help! how to format hard drive
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More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: colorado
help! how to format hard drive
Howdy! Can any of you tell me how to format the harddrive on windows xp? We've tried the command prompt and safe mode and typed "format c:" but it says the volume is still in use.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,562
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From: Southern MD
You might have to go into the 'set-up' and tell the pc to boot from the CD first.
With that said, put the XP CD into the drive. Shut down the PC, then after about 30 seconds, re-boot to the CD.
When the XP install starts you will need to delete the active partition, then format the harddrive. (When you create a 'new' partition, the HDD will be formatted for you.) Follow the prompts.
Then, you can re-install the OS.
The trick is to boot from the XP CD instead of the harddrive. This is why you get the message about the volume being in use.
Let us know how you make out. . . .
With that said, put the XP CD into the drive. Shut down the PC, then after about 30 seconds, re-boot to the CD.
When the XP install starts you will need to delete the active partition, then format the harddrive. (When you create a 'new' partition, the HDD will be formatted for you.) Follow the prompts.
Then, you can re-install the OS.
The trick is to boot from the XP CD instead of the harddrive. This is why you get the message about the volume being in use.
Let us know how you make out. . . .
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More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: colorado
Here's the catch... we have an old computer and the Windows 98 SE disk instead of the XP. We had installed xp but it was just too much for our limited memory(128mb) We used a friends XP disk and all we have is98 se now. for all we do 98 se is fine but we were trying to start over on a blank hard drive. (the current os is all kinds of corrupted)
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,562
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From: Southern MD
As for XP in MS-DOS mode. . . I dunno.
If I remember correctly, you will need a Win 98 SE boot disk, if all you have is the 98 SE CD.
Go to drivers (dot) com and browse for a boot disk, and download.
You'll need one floppy disk for this.
(The boot disk will load the drivers for the CD rom drive, then you're in business.)
Everything else should be like the install for XP.
I think that's right. It's been a while.
If I remember correctly, you will need a Win 98 SE boot disk, if all you have is the 98 SE CD.
Go to drivers (dot) com and browse for a boot disk, and download.
You'll need one floppy disk for this.
(The boot disk will load the drivers for the CD rom drive, then you're in business.)
Everything else should be like the install for XP.
I think that's right. It's been a while.
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 84
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From: Ajax, Ontario
Originally Posted by rhw
Also, how do you start Windows XP Professional in MS-DOS mode???
If XP doesn't boot or if nothing is booting up, then you are going to have to do what Matt said and get a bootable OS disk. Your Win 98 disk might be bootable. If at boot up, your CD drive isn't being checked, then your going to have to change the boot order in your BIOS. Usually you can get into your BIOS when you first turn on the PC by holding down F8, or ESC or some other key(s). It should say on your monitor when you first turn on the PC.
Good luck!!
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http://www.cyberwalker.net/faqs/how-...stall-faq.html
Simple, easy to follow instructions. Ive used them a few times.
Simple, easy to follow instructions. Ive used them a few times.
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Joined: Aug 2001
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From: South Texas
To use a bootable Win98 cdrom disk ONLY..do the following
1. Insert the cd rom, boot the system off it selcting the option to boot with cdrom support
2. run fdisk..delete all partitions..reboot again
3. run fdisk again, examine that all partitions are deleted then make a new primary partion to your desired size (normally entire disk)...reboot system again
3. Format the new partion as follows:
a. assuming the cdrom is drive "D".. type following commands D: (and) cd /win98
b. issue command format c: .....answer yes and let the format finish
4. To install 98 directly from the hard disk do the following:
a. On the c drive issue these command: mkdir win98se
b: Switch to the cdrom drive with d: command then cd /win98
c: issue following command to copy all files to the hard drive win98se directory created above... copy *.* c:/win98se
5. when the copy finishes, switch to the c drive win98se directory commands c: (and) cd/win98se .... remove the cdrom disk
6. run setup command and the install will begin from the hard drive and you will not have to keep inserting the Windosw98-cdrom later as you add drivers or change configurations
1. Insert the cd rom, boot the system off it selcting the option to boot with cdrom support
2. run fdisk..delete all partitions..reboot again
3. run fdisk again, examine that all partitions are deleted then make a new primary partion to your desired size (normally entire disk)...reboot system again
3. Format the new partion as follows:
a. assuming the cdrom is drive "D".. type following commands D: (and) cd /win98
b. issue command format c: .....answer yes and let the format finish
4. To install 98 directly from the hard disk do the following:
a. On the c drive issue these command: mkdir win98se
b: Switch to the cdrom drive with d: command then cd /win98
c: issue following command to copy all files to the hard drive win98se directory created above... copy *.* c:/win98se
5. when the copy finishes, switch to the c drive win98se directory commands c: (and) cd/win98se .... remove the cdrom disk
6. run setup command and the install will begin from the hard drive and you will not have to keep inserting the Windosw98-cdrom later as you add drivers or change configurations
Last edited by Dialtone; Sep 27, 2005 at 08:15 AM.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 747
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From: Mesa, Arizona
I hate the sound of that! F-Disk, something else comes to mind when I hear that command. DialTone know his stuff, but reformatting the hard drive is usually the result of a massive software meltdown, no fun reloading everything.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 20,784
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From: Newton America :-P
These are some great tips... but I would pull out the hard drive, set it as slave and put it in another machine to format it.... but that is me.
You might run into proplems if the 98se disk is an upgrade only...
To get into the bios it can be the f1, f2, f10 or del keys depending on your computer.
Just my $.02
You might run into proplems if the 98se disk is an upgrade only...
To get into the bios it can be the f1, f2, f10 or del keys depending on your computer.
Just my $.02
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 931
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From: Cool, CA
Dialtone is correct... but here is an easier alternative. If you know who manufactured your hard drive go to their web site and download the hard disk drive utility. It will likely make a bootable flopy. Boot from that floppy and look for an option called "format" or "low level format". Both will erase the drive but low level will just take longer. The main use of low level format is to either securely remove data from a disk or to attempt bad sector repair.
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2005
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Ok here's my tip, you can't have a computer with only MS-DOS running at least not in this time, so you have to install any version of windows, W95,W98 or WXP, if you already have XP in the computer, then insert the W98 setup disk and change the boot device in the BIOS, in most computers you hit F1 when the computer just turn on, the rest of the process is not complicated, the setup process will guide you trough, among some things you have to do is remove the partitions, there is no need for FDISK to run, everything is menu driven so don't worry. Now, if you want to have MS-DOs running only you have to get a copy of an msdos bootable disk and then do everythig manually, run FDISK to remove partitions and type format c: /u at the prompt /u means unconditional formating.
I hope it's helpfull !
Egm
=D
I hope it's helpfull !
Egm
=D
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