Format ? or System Recovery? (in need) plz help

[DImitrios Soutsos]

it has been around 6 hours since i begun copying all my
files into DVD's. My pc is in bad shape and i need to
format the hard drive. I do not know if it is called
like that, but what i need to do is erace EVERYTHING and
reinstall windows and everything from scratch.

A friend told me that it is very simple "all you have to
do is insert CD 01 and the rest is automatic (almost)".
Well i did insert the first recovery disk but there is no
autoplay or something automatic with the cd. It just
opens a bunch of files that i don't understand.

What do i need to do in order to format (erace everylast
thing)my pc and then re install everything....

 

[Norm]

If you have the XP cd then just change your bios to boot from cd (the XP cd
is bootable). You can then just follow the prompts to format the partition
and then install.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

it has been around 6 hours since i begun copying all my
files into DVD's. My pc is in bad shape and i need to
format the hard drive. I do not know if it is called
like that, but what i need to do is erace EVERYTHING and
reinstall windows and everything from scratch.

A friend told me that it is very simple "all you have to
do is insert CD 01 and the rest is automatic (almost)".
Well i did insert the first recovery disk but there is no
autoplay or something automatic with the cd. It just
opens a bunch of files that i don't understand.

What do i need to do in order to format (erace everylast
thing)my pc and then re install everything....

If this is a system where XP was pre-installed you you only have a recovery
CD, the usual scenario is to insert the recovery CD and reboot the computer.
This should start the recovery CD process automatically. If this does not
work, read the procedure in the manual that came with the PC or contact the
vendor who sold you the system for instructions.

--
Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP-Windows Shell/User

Please reply to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
http://www.dts-l.org
http://www.mvps.org

 

[Michael Stevens]

it has been around 6 hours since i begun copying all my
files into DVD's. My pc is in bad shape and i need to
format the hard drive. I do not know if it is called
like that, but what i need to do is erace EVERYTHING and
reinstall windows and everything from scratch.

A friend told me that it is very simple "all you have to
do is insert CD 01 and the rest is automatic (almost)".
Well i did insert the first recovery disk but there is no
autoplay or something automatic with the cd. It just
opens a bunch of files that i don't understand.

What do i need to do in order to format (erace everylast
thing)my pc and then re install everything....

If you have only recovery disks supplied with the computer, you need to
consult the manufacturers web site or the documentation that came with the
computer. If you have a Windows XP CD follow the step in the link below.
What is the make and model of your computer?
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.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Alex Nichol]

A friend told me that it is very simple "all you have to
do is insert CD 01 and the rest is automatic (almost)".
Well i did insert the first recovery disk but there is no
autoplay or something automatic with the cd. It just
opens a bunch of files that i don't understand.

What do i need to do in order to format (erace everylast
thing)my pc and then re install everything....

You need to start from Power off and boot that CD. As the memory count
goes on, immediately after power, hit the appropriate hotkey - usually
DL or F2 or maybe Ins - if you hit these and maybe a combination of a
couple of others you should get at least 'Hit x to enter setup'

In that you need to set to boot from the CD/DVD drive before the hard
disk. Maybe in one of two places: Either in a BIOS settings, and use
down arrow to get to Boot Order, then Page Dn to cycle to 'CD Rom;C:;A:'
or else on a specific Boot page where you can go down to the CD drive
with the down arrow, then use the + on the number pad to push it to the
top.

Either way, then hit ESC to get out of he page, go to Exit - Saving
settings - and have the CD in the drive before Exit. It will probably
ask that you confirm by hitting a key that you *do* want to boot the CD.

This sounds like a recovery CD that came with the machine, but in case
it is a regular Windows XP one, in that you then 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