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| Thread ID: 107264 | 2010-02-10 10:21:00 | Re-format HDD | timmy5953 (6846) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 856979 | 2010-02-10 10:21:00 | I have finished cleaning up my now redundant desktop (Windows XP) and want to FORMAT the HDD (C), On-line articles have nearly got me there but there is a frustrating hurdle at the finish.. Digging down thru My Computer to Manage/Computer Management /Storage/ Disc management (Local) I am able to get to the FORMAT option for my C drive [which has no partitioning] On clicking format I (not unexpectedly) get warning “Formatting will erase ALL data on this disc. To format the disc click OK .To quit,,click CANCEL.” So I click OK & get the response “Windows cannot format this drive..Quit any disc utilities or other programs that are using this drive . Then try formatting this drive again” With Task Manager, I can see no other programs are running, nor does there seem to be any activity on TAskManager’s Processes tab. What have I missed? Is there a work around? |
timmy5953 (6846) | ||
| 856980 | 2010-02-10 10:30:00 | You have to put the the XP cd, in the cd then go into the BIOS, then change the bootdisk to cd. Then save the settings. Then boot from the cd. Wait for it to tell you to press a key, then press it ONCE. (Dont press a key everytime it reboots, or you'll go round in circles). And just follow what it says on the screen You CANT format windows (if youre formatting C, since its got windows on it), and you're using it / in it. This will format it / you'll be doing a clean install. So, everything will get wiped. So, before you format it, make sure you've got drivers etc so you can reinstall them after. However, if this has a restore partition / or restore cd's use them instead |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 856981 | 2010-02-10 10:49:00 | You can't format the drive that windows is running on, because then you'd be deleting the operating system and programs that allow the formatting to happen, therefore the formatting wouldn't be able to happen because there wouldn't be any program there to do it. | Agent_24 (57) | ||
| 856982 | 2010-02-10 18:33:00 | You could make a floppy "boot disk" and use that. However, Format only invokes a format of media other than the HDD. I believe you need to use FDISK to format the HDD. |
Bryan (147) | ||
| 856983 | 2010-02-10 19:07:00 | Umm no, you'll still have to use the CD | Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 856984 | 2010-02-10 19:56:00 | Easiest way, is PUPPYLINUX(again). Restart and boot from this CD. Faster than using the windows XP CD. Once you have the hang of Gparted its easy. |
pkm (13527) | ||
| 856985 | 2010-02-10 19:58:00 | It maybe faster, but you'll still need the XP cd to reinstall windows | Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 856986 | 2010-02-10 21:42:00 | Umm no, you'll still have to use the CD No... there are many different tools available on floppy disks that will format your hard drive. Some might not work if the drive is SATA in AHCI mode though. It maybe faster, but you'll still need the XP cd to reinstall windows Who said he wanted to reinstall Windows? |
Agent_24 (57) | ||
| 856987 | 2010-02-10 22:03:00 | He didnt say he wasnt going to reinstall windows either | Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 856988 | 2010-02-10 22:04:00 | Maybe he wants to wipe the drive and then sell the PC? | Agent_24 (57) | ||
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