Format Computer :: A few questions?

[Tomer]

Hey,

I want to format a computer in my house [Windows XP PRO, Pentium 4], not the main computer. I already transfered all the documents I need to keep to the main computer on the same home wireless network. I also printed out the device manager so I have all the info to reinstall all the old drivers and such.

Anyways I have windows XP + serial code on a disk. I also need a floppy boot disk, but I'm not sure where to get one that I need, so my first questions is where can I get a working floppy boot disk so that when I insert it, I get DOS promt, where I go to format.

Anyways the computer has 3 partions [C: where all the windows files are, D and E], I want to erase all those and only have C drive.

I once saw my brother format, he first got into DOS, and checked if he can load the disk via DOS to make sure he can install the Windows, than he wrote "format c" and it formats the disk, than he loaded the Windows disk from DOS and installed. Just want to make sure that's how it's done.

So my questions are:

1) Where to get the floppy boot disk?

2) How to get only C drive instead of all 3 partions?

3) What's the command to open the CD drive [cd e: ?] to check I can load Windows?

4) Is the rest of my steps correct?

- Tomer

[ghostmaster]

If you are installing XP you shouldn't need a boot disk, unless your computer won't boot a CD.  The XP CD is bootable.  During installation you will get the oportunity to delete all of your partitions and install XP in a new single partition. 

When you put in the XP disk, reboot the computer, and if it is setup right, you will see a prompt that says "press any key to boot CD", just press any key and follow the on screen steps.

[coknuck]

I think this is what you are looking for:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=83F53BE9-28FA-40E8-8EC2-631504EF5E26&displaylang=en

[Tomer]

The Windows XP disk is burnt [not orginal] but it was burnt as a bootable data disk. When I put the CD in it loads DOS, but it gives errors before it shows DOS, and a lot of stuff don't work. I tried to write format c and it said error in command. I think the boot disk is no good.

So can you give me a working boot disk that will enter DOS with no errors.

Thanks for your help!

- Tomer

[TheHalf]

With WinXP make sure your BIOS is set-up to boot from CD drive first. Anyhoo here's a website that may help you.

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

TheHalf

[Tomer]

Thanks, I really have no idea what I need.

I need a floppy disk that I insert, I'm taken to black screen with DOS promt, and there I can open a disk and run setup for windows, I also need to be able to do "format c" there. What do I need? The windows thingy makes you create a few floppys, I think all I need is one.

Many thanks!

- Tomer

[Tomer]

Danmit, I was playing around with the CMOS settings => 'Boot Order' settings and I don't know what happened but know I can't even see the CD-ROM drive in My Computer, it still opens and closes, but the computer doesn't reconize it, can anyone help? I'm desperate.

- Tomer

[MYRIAGON]

Hey Tomer..

If your current disk is setup with the fat32 file system you can just use a win98 boot disk and use that to enter fdisk, delete all partitions and ESC, then restart PC keep the boot disk in and re-enter fdisk and create one partition using all the disk space. When that is done you may restart PC again using the boot disk again, then you can use the format C: .

The best way to go if your CD does not boot is go to the website coknuk provided above, and download the XP boot disks there, I believe it makes 6 boot disks and use those and follow their prompts to delete your current partitions and recreate a single partition, after it will ask if you want fat32 or NTSF file system. I would recommend NTSF and don't use the quick method. at one point it will need the WinXP Cd so have it ready to put in.

Hope this helps and good luck.........MYRIAGON

[Tomer]

Thanks MYRIAGON. The disks I have are C, D and E:

In my computer, I check and I don't see my CDROM drive. When I enter via the windows 98 boot disk, I can access C & D, but E: is the cd-drive which should be the hard disk..

Whatever, my only problem now is that when I go to run SETUP.EXE on the windows XP, it says application can't open in DOS mode. What do I do?

- Tomer

[ghostmaster]

You cannot run the XP setup in Microsoft DOS, as XP does not use DOS like windows 98 and windows 95 did.  You need to download the disks that Coknuk linked you to in order to install, if your XP disk is not bootable. 

[MYRIAGON]

You can run xp install from DOS, but it's a little more complicated.

You have to reverse whatever you did in the BIOS though so the Cd rom works.

Then follow my directions using the win98 boot disk to FDISK and Format the C drive.

You also have to find a copy of smartdrv.exe either on the internet or from a win98 or 95 CD and put it on the win98 boot disk, boot using the win98 bootdisk with CD rom support, when you get to the A: prompt type  smartdrv.exe and hit enter.

Then go to your Cd drive letter and type cd /i386 and enter then type winnt and enter, that should start the setup.

MYRIAGON........

P.S. This only works using FAT32 File System.....

[Tomer]

Yeah I found the /i368/winnt.exe install. It works good, so I will be able to remove all the partions and create only C when I continue the install?

- Tomer

[MYRIAGON]

Do this first.......

If your current disk is setup with the fat32 file system you can just use a win98 boot disk and use that to enter fdisk, delete all partitions and ESC, then restart PC keep the boot disk in and re-enter fdisk and create one partition using all the disk space. When that is done you may restart PC again using the boot disk again, then you can use the format C: .

After Formatting C: Then do this.....

find a copy of smartdrv.exe either on the internet or from a win98 or 95 CD and put it on the win98 boot disk, boot using the win98 bootdisk with CD rom support, when you get to the A: prompt type  smartdrv.exe and hit enter.

Then go to your Cd drive letter and type cd /i386 and enter then type winnt and enter, that should start the setup.

You must use the smartdrv.exe or it will run very slow and may not even finnish install....

MYRIAGON..........

[MYRIAGON]

Sorry for the double post....

If you follow the directions using fdisk you will not need to partition or format during install, but it will be set to FAT32.

Do this first.......

If your current disk is setup with the fat32 file system you can just use a win98 boot disk and use that to enter fdisk, delete all partitions and ESC, then restart PC keep the boot disk in and re-enter fdisk and create one partition using all the disk space. When that is done you may restart PC again using the boot disk again, then you can use the format C: .

After Formatting C: Then do this.....

find a copy of smartdrv.exe either on the internet or from a win98 or 95 CD and put it on the win98 boot disk, boot using the win98 bootdisk with CD rom support, when you get to the A: prompt type  smartdrv.exe and hit enter.

Then go to your Cd drive letter and type cd /i386 and enter then type winnt and enter, that should start the setup.

You must use the smartdrv.exe or it will run very slow and may not even finnish install....

MYRIAGON..........

[Tomer]

OK thanks I'll get the smartdrv.exe

I want the drive to be NTFS, not Fat32, should i go with the fdisk way?

- Tomer

[MYRIAGON]

OK thanks I'll get the smartdrv.exe

I want the drive to be NTFS, not Fat32, should i go with the fdisk way?

- Tomer

I believe it will give you the option to change to NTFS during install, but yes you will still need to fdisk - partition and format using this install method.

Remember you still can get the WinXP install disks from the link provided by coknuck in a previous post and go that route too.