My brother is selling his pc on and wants to format the computer then reinstall windows so that the computer is clean.

Having normally formatted my own computers i thought this would be an easy task. Indeed i was wrong.The computer in question is currently running win xp home edition on an NTFC partition. This is the only partition on the disk.

I've tried going to ms dos and typing= "C: format". It came up with a message saying that there were other programs running and to shut them down then try again. There were no programs running though.

I then tried to right click on "C drive" in windows, and quick format. It wouldn't work as it is NTFS. I've had a search on the web and it seems there have been a few people in the same boat and not many answers to be had.

I have tried to create a new partition with a FAT 32 system in Control panel> admin tools> Computer Management> disk management. However, it wouldn't let me make a new partition and i'm now completely stuck. Can anyone suggest a solution? How do i format the computer? please help.
Thanks in advance, Hos.

PS- the only other things i can think of are making a boot disk of an old version of windows and using FDisk. But i'm not sure if it would work.

Also, downloading some sort of partition program. Are there any such things? and trying to create a new partition that way?

Has anyone got any ideas or know how to do it??

[Edited by Hos - 5/20/2002 4:03:47 AM]

 

If you are running the os from c, then u can't format it that way.

Use a boot disk.

H

 

will using a boot disk not just create a new version of windows over the top and lose the hard drive space from before?

 

Oops, just re-read you first post.

Do you have a normal install cd or a recovery cd?

If its a normal one then just boot from it and using the setup program delete the partition and re-create it, then install the os and drivers.

If its a recovery cd then this normally wipes it and re-installs a base copy of the os (normally with the correct drivers loaded)

H

 

ihad that problem!

I formated the drive wtihin windows using partition magic

Then used the Win98 boot disk

Si

 

You can't format a NTFS partition. First insert a startup disk and run FDisk. From the menu select the option that says something like 'Delete non-dos partitions'. Do this then restart and run Fdisk again this time creating a primary dos partition. You should then be able to format the drive.

Hope this helps!

Darren

 

You can get an XP Compatible Startup disk from www.bootdisk.com

Daz

 

Hos.....

if you need the ultimate solution, mail me....

GDISK RULES !!!!

Steve

 

What is GDisk? I'll email you.

The only solution i can think of is getting hold of windows 98 disk , i think i have one somewhere and creating a start up disk so i can use FDisk. delete ntfs , create a new one and install windows 98 > then win xp then that should be it.... crossed fingers.

Thanks for the help.
Hos

 

could you put the HD in another puter as a slave! dunno if thats worth a go and then do the normal formating.

 

just a quick update:

Thankyou so much to Steve for sending me GDISK. its fantastic!
I did the process this morning following his instructions and it was really easy in the end. Better than new now.
Regards,
Hos

 

You should have been able to boot using the XP CD (after changing BIOS settings to boot from CD rather than the primary IDE HDD), it then asks what you would like to do e.g. repair present installation, install afresh, or even reformat the partition...

So you could have re-formatted this way then reloaded XP.

Glad you sorted it though!

 

GDISK...GDISK...GDISK...GDISK...GDISK...GDISK...GD ISK...GDISK...GDISK...GDISK...GDISK...GDISK...GDIS K...GDISK...GDISK...GDISK...GDISK...GDISK...GDISK. ..GDISK...

does exactly what it says on the label...!!!

glad to have been of help....

Steve

 

Tony,
I tried that in the beginning. It wouldn't let me do it that way as it was on an NTFS partition and not a FAT 32.

GDISK did it straight off. impressed me anyway.
Hos