Problems reformatting

[Guest]

I tried to reformat my pc using windows xp pro sp1 cd. But i was using sp2,
and it wouldnt let me "downgrade" my os. so i uninstalled sp2, and then it
started to reformat, but then it has this missing file and the computer
freezes. i used the "install windows xp" through the my computer/cd drive
way, not the reboot and load from start up thing. any ideas?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect the
EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your main
hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.

1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete all the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall.
==> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.mspx

7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

9. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the following resources:

How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310064

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I tried to reformat my pc using windows xp pro sp1 cd. But i was using sp2,
| and it wouldnt let me "downgrade" my os. so i uninstalled sp2, and then it
| started to reformat, but then it has this missing file and the computer
| freezes. i used the "install windows xp" through the my computer/cd drive
| way, not the reboot and load from start up thing. any ideas?

 

[Ted]

I tried to reformat my pc using windows xp pro sp1 cd. But i was using sp2,

and it wouldnt let me "downgrade" my os. so i uninstalled sp2,

Are you formatting your main drive from within Windows ?
It sounds like you are ?

 

[Guest]

no, i started the reformat from within windows, and then during the
installation process it messed up. so im stuck with a broken os.

 

[Guest]

When I get the message:
"Press any key to boot from CD" my keyboard is not recognized and no keys
work. it stops tryin to boot from cd. i get the windows xp load screen, then
it goes to "the system is restarting...." and it has this install
screen[mouse works and keyboard is on]. Then the file that is missing pops up
and everything freezes

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect the
EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your main
hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.

1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete all the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall.
==> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.mspx

7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

9. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the following resources:

How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310064

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I tried to reformat my pc using windows xp pro sp1 cd. But i was using sp2,
| and it wouldnt let me "downgrade" my os. so i uninstalled sp2, and then it
| started to reformat, but then it has this missing file and the computer
| freezes. i used the "install windows xp" through the my computer/cd drive
| way, not the reboot and load from start up thing. any ideas?

 

[Guest]

If you boot from your Windows XP CD, and you get the prompt to type any key
to boot from CD and the keyboard doesn't respond? Are you using a USB
Keyboard?

You can try this

Use a Windows 98 boot disk (with SMARTDRV), set your BIOS to boot from A:
and then once it's booted from the A: and all the necessary drivers are
installed.

Once your in the command prompt type CDROM: (where CDROM is replaced with
the CDROM's drive letter) for example D:

Then proceed to type the command once in your CDROM Drive :

CD\I386 (Changes to your Windows XP Setup folder)
CHECK: The prompt should now look like this: E:\I386>
WINNT (Starts the DOS Installation program.)

Then proceed to install Windows XP from the command prompt.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I tried to reformat my pc using windows xp pro sp1 cd. But i was
using sp2, and it wouldnt let me "downgrade" my os.

You're doing it wrong. If you're reformatting, what you start out with on
the drive gets deleted and doesn't matter. There's nothing to downgrade when
you reformat.

You're trying to do this from within Windows, which isn't possible even if
you didn't have SP2 installed. You can't format the Windows drive from
within Windows, since that would leave Windows without a leg to stand on.

Just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS boot order if necessary to
accomplish this) and follow the prompts for a clean installation (delete the
existing partition by pressing "D" when prompted, then create a new one).

You can find detailed instructions here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

or here http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

or here http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

 

[Guest]

can you give me a step by step on how to make a bootdisk and run it, ive done
it before but ive completely forgot.

 

[Ted]

? Are you using a USB
Or wireless ?

can you give me a step by step on how to make a bootdisk and run it, ive
done
it before but ive completely forgot.

 

[Guest]

usb.

Or wireless ?

 

[Carl G]

Use a ps2 mouse connection,not usb.

 

[Carl G]

Sorry about that, not mouse but keyboard