Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Thread: formatting win xp hd

  1. #1

    formatting win xp hd

    Since you dont have the option to boot in dos when xp starts how would you use the format c:\ command b/c of a virus infecting my computer. The restore disc wont work b/c i upgraded my computer with new processor/motherboard, etc. I want to format the computer than use the win xp cd. I have a burnt copy of it and it says it doesnt have a lot of dlls... when its installing. gives option to retry or skip is that normal or is my disc messed up? What should i do thanks. Its the xp professional

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    217
    you can use a boot disk from win98. in order to install winXP, you may have to use a real M$ disk. if it's YOUR copy, then it shouldn't be a problem
    i\'m starting to think that i\'m bound to always be the first guy on the second page of the thread.

  3. #3
    AO Security for Non-Geeks tonybradley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Posts
    830
    I'm not sure I follow the whole thing.

    First, what virus did you get? Are you sure that reformatting your whole C drive is actually necessary?

    Second, you can get to a command prompt when booting Windows XP Pro by pressing F8 when Windows is starting and selecting the option to start in Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

    Third, the Windows XP CD is bootable. You can just boot straight to the CD. Once the install process begins you can choose whether to obliterate and recreate the C (or any other) drive, or if you want to reformat the drive before installing the OS.

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Posts
    744
    Yeah, like tony said, the Xp install will walk you through the process of reformatting and partitioning your drive, but from what you wrote I gather you have a bootleg copy. I haven't tried to burn my XP cd, figured it wouldn't really be worth it w/ the activation (less'n you want to reformat every month), but they might have made it so that you can't burn some of the essential dll's/files you need. If you do have a bootleg copy of XP, I would suggest buying an upgrade version, it's cheaper, you just have to have some version of Win on disk (95 and up I think), and you won't have any aggrevation w/ formatting. . .or just screw it all and go *nix.
    Every now and then, one of you won't annoy me.

  5. #5
    The Iceman Cometh
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    1,209
    sickYourIT is right about the burned copy not working. I'm assuming it's a copy of the Pro Corporate that's been floating around the net. Although the CD is bootable, you can't install it if you boot from it (because of said errors). One thing you can try is to format with a 98 boot disk and then copy the installation files from the XP CD to the hard drive and install from there. That doesn't always work, though. The best thing you can do (besides buy your own version, of course) is to install another OS (i.e. Win 2000) and use the XP CD you have to upgrade to XP. That should work.

    AJ

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Posts
    3,915
    The problem of it not installing when you boot from it is dependant on the hardware involved. I've installed it on all my PCs and I'm still not sure which hardware does it... but some PCs install just fine (My P3 800 included) but others (Usually they seem to be AMD processors) tend to mess up during the install.... and before anyone starts negging me for talking about illegal versions of the OS... I do have a legal CD Key... i'm just against having to activate my products.

  7. #7
    Just Another Geek
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Rotterdam, Netherlands
    Posts
    3,401

    Re: formatting win xp hd

    Originally posted here by *AdrEnAl_ine*
    Since you dont have the option to boot in dos when xp starts how would you use the format c:\ command b/c of a virus infecting my computer. The restore disc wont work b/c i upgraded my computer with new processor/motherboard, etc. I want to format the computer than use the win xp cd.
    You can boot from the XP cd. You will get the chance to partition your harddisk right before the setup. Just remove then recreate the partition to clear it (This will nuke everything!)


    I have a burnt copy of it and it says it doesnt have a lot of dlls... when its installing. gives option to retry or skip is that normal or is my disc messed up? What should i do thanks. Its the xp professional
    I think your disk is messed up. It should NOT complain about missing dll's.

    edit: I just read the rest of the replies. I'm just confirming everybody else it seems.

  8. #8
    Buddy just get a winxp bootable cd it will do it all and boot through it.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Wazz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    288
    The best way to do this, I think is to use a bootable XP disk and choose the Recovery Console option. It's basically a DOS type shell with a lot of goodies. You can restore/rebuild just about anything on your box and access it as Admin. You can also install the Console directly into XP and use it as an F8 Boot option...Sweet. Have Phun.
    "It is a shame that stupidity is not painful" - Anton LaVey

  10. #10
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    16
    Like everyone else has said, the best way is to use the bootable CD.

    However, you can still use a Win9x boot disk.

    You'd simply have to make sure fdsik is on the boot disk, then boot the system off the disk, fdisk the drive (nuke the NTFS partition and create a FAT partition), then use your standard format C: command. When you reinstall WinXP you'd simply have to convert the FAT partition back to NTFS, which takes a matter of seconds (on my machines at least).

    A more in depth way to do it, but one that still works quite well.

    D'elTarra

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •