Reformatting our hard drive, I need help!

[luckies4me]

We reinstalled Windows XP but I guess to start new we need to reformat our hardrive? How do we erase everything? Dan thought he could do it but now we have even MORE stuff on our computer than we used to. I want my computer back to normal so can anyone help me? I want to erase EVERYTHING and start new. I have all my drivers and cd's here that I will need. If anyone could help I would be sooo thankful! Thanks!

[aly]

Restart your computer with your boot disk in the drive.

Then when you get to the A prompt, type:

Format C: /s

[luckies4me]

Is the boot disk my Windows XP disk??

[All Creatures Great And Small]

Oh man, that is not an easy or quick task, by any means. I had to do the exact same thing when I upgraded from Windows ME because if you install XP over ME you will have problems. Then I had to do the same thing all over again when I installed a second hard drive. The most difficult part will be storing everything you want to save on something other than your hard disk. As far as the reformatting process, the Microsoft support website has excellent documents explaining exactly how it's done, and I also went to the website of my hard drive manufacturer and got some more great information. You might possibly have a problem if you are using the "upgrade" version of XP and it doesn't detect a previous installation of Windows because you've cleaned off the hard drive. It won't accept an OEM disk (the one that comes with preinstalled operating systems), so I had to buy a Windows 98 disk and put it in the CD-ROM drive during the XP installation, so it thinks I had an earlier version of Windows. (If your previous operating system was store-bought, you won't have this
problem.)

Good luck, have fun !

[luckies4me]

Originally posted by All Creatures Great And Small
Oh man, that is not an easy or quick task, by any means. I had to do the exact same thing when I upgraded from Windows ME because if you install XP over ME you will have problems. Then I had to do the same thing all over again when I installed a second hard drive. The most difficult part will be storing everything you want to save on something other than your hard disk. As far as the reformatting process, the Microsoft support website has excellent documents explaining exactly how it's done, and I also went to the website of my hard drive manufacturer and got some more great information. You might possibly have a problem if you are using the "upgrade" version of XP and it doesn't detect a previous installation of Windows because you've cleaned off the hard drive. It won't accept an OEM disk (the one that comes with preinstalled operating systems), so I had to buy a Windows 98 disk and put it in the CD-ROM drive during the XP installation, so it thinks I had an earlier version of Windows. (If your previous operating system was store-bought, you won't have this
problem.)

Good luck, have fun !

Ok I am trying to understand you as best I could. When we got the computer it had Windows in it already, and then the unopened disk came with it, so it was already on the computer (Windows xp). The comp was new but I guess they already have it set up? Is that what you mean about preinstalled? I hope we don't have to go buy a disk, *sigh*. This is soo confusing! I wish Dan would have never touched it lol.

I have backed up all my files, programs and pics already so I don't have to worry about that. Sorry if I am not too computer literate!

[aly]

If you don't know how to make a boot disk yourself, check this website:

http://www.jrwhipple.com/sup_bootdisk.html

[PJ's Mom]

Your puter came with an XP CD, but did it come with a floppy as well?

[luckies4me]

No do I need a floppy? I guess that is what a boot disk is?

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

If you go to the Microsoft web site you will find instructions of how to make a boot disk. (Assuming you have a floppy drive). Another alternative it to make the PC boot from the CD, but it's not a good idea to mess in the BIOS if you don't know much about PC's.

When you re-installed XP it should have given you a choice to format and re0install or just update?????