reformatting hd

[Guest]

im trying to reformat my computer so i inserted my windows xp cd and went
through the setup.. when it comes up to the screen where it asks me where i
want to install xp, i press "d" as it says to delete the current info on my
hd. it then pops up with a screen saying i cannot delete the following
because it has necessary files to complete installation.

how do i fix this problem?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

im trying to reformat my computer so i inserted my windows xp cd and went
through the setup.. when it comes up to the screen where it asks me where i
want to install xp, i press "d" as it says to delete the current info on my
hd. it then pops up with a screen saying i cannot delete the following
because it has necessary files to complete installation.

how do i fix this problem?

It sounds like you're trying to format the drive containing the
system volume from within WinXP. You can't. This would be the computer
equivalent of sawing off the tree limb you're sitting on, and WinXP is
"too smart" to allow this.

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

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[Guest]

ok i went through the set up again and i came to the screen where it let me
overwrite windows. It said all my programs and documents were going to be
deleted and it continued to reinstall windows. after windows loaded up again
everything looked to be cleared. then i right clicked my start up menu to
view the program lists, it lists all of the programs i thought i deleted with
the fresh windows install and they're all read only. my hd only has 3gb of
free space now and most of the programs on the list cant be deleted.
how can i clear my hd?

 

[Alex Nichol]

m trying to reformat my computer so i inserted my windows xp cd and went
through the setup.. when it comes up to the screen where it asks me where i
want to install xp, i press "d" as it says to delete the current info on my
hd. it then pops up with a screen saying i cannot delete the following
because it has necessary files to complete installation.

You have to *Boot* the CD - set BIOS to boot CD before HD, put it in,
Exit, saving settings and agree you want to boot. 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