how to format a hard drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mojtaba
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Mojtaba

Almost ayear ago I had some small problems cocerning internet
connection. The support guy who was unable to help me properly adviced
me to rinstall the windows by using the recovery disket. I ran the
disket and all data was lost on my PC and a new Windows XP installed.
However, now a friend of mine asked me if I can help him and format
the whole C drive for him. I took the disket and ran it as I did with
my own PC. The damn disket did not format the disk at all. I then
tried to manually format the disk using format function under
*MY COMPUTER*. It did not work either. I tried the old DOS way FDISK.
it did not work either. What is the soloution. How can i simply erase
all data on the C drive and reinstall Windows XP Home Edition

My computer is a build up PC by a local company. My friend's computer
is a Fujisu. Both are almost 2 years old and both were installed
Windows XP Home when purchased.

Thanks for your help

Mojtaba
 
Mojtaba said:
Almost a year ago I had some small problems concerning internet
connection. The support guy who was unable to help me properly advised
me to reinstall the windows by using the recovery diskette. I ran the
diskette and all data was lost on my PC and a new Windows XP installed.
However, now a friend of mine asked me if I can help him and format
the whole C drive for him. I took the diskette and ran it as I did with
my own PC. The damn diskette did not format the disk at all. I then
tried to manually format the disk using format function under
*MY COMPUTER*. It did not work either. I tried the old DOS way FDISK.
it did not work either. What is the solution. How can I simply erase
all data on the C drive and reinstall Windows XP Home Edition

My computer is a build up PC by a local company. My friend's computer
is a Fujitsu. Both are almost 2 years old and both were installed
Windows XP Home when purchased.
Click to expand...

Boot with the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS to set it to boot from CD and
when it asks you to Press Any Key to boot from CD... Do so.)

Follow through like you are performing a new install - when it asks WHERE to
install Windows XP - DELETE all the partitions, create your new partition,
continue with the install..

Everything (EVERYTHING) will be lost if you do this.
 
Hi,

Boot the WinXP CD, start setup. Remove the existing system partition and
create a new one as part of the install, then it will be formatted for clean
installation. This is assuming a retail version of WinXP.

If your, or his, is a recovery-type disk, follow the distributor's
instructions on performing a clean installation.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Windows
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
 
Well,you can add it as a slave drive,start xp,go to run,type:diskmgmt.msc
In msc,L.click the drive,action,all,make active,then R.click the drive,select format,
or open my computer,R.click the drive,select format.Or set as master or slave,
boot to xp cd,recovery,press enter for password,at cmd type:DiskPart
Locate the hd,delete partition,then create,then type:EXIT
Now at cmd type:FORMAT D: /FS:ntfs
D: could be any letter,youd know it by DiskPart,when thru,type:EXIT
 
The support guy who was unable to help me properly adviced
me to rinstall the windows by using the recovery disket. I ran the
disket and all data was lost on my PC and a new Windows XP installed.
However, now a friend of mine asked me if I can help him and format
the whole C drive for him. I took the disket and ran it as I did with
my own PC.
Click to expand...

Your recovery disc will not work with another manufacturer's PC. This
is a specific system recovery disc for your own machine.

Your friend will need either his own recovery disc, or a Windows XP
install disc.
 
Thank you everybody,

Today I was in my friend's place and did what you told me: I boot from
CD rom, deleted the old partition, created a new partition and every
thing was succesfully done. A new edition of XP installed and nothing
from before exist in that PC.

Thanks again,

Mojtaba
 
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