total reformat of HD while XP is installed

[Dinno]

XP home edition is installed but it will not let me
remove it as directed in the help menu. its notin the
add/remove section. and when i try to "format c" it says
registration information is incomplete. when i use the
cmd. cd\windows\system32 then osuninst.exe it tells me
that it is a NTFS file. and informs me that all data will
be lost if i continue...ok then it says cannot continue
that the volume is being used would i like to dismount
it, so i say yes and then it tells me that the volume
could not lock the drive. can some one tell me waht to
do?

 

[Keith Mays]

-----Original Message-----
XP home edition is installed but it will not let me
remove it as directed in the help menu. its notin the
add/remove section. and when i try to "format c" it says
registration information is incomplete. when i use the
cmd. cd\windows\system32 then osuninst.exe it tells me
that it is a NTFS file. and informs me that all data will
be lost if i continue...ok then it says cannot continue
that the volume is being used would i like to dismount
it, so i say yes and then it tells me that the volume
could not lock the drive. can some one tell me waht to
do?
.
First back up all of your important information. Make a

boot disk for your floppy drive. Do this by inserting a
floppy disk in your drive and then from windows explorer
right click on your floppy drive, click format and then
click: create an MS-DOS start up disk.
When this is done. do a search for the file: "format.com"
which should be in the windows\system32\ folder copy this
program to your startup disc and insert the disk in you
floppy drive and restart your computer. When your
computer restarts at the a:\ prompt type: format c: and
then follow the instructions. You shuld be able to
reformat your hard drive now.

 

[Tony-O]

Maybe I missed something earlier but why not just boot from the CD and
reformat from there?

good luck
tonyo

 

[Keith Mays]

I don't know why he had the problem with the CD. I know
this works though.
Keith