OT/ computer formating hard drive

[Anonymous-0]

I have to format my hard drive. I get to the C prompt, but for the life of me I can not remember the keys to type to get er done. Yes it has to be reformatted, can't print, read the 3 1/2" floppy, either cd drive, and it has a mind of it's own. I know it is radical, but have dealt with this for three weeks now. My computer is not hot enough to install Vista. When I try to reinstall xp it says I have a newer version installed, and will not allow it to go forward. I have opened the package on the Vista. I was on Microsoft phone for over 3 1/2 hrs, Mediacom for a additional three hrs all tolled. Their only answer is to reformat my hard drive. Anyone reading this may want to backup their files---Like I know I should have. I was supprised to know that Mc Afee lists no phone number---only website. Microsoft allows 2 phone calls after paying big dollars for Vista. Third phone call is charged to credit card @ $59.00. Wal-Mart will not take opened software at all. I have been advised by numerous teck folks not to use Vista till the first revision comes out. I can return Vista to Microsoft---within 45 days from purchase, but at what rate, etc. I have not discused yet. There seems to be good reasons why Bill Gates has a few more dollars than I do. It does not seem right to talk to some one in India who speaks poor English for computer problems. I'm using my sons computer in case someone is wondering. I am not against using Vista as I get along good with my sons computer with the Vista installed. I am not attempting to double use Vista, and I did pay for a original, They are all home premium. Hey! And Thanks for any help, I'm headed out to the shop, and I know I have a big hammer out there somewhere. NE IA formaly NE IA Dave

 

[Pooh Bear]

I just went thru this over the weekend.
I suspected a virus so I reformatted and reinstalled XP.
First, do you have an XP install disk or an install partition.
If you have an XP disk then at the c:\> prompt try typing

format c:

After that is done stick the XP install disk in the CD drive
and reboot the computer. It should do the rest from there.

Pooh Bear

 

[Jim from Pa]

FORMAT C:

 

[supergrumpy]

format c:/s

IMHO

 

[Howard H.]

You don't have to format the drive if you have files on there you want to save.

You can install a clean copy of Windows XP side by side the old corrupt version of Windows - and still leave all your files.

To get around the "newer version" error, just boot your PC up on the Windows XP CDROM (you may have to make a change in CMOS setup to force the PC to look to the CDROM drive for boot instructions), but once it boots on the CD itself, it won't check versions...

Email me if you have questions... I probably average 2 PC rebuilds per week... (wish I could get to my tractors that fast - ha)...


Howard

 

[Allan in NE]

Before you do that:

Get the thing to read the drives first or you're screwed. Go down into the lower BIOS and straighten that out so that it will see the A drive first, then the CD and then the hard drive.

If you wipe from within XP command prompt and it can't read an external, how are ya gonna load it?

The command is: FORMAT C:

Allan

 

[Jack-Iowa]

where are you in ne iowa? would not format or reinstall and unless you boot off a cd you will not be able to if it booted up on c:
would get rid of norton and or mcaffee as they cause the most problems .
but all is not lost yet........

 

[Anonymous-0]

Do you know how to get into your BIOS? Usually you have to hit DEL when it is booting but some H.P.'s had the user hit F8 to access the BIOS. Once in there you can set the boot order for the Floppy, CDROM, and hard drive. After that if you have a Western Digital H.D. you can use their maintenance disk to write zero's to the drive and completely clean it. Then you can boot from the O.S. disk of your choice and do the drive format and the O.S. loading.

 

[Allan in NE]

The good ones use F1 or F2. :>)

Allan

 

[Dan-IA]

actually, you want
fdisk
because if you simply delete the partitions then installation will proceed as if it's a new computer.
format
will erase the data but leave the partition, and if your copy of windows is an OEM version, the presence of a partition will prevent any installation.

Unless you've already formatted you should still be able to backup your files. I use a bootable CD called Bart's Boot Disk with a copy of the file manager from windows 3.1 to copy all the files off.

If you can't access the external drives, I'd suspect they need cleaned more than anything else. Use a can of compressed air to blow it out.

 

[DaveS]

I use format c: /s/u

 

[onefarmer]

I thought F1 was for "Keyboard not found... Press F1 to continue" ??!!

 

[Anonymous-0]

The problem you are going to have using anything to copy the files offf would be if the NTFS file system was used.

1st get the PC to boot from CD.
2nd boot from cd and try to install XP
just select replace existing Windows when ask
This will install Windows and not kill
all of your files.

If this does not work you can remove the hard drive and connect it as the second hard drive in another PC and copy the files that way.

Hope this helps.

 

[Allan in NE]

You're already into the BIOS by that time. :>)

Allan

 

[GeorgeH]

F8 is normally used to do a controlled boot that allows you to see drivers etc come up.

 

[steve n carol]

You can google 'commands' and find all these C:/ commands online and print a list....sl

 

[wfw]

as others have said you should be able to boot from your windows cd, you might have to change the order of your boot up devices( in cmos or bios), the windows cd should come up with a window allowing you to reformat your hd and reload. If you need some help try newbies.ws, they are pretty good, I have no affilation, just browse their forum and ask questions like I do here. good luck

frank

 

[JD 1956 60]

You stated "cant' read the 3 1/2 or the cd drive". None of the advice giving will work unless you can boot (startup) from one of those drives. Try booting from the floppy or cd. If you can't, you're screwed. Formating the C drive won't help.

 

[guido]

Hey ne
Here is another one to format your hard drive.
While the computer is on, insert the windows disk in the cdrom drive, close the door and turn the computer off.
Open the computer and find the hard drive power cord, white plub with 4 wires. Pull the power plug off the hard drive. Start the computer and without the power to the hard drive you can boot from the cdrom. The operating system disk will take over.When that happens plug in the hard drive and follow the prompts on the screen. It worked for me.
Guido.