Windows XP Bootable CD for Reformatting

[shellyadams]

I am trying to reformat my hard drive. I have windows xp home edition,
a bootable cd, (no floppy) I have went into the BIOS area and put to
boot from cd rom in first position but when it restarts, it goes back
like it was booting from the hard drive. How can I get this cd to boot
up? I have done it in the past but that was many moons ago and I don't
remember. Can any one direct me out there?

Thanks!

Shelly

 

[Daave]

I am trying to reformat my hard drive.

Why?

 

[Louie Pham]

I am trying to reformat my hard drive. I have windows xp home edition,
a bootable cd, (no floppy) I have went into the BIOS area and put to
boot from cd rom in first position but when it restarts, it goes back
like it was booting from the hard drive. How can I get this cd to boot
up? I have done it in the past but that was many moons ago and I don't
remember. Can any one direct me out there?

You need to hit F12 to get to boot menu.

 

[David B.]

F12? What boot menu is F12 going to get you?

 

[Bob I]

That applies to Dells

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I am trying to reformat my hard drive.

Why? It's usually a poor thing to do. If you are trying to solve
problems, there are usually better ways to do so.

I have windows xp home edition,
a bootable cd, (no floppy) I have went into the BIOS area and put to
boot from cd rom in first position but when it restarts, it goes back
like it was booting from the hard drive. How can I get this cd to boot
up? I have done it in the past but that was many moons ago and I don't
remember. Can any one direct me out there?

First of all, note that this *not* a Windows issue. You either have a
hardware problem, or you are doing something wrong. Here are the
possibilities:

1. You thought you set the boot order to CD first, but you didn't.

2. Your computer requires you to press some key to boot from the CD.

3. Something is wrong with your CD drive, or its connection to the
motherboard.

4. Your CD has become damaged.

 

[David B.]

Yes it does, which there was no mention of in the OP, so I'm curious to know
how Louie knows the poster has a Dell.

 

[Bob I]

Maybe Louie has a Dell, and doesn't know that not all PCs don't have the
same BIOS options.

 

[John]

I am trying to reformat my hard drive. I have windows xp home edition,
a bootable cd, (no floppy) I have went into the BIOS area and put to
boot from cd rom in first position but when it restarts, it goes back
like it was booting from the hard drive.

Perhaps your XP setup CD is bad or your CD drive is bad.

How can I get this cd to boot
up? I have done it in the past but that was many moons ago and I don't
remember. Can any one direct me out there?

If I were you, I'd narrow it down by testing the CD media and the CD/DVD
drive.

 

[Mark Adams]

Perhaps your XP setup CD is bad or your CD drive is bad.


If I were you, I'd narrow it down by testing the CD media and the CD/DVD
drive.

The XP install routine starts with "strike any key to boot from CD" If the
OP missed this, the machine will boot to the hard drive.

 

[John]

The XP install routine starts with "strike any key to boot from CD" If the
OP missed this, the machine will boot to the hard drive.

Yes, that's another possibility.

 

[Louie Pham]

Maybe Louie has a Dell, and doesn't know that not all PCs don't have the
same BIOS options.

I no longer had Dell. Gigabyte had the same option. Just a guess.

 

[David B.]

The point being F12 is not a standard, so you may be telling the OP
something he can't do, and he's gonna wonder why he can't do it.