formatting c:

  • Thread starter Thread starter lara honey
  • Start date Start date
L

lara honey

Hi,
i have been trying to format my local disk so i could to
a clean installation of xp pro. (i have a C drive and an
E drive. the C drive is a system save partition. the E
drive is for everything else) i made a dos startup disk
and booted from it. this is what happened:

A:\> format c:
bad command or file name
A:\> c:
C:\> format c:
bad command or file name
C:\> e:
invalid drive specification
C:\> a:
A:\> format e:
invalid drive specification

what is wrong? please give me instructions on how to fix
it so i can erase everything on my computer. im just a
girl and i can't figure it out by myself

~lara
 
Hi: Try format c: /s (space after the c:)
This identifies C as a system drive.
Brian
 
Hi, Lara.

Step 1: Throw away the MS-DOS boot disk (or at least hide it so that you
won't be tempted to use it again).

Step 2: Set your computer to boot from the CD drive.

Step 3: Boot from your WinXP CD-ROM and follow the prompts, including the
very early one that offers to repartition (optional) and reformat your HD.

WinXP's Setup process will reformat Drive C: for you, wiping out whatever
used to be there, and install WinXP there.

Once you have WinXP up and running, find the (new in Win2K) utility called
Disk Management. Use this to create and delete partitions and format them,
and to assign drive letters. Use it to reformat E:, if you like. You
should never need the MS-DOS boot diskette again.

RC
 
thanks so much RC! your awesome!

-----Original Message-----
Hi, Lara.

Step 1: Throw away the MS-DOS boot disk (or at least hide it so that you
won't be tempted to use it again).

Step 2: Set your computer to boot from the CD drive.

Step 3: Boot from your WinXP CD-ROM and follow the prompts, including the
very early one that offers to repartition (optional) and reformat your HD.

WinXP's Setup process will reformat Drive C: for you, wiping out whatever
used to be there, and install WinXP there.

Once you have WinXP up and running, find the (new in Win2K) utility called
Disk Management. Use this to create and delete partitions and format them,
and to assign drive letters. Use it to reformat E:, if you like. You
should never need the MS-DOS boot diskette again.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP




.
Click to expand...
 
lara said:
Hi,
i have been trying to format my local disk so i could to
a clean installation of xp pro. (i have a C drive and an
E drive. the C drive is a system save partition. the E
drive is for everything else) i made a dos startup disk
and booted from it. this is what happened:

A:\> format c:
bad command or file name
A:\> c:
C:\> format c:
bad command or file name
C:\> e:
invalid drive specification
C:\> a:
A:\> format e:
invalid drive specification

what is wrong? please give me instructions on how to fix
it so i can erase everything on my computer. im just a
girl and i can't figure it out by myself

~lara
Click to expand...

try DIR, does it show you what is on the floppy?
Sounds like you formatted a floppy but it didnt copy the system files
across.
 
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
Hi,
i have been trying to format my local disk so i could to
a clean installation of xp pro. (i have a C drive and an
E drive. the C drive is a system save partition. the E
drive is for everything else) i made a dos startup disk
and booted from it. this is what happened:

A:\> format c:
bad command or file name
A:\> c:
C:\> format c:
bad command or file name
C:\> e:
invalid drive specification
C:\> a:
A:\> format e:
invalid drive specification

what is wrong? please give me instructions on how to fix
it so i can erase everything on my computer. im just a
girl and i can't figure it out by myself

~lara
 
If you're system can boot from the CD why not boot up with the win XP CD and
you can get the win XP CD to format the drive.

NIK
 
Greetings --

Simply boot from the WinXP 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:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
lara said:
i have been trying to format my local disk so i could to
a clean installation of xp pro.
Click to expand...

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
 
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