Reformat Hard Drive

[Eric]

I want to reformat my hard drive due to bad performance,
but I can't bring up the recovery console from the Windows
XP CD. I type in my administrator password and it says
that my password is invalid. Apparently this is a problem
that Windows knows about--there is an article on the MS
support sites about it. The workaround involves
contacting MS support for a file or something, which I
really don't have the wherewithal to do. Can I bypass
Windows completely and reformat without using the Windows
XP CD? Is there another way to reformat from within
Windows?

Much obliged,
Eric

 

[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.

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 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/security/protect/

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 XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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


| I want to reformat my hard drive due to bad performance,
| but I can't bring up the recovery console from the Windows
| XP CD. I type in my administrator password and it says
| that my password is invalid. Apparently this is a problem
| that Windows knows about--there is an article on the MS
| support sites about it. The workaround involves
| contacting MS support for a file or something, which I
| really don't have the wherewithal to do. Can I bypass
| Windows completely and reformat without using the Windows
| XP CD? Is there another way to reformat from within
| Windows?
|
| Much obliged,
| Eric

 

[Harry Ohrn]

Try just pressing the Enter Key if your version of XP is Home version rather
than entering an Admin password.

Or you can use FDISK from a Windows 98 or Me floppy ( www.bootdisk.com) to
remove the Non-DOS partition and create a new primary partition. Once that
is done you should be able to boot off the XP CD and run Setup. Remember to
choose Full Format and not Quick Format when formatting a fresh partition.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I want to reformat my hard drive due to bad performance,
but I can't bring up the recovery console from the Windows
XP CD. I type in my administrator password and it says
that my password is invalid.

Two things:

When you go to the recovery console on booting the CD, try leaving the
password blank.

But to reformat and reinstall, 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

The important point is the delete. Without that it will just go ahead
and make a new install over the top of the old one

I Would suggest trying the alternative 'Repair Installation' before
trying the New one - that will retain installed software and data,
(though always have vital things backed up, just in case), and put the
system back to the start point of the CD, without updates.

Either way, Remember to enable the firewall before connecting to the net
to get updates.

 

[Alex McFarlane]

I have an XP pro upgrade CD that is bootable. Can I use it to wipe my
hard drive and start again afresh?

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.

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 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/security/protect/

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]

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In

I have an XP pro upgrade CD that is bootable. Can I use it to wipe my
hard drive and start again afresh?

Yes, as long as you have a CD of a previous qualifying version of
Windows to insert as proof of ownership when prompted to do so.

Just boot from the Windows XP CD and follow the prompts for a
clean installation.

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

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have an XP pro upgrade CD that is bootable. Can I use it to wipe my
hard drive and start again afresh?

Yes, provided you can show it evidence of the previous qualifying
system, in the form of a 'proper' (not recovery or restore) CD to show
in the drive when it asks where Windows is. If you only have such a
recovery CD you can as backstop reinstall that and run the upgrade CD
from it, but I think you can get away with running it from the existing
XP, so that is worth trying first.

Either way, Run the CD from the installed system. Enter Install,
change Upgrade to New Install, then when it asks you to confirm where,
you can hit ESC and get the chance to select the current partition,
delete it, and create a new RAW one, going on to format it as part of
the setup

I think that if you do it from the present XP, this will also have
detected that it was a legitimate upgrade, and not even ask for the
previous system's CD as evidence, but am not certain on that