formatting problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

im trying to wipe my hard drive clean by reinstalling windows. when i try
deleting the patition its alredy saved on it says it cant because there is
something still happening there. it only allows me to reinstall windows on
the same partition without wiping anything

can anyone help?
 
micks said:
im trying to wipe my hard drive clean by reinstalling windows. when
i try deleting the patition its alredy saved on it says it cant
because there is something still happening there. it only allows me
to reinstall windows on the same partition without wiping anything

can anyone help?
Click to expand...

Are you booting from the CD or trying to do this IN Windows?
You have to boot from your Windows XP CD.
 
micks said:
im trying to wipe my hard drive clean by reinstalling windows.
when i try deleting the patition its alredy saved on it says it
cant because there is something still happening there. it only
allows me to reinstall windows on the same partition without
wiping anything

can anyone help?
Click to expand...
Are you booting from the CD or trying to do this IN Windows?
You have to boot from your Windows XP CD.
Click to expand...
i am using the cd!!
i dont know whats going on because this has never happened before
Click to expand...

Either way you are "using the CD" - I assumed that.

I asked if you were rebooting the computer and BOOTING from the CD - are you
having to "Press Any Key to Boot from CD" at some point, walk through the
installation process to the point where it asks you where to install - where
you choose to DELETE the partition(s) and create new ones?
 
micks said:
im trying to wipe my hard drive clean by reinstalling windows. when i try
deleting the patition its alredy saved on it says it cant because there is
something still happening there. it only allows me to reinstall windows on
the same partition without wiping anything

can anyone help?
Click to expand...

I believe the easiest way to do what you want to do is as follows:

To format drive C and clean reinstall Windows XP with the XP CD assuming
only one os is installed:
a. Place XP CD in CD-ROM drive and prevent auto start by holding down
shift key.
b. Select Start\shutdown\restart.
c. Press spacebar when asked to press any key to boot from CD.
d. CD boots and installs various files then asks if you want to
install or recover. Press R to recover.
e. In recovery console type 1 and press enter.
f. You will be required to enter the administrative password that was
created during the previous XP installation and press enter.
g. Now type "format c: /fs:ntfs" without Quotes and press enter.
(If c: is not the drive you want to format replace with letter of
drive you do want to format. If fat32 was desired replace ntfs
with fat32)
h. Press Y and enter (to allow format).
i. After format type exit to quit recovery console and restart
computer.
j. Boot again from CD and select install. Follow prompts to install
OS.
k. Do not select to reboot from CD during the several restarts during
install.
 
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