How to reinstall a clean Win XP ?

[John7]

Hi,

On C: is a corrupt Win XP beyond repair.
I'd like to perform a clean reinstall but Setup won't let me.
The standard reinstal keeps the corrupt Windows.

In Setup, a format C: option is missing.
I tried to delete partition C: but Setup refuses
as it holds just copied reinstall files.

Deleting partitions E: and D: to delete C: is no option.
I would loose all my files.

Is there a way to format C:, install XP from fresh while retaining D: and E:
?

TIA,
John7

 

[Norm]

Have you tried changing your bios to boot from the XP cd and then choose
format?

 

[Kevin]

Are you booting from the XP installation cd? If so, you should be able to
delete any partitions you want and format them too.

 

[John7]

Thanks for responding.

The CD doesn't boot so I entered Setup from XP to Install XP again.
Format C: option is missing. Standard reinstall maintains the old XP +
files.

John7

 

[T.C.]

Download a Windows 98 SE Startup boot disk at:

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

The downloaded file will be an .exe file. After downloading the file double
click it, and you'll be asked to insert a 3.5 floppy disk. When the Startup
disk is finished, boot with it, and then you should be able to use the
format C: command. If the C partition is formatted NTFS, which DOS won't
recognize, you'll be given choices, to get you through formatting it FAT32.
Once the C partition is formatted FAT32, you should be able to do a clean
install of Windows XP and opt for NTFS format if that's what you want.

 

[John7]

Thanks for responding.

As I wrote before....

Deleting C: is refused as C: contains just copied update files.
Deleting E:, D: and then C: is no option as I want to retain E: and D:.

John7

 

[John7]

Thanks for responding.

I had this idea already as a last resort.
But it will force me to do a tedious FAT --> NTFS conversion.
There must be a FASTER way (I hope ... or did MS forget one).
I couldn't find any Setup command line options.

John7

 

[Dave]

I think the best way is to do what was previously stated. Use a Windows 98
boot disk and use FDISK to delete all partitions and create a new one.
Don't bother formatting from here, just create the partition. If you cannot
boot from the CD, go to the Microsoft site and download the file to make the
XP boot disks (7 diskettes I believe). Then use setup to partition or
re-partition the drive and format in NTFS.

 

[John7]

Thanks for responding.

As I wrote before....

Deleting C: is refused as C: contains just copied update files.
Deleting E:, D: and then C: is no option as I want to retain E: and D:.

As compared to your suggestion, T.C.'s method retains E: and D: (which is
vital here).

John7

 

[purplehaz]

You didn't read his response right. Boot to a win98 floppy boot disk, run
fdisk, delete partition c:, create a new partition. Then use an xp boot disk
to start setup, format c and install xp to the c partition.
You get the can't delete c drive cause your trying to delete it in xp setup.
You have to delete the c partition using fdisk.

 

[Dave]

Boot with the Windows 98 boot disk and delete partitions and create a new
partition, but do not bother formatting it. Then boot from the XP boot
disks (floppy disks) that you created from the Microsoft download. This
will get you into setup to where you can delete/create partitions and format
in NTFS. You should be good from here out. This is of course assuming that
the XP disk is a Microsoft disk and not a proprietary "restore" disk.

XP Home boot disks found here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...68-6e4f-471c-b455-bd5afee126d8&DisplayLang=en

XP Pro boot disks are found here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...db-5039-4955-bcb7-4fed408ea73f&DisplayLang=en


Tell us how it goes!

 

[John7]

I used Win98's Fdisk, option 4 'Delete Unknown Partition' (or similar)
to remove the first NTFS partition (in XP called C:, in Fdisk unnamed),
booted from WinXP cdrom / setup / created partition in empty space
caused by C: removal, formated and completed the CLEAN install.
Drive D: and E: were retained (pfff).

One drawback ...
The disk names are re-shuffled.
Before: After
WinXp C: G:
Docs D: C:
Data E: D:

Renaming drives may caused programs to stop working properly.

Actually, just a NTFS format would have done a better job here.
MS KB carefully avoids discussing How to format the system partition.

While searching the web, I stumbled into this:
http://www.nonags.com/nonags/forum/general/data/5604.shtml
XP's Repair Console 'format' is less extensive but might have worked as
well.
I'll try this tomorrow and keep you posted.

Thanx for all help.

John7




setup floppy,

 

[Bruce Chambers]

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

 

[John7]

Thanks for responding.

I even found a better way to do a clean WinXp install on C:
while keeping partitions/disks D: and E: intact (and preventing
disk reordering).

Here's how ...
- Boot from WinXP setup CD.
- Choose Repair
- Select the Windows session 'you want to repair'.
- Enter Administrator password
- You should be at the command line.
- Change to an other disk like D:
- Type: format C: /fs:NTFS
- Better avoid /q (quick option)
- C: wil be formatted as NTFS volume.
- Type: exit
- Reboot WinXp setup CD
- Install XP into the just formatted partition C:

I hope this may be usefull to others as well.

John7

 

[Dave]

I thought you said you could not boot from the CD and this is why we went to
the boot disks

Thanks for responding.

I even found a better way to do a clean WinXp install on C:
while keeping partitions/disks D: and E: intact (and preventing
disk reordering).

Here's how ...
- Boot from WinXP setup CD.
- Choose Repair
- Select the Windows session 'you want to repair'.
- Enter Administrator password
- You should be at the command line.
- Change to an other disk like D:
- Type: format C: /fs:NTFS
- Better avoid /q (quick option)
- C: wil be formatted as NTFS volume.
- Type: exit
- Reboot WinXp setup CD
- Install XP into the just formatted partition C:

I hope this may be usefull to others as well.

John7

 

[John7]

I used the backup copy which appeared to be non-bootable.
Now I used the bootable original CD.

John7

I thought you said you could not boot from the CD and this is why we went to
the boot disks