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-- How to format my comp?

Posted by infinity HiGH on Jun-12-2002 19:17:

How to format my comp?

I got a virus

Plus, my HD is in desperate need of a formatting.

I'm running Windows XP and I wanna know how to format my c: drive...wipe it clean, and then when its done just pop in the XP cd and reinstall it.

How do i do that? I forgot what I'm supposed to type-in in DOS

Posted by Cafster on Jun-12-2002 19:32:

start up with a windows boot disk, then type format c:

Posted by yujie__ on Jun-12-2002 20:08:

put XP cd in and boot it off the CD. it will ask u where to install it. there willl be option to wipe it or leave it as it is. Wipe it clean in fat32 or ntfs.

Posted by infinity HiGH on Jun-12-2002 21:13:

quote:
Originally posted by yujie__
put XP cd in and boot it off the CD. it will ask u where to install it. there willl be option to wipe it or leave it as it is. Wipe it clean in fat32 or ntfs.

I dont' get that option. I'm running Professional now, and I'm installing Home Edition. All it does, is want to install multiple OS's...and I don't want that.

Anyone?

Posted by ampburner on Jun-12-2002 21:38:

well yeah:
boot disk > "format c:"

Posted by Fir3start3r on Jun-12-2002 21:59:

Woop! Woop!
Nerd Alert!

Make a bootable floppy disk.
Boot up with that disk.
Then type:
FORMAT C: /S

If you don't add the '/s' your C: drive will not be bootable.
(the /s switch tells the format command to copy the system files once the format is done.)

Posted by Mark on Jun-12-2002 22:04:

quote:
Originally posted by Fir3start3r
Woop! Woop!
Nerd Alert!

Make a bootable floppy disk.
Boot up with that disk.
Then type:
FORMAT C: /S

If you don't add the '/s' your C: drive will not be bootable.
(the /s switch tells the format command to copy the system files once the format is done.)

you don't need the /s
once the format is complete you install winxp right away.
if not you still have your bootdisk to boot off of it anyway.

Posted by Fir3start3r on Jun-12-2002 22:28:

quote:
Originally posted by M.A.R.K

you don't need the /s
once the format is complete you install winxp right away.
if not you still have your bootdisk to boot off of it anyway.

True only if you boot from the XP CD no?
I'm guessing because I haven't actually played with XP but I'm assuming it's much like a Windows2000 installation.
(Might have to change the boot start up in the BIOS, but normally don't have to on newer machines).

Otherwise he'll have to make sure the CD is even accessable with a bootable floppy. (ie. drivers).

Posted by Orbax on Jun-12-2002 22:33:

First you get a big magnet...

yeah Rainish Partition manager, partition magic, Fdisk, try one of these

Posted by ampburner on Jun-12-2002 22:38:

lol just kick your PC untill it's working again

Posted by Fir3start3r on Jun-12-2002 22:38:

quote:
Originally posted by Orbax
First you get a big magnet...

yeah Rainish Partition manager, partition magic, Fdisk, try one of these

Doesn't XP come with it's own Disk Administrator like Windows2000?
Fdisk won't be needed if that's the case...

Posted by infinity HiGH on Jun-12-2002 22:46:

Alright! Thanks a lot guys...it's all good now

Time to reinstall everything now, hehe

Posted by Fir3start3r on Jun-12-2002 22:48:

quote:
Originally posted by infinity HiGH
Alright! Thanks a lot guys...it's all good now

Time to reinstall everything now, hehe

Ok...so don't keep us in suspence!

What did you do?

Posted by Munken on Jun-12-2002 22:53:

No one seem to have told you that if you don't have a bootdisk you can download a bootdisk here , but for some reason you need a brand new never used floppydisk.

Posted by Fir3start3r on Jun-12-2002 23:31:

Better yet...
Go to www.bootdisk.com and get one there.
(There's tons of tips and stuff there too.)

Posted by infinity HiGH on Jun-13-2002 07:57:

I made a bootdisk (Downloaded file from MS's site) and then got 6 blank disks (were used before, so I dunno what you're talkin about that they gotta be brand new).

Put in disk 1, restarted computer...a new installation loaded up, asked me which partition I wanna install XP Home Edition to, selected the format partition and install on that one...and thats pretty much all there is to it.

Posted by Fraggle on Jun-13-2002 08:30:

quote:
Originally posted by ampburner
lol just kick your PC untill it's working again

heheh!!!

i'll have to try that next time i get problems with my computer

Posted by Munken on Jun-13-2002 12:09:

quote:
Originally posted by infinity HiGH
I made a bootdisk (Downloaded file from MS's site) and then got 6 blank disks (were used before, so I dunno what you're talkin about that they gotta be brand new).

I've never been able to make at boot disk from www.bootdisk.com with a old floppydisk.

Posted by Tak on Jun-13-2002 12:17:

lets just say it involes a sledgehammer, ice cubes and money.
i'll leave the rest up to you