upgrade CD, it will by
that time have checked for eligibility