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caleb2438
New member
How exactly do I format my harddrive? I'm using XP home edition. Has anybody done this?
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Polaris20
Active member
1. Start computer
2. press whatever button gets you into the BIOS.
3. Go to the boot sequence
4. select "boot from CDROM"
5. Save and exit
6. Make sure XP disc is in the 'puter
7. Follow directions
If you're doing a clean install, make sure you delete the partition that's there (if any) then create a new partition and format using NTFS.
2. press whatever button gets you into the BIOS.
3. Go to the boot sequence
4. select "boot from CDROM"
5. Save and exit
6. Make sure XP disc is in the 'puter
7. Follow directions
If you're doing a clean install, make sure you delete the partition that's there (if any) then create a new partition and format using NTFS.
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caleb2438
New member
Polaris that's great except I'm stupider than that. Can anybody be more specific or point me to a link that will explain? When I'm in BIOS will it ask for drivers? How do I get into BIOS. I do have a partition but how do I delete it? how do I create it after the drive is formatted?
jdier
New member
Caleb. Check out www.bootdisk.com
There you can download a win98 startup disk. Write the file to a 3.5" disk. With this in you machine your computer will boot to it and allow you to walk through the simple process of formating an extra disk. (I assume you are looking to format an Hard drive other than the main system disk.)
Using this method will allow you to format the new volume NTFS which is somewhat preferred for large file formats (or so they say.)
There you can download a win98 startup disk. Write the file to a 3.5" disk. With this in you machine your computer will boot to it and allow you to walk through the simple process of formating an extra disk. (I assume you are looking to format an Hard drive other than the main system disk.)
Using this method will allow you to format the new volume NTFS which is somewhat preferred for large file formats (or so they say.)
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johnhoe
New member
Caleb, you havent made it clear.
Are you wishing to format a new second hard disc that is additional to your first hard disc (ie Windowsxp home system)?
Or are you wishing to re-format your existing first hard disc?
If its a second hard disc you can do all the partitioning and formatting from inside xp:-
Start->Settings->Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Computer Management->Disk Management
Right click on the partition you want to format. If it's unpartitioned, then choose to partition it.
From the Format dialog (that will appear after choosing format), select:
Volume Label: <whatever you want>
File System: NTFS
Allocation unit size: default
Click ok and the format will begin.
Are you wishing to format a new second hard disc that is additional to your first hard disc (ie Windowsxp home system)?
Or are you wishing to re-format your existing first hard disc?
If its a second hard disc you can do all the partitioning and formatting from inside xp:-
Start->Settings->Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Computer Management->Disk Management
Right click on the partition you want to format. If it's unpartitioned, then choose to partition it.
From the Format dialog (that will appear after choosing format), select:
Volume Label: <whatever you want>
File System: NTFS
Allocation unit size: default
Click ok and the format will begin.
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caleb2438
New member
Thanks everyone! Yeah I am wanting to re-format my hard drive. My only hard drive that is. It is an 80 gig with about 3 gigs partitioned to the "D" drive. I have all of the drivers and everything saved on disc. However when I right click on the C drive I can choose format. But then a message comes up saying that I can't because I am currently using that drive. I have windows xp and the file system is ntfs. Do I need to make a boot-up disc? Has anybody re-formatted their hard drive using WinXP home and can talk to me in grade 2 language? Or a very smart first grader's language?
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johnhoe
New member
OK Caleb, This is not something for the fainthearted but here goes...
You need to reboot the computer from your Windows XP CDROM and simply follow the instructions to delete the existing partition on the C: drive. Then recreate a new partition and carry on with the default installation.
Your main problem with this is that the computer is probably not set up to boot from the CDROM as you would want here. If the computer fails to boot from the CDROM drive THEN you will need to go into the "bios" and configure the boot up sequence. You go into the bios usually by holding down the <del> key on bootup. If you are unable to find this boot up sequence menu then I suggest that you reconsider this whole thing!!!
May i suggest that you go away and try to alter the bios boot up sequence and test this by trying JUST to start up the computer with the WInXP CDROM. If you succeed at this then try the whole chebang!
You need to reboot the computer from your Windows XP CDROM and simply follow the instructions to delete the existing partition on the C: drive. Then recreate a new partition and carry on with the default installation.
Your main problem with this is that the computer is probably not set up to boot from the CDROM as you would want here. If the computer fails to boot from the CDROM drive THEN you will need to go into the "bios" and configure the boot up sequence. You go into the bios usually by holding down the <del> key on bootup. If you are unable to find this boot up sequence menu then I suggest that you reconsider this whole thing!!!
May i suggest that you go away and try to alter the bios boot up sequence and test this by trying JUST to start up the computer with the WInXP CDROM. If you succeed at this then try the whole chebang!
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caleb2438
New member
Thanks Johnhoe. I'm pretty sure I can get it to boot from disk. Are you saying that once I boot from disc then I will have the option to erase the partition? Once I have erased it will I be lead through the process of reformatting? What I mean is will it say "please put in the modem driver"? or will it say kghgkjfljgiyg3432535253 and I'm to know that this combination of numbers means to put in the modem driver? I'm not too bad with computers by all means, I have just never reformatted and want to make sure I can do it before attempting. Thanks
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Polaris20
Active member
jdier said:
Bad idea. Never use FDisk for WinXP, unless you're actually going to use FAT32. FDISK doesn't even work with NTFS, I don't think.
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johnhoe
New member
Yes Caleb, carry on with the Windows XP bootup via the CDROM. You will be given the option of deleting the previous partitions, then as I say create a new one. It is reasonably straightforward! It is only after Winxp has installed that you will be in a position to put in drivers. Basically if they are not supported natively by XP then you will have to reinstall them manually. You can check this by looking in
start/ settings/control panel/system/system/hardware/device manager to see if devices exist or yellow question marks are telling you that drivers are needed.
By the way I think Polaris is correct. Win98 Fdisk is not capable of creating NTFS partitions and that particular solution (suggested by Jdier) ignored the fact that you may have NTFS partitions on your disc from the previous install.
Hope that helps.
start/ settings/control panel/system/system/hardware/device manager to see if devices exist or yellow question marks are telling you that drivers are needed.
By the way I think Polaris is correct. Win98 Fdisk is not capable of creating NTFS partitions and that particular solution (suggested by Jdier) ignored the fact that you may have NTFS partitions on your disc from the previous install.
Hope that helps.
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caleb2438
New member
Okay that's great. I'll let you guys know how it goes. If i don't respond in days, you can be sure I can't get my puter working to do so. Lol. Thanks!
Caleb
Caleb