reformatting Windows XP

  • Thread starter Thread starter keithmm35
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keithmm35

I do not have a floppy disk and I want to reformat my computer with windows
XP. Any help out there?
 
keithmm35 said:
I do not have a floppy disk and I want to reformat my computer with windows
XP. Any help out there?
Click to expand...

Do you have a CD-ROM drive?
It must be nearly a decade since I used a floppy disk for an install of
*any* OS or aplication software.
 
Boot from the XP CD and during setup you will be able to delete - create and
or reformat the hard drive.

hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE
 
You don't need a floppy drive. Put the CD in and if it does not boot from it
enter the BIOS and change the boot order so the CD drive is listed before the
hard drive. You can boot right off your Windows XP CD.
 
Mike said:
You don't need a floppy drive. Put the CD in and if it does not boot from it
enter the BIOS and change the boot order so the CD drive is listed before the
hard drive. You can boot right off your Windows XP CD.
Click to expand...


It is giving me an error message saying that it can't delete my primary drive
or something to that extent. something like unable to delete partition.
 
You need to boot from the CD.

Insert the CD in the drive and re start the computer.

Make sure the CD drive is set to boot BEFORE the hard drive in the BIOS by
hitting F2 or F8 or what ever the key combination is for your computer.

You will see something similar to "Hit delete to enter setup" or "F2 to
enter setup" or something similar.

hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE
 
keithmm35 said:
I do not have a floppy disk and I want to reformat my computer with windows
XP. Any help out there?
Click to expand...


You don't need a floppy drive. The boot diskette is a thing of the
past, as all legitimate WinXP installation CDs are already bootable.

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:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? .... I know not what course others may take, but as
for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry
 
keithmm35 said:
It is giving me an error message saying that it can't delete my primary drive
or something to that extent. something like unable to delete partition.
Click to expand...



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

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? .... I know not what course others may take, but as
for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry
 
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.)
Click to expand...
But what if someone indeed just wants to format the Sea drive and not
install the operating system? Can this be done from the installation CD?


--
From a Wintard helping another Wintard with his Windoze Problem:
"You might also want to try one of the numerous EXCELLENT
registry cleaners, and perhaps a ram washer."
View Some Common Linux Desktops ...
http://linclips.crocusplains.com/index.php
 
As Danny said, you need to make sure you are booting from the CD. Make sure
you press any key if you get the message "Press any key to boot from CD...."
.. When you are booting from the CD you'll know it-the interface has a "dos"
look and feel to it. If you are trying to do it and you have a GUI interface
it won't work.
 
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