Windows XP Format

V

Victor_ffx

New Member
Hi guys,
I've been trying to reformat my hardrive using the Windows XP CD. I only have one hardrive and 1 partition which Windows is already installed on, during installation I said delete partition and it said there was temp files needed for installation or something, then I right clicked on the c: drive and said format and it said.

"Windows cannot format this drive, quit any disk utilities or other programs that are using this drive, and make sure that no window is displaying the contents of this drive. Then try formatting again."

I'm using Windows XP Home SP2.

I would appreciate any help,

Thanks guys,
Vic ;)
 
The reason you get that error is becuase you are not trying to boot the right way you need to cancel the install and then put the cd in and boot to the cd then you can choose the install option hit f and then delete all the partitions and start again...
 
I'll give that a quick try, do I just change the boot settings in BIOS because I think I already tried that but nothing came up when it got onto desktop.
 
You need to go into your bios and change the boot order.

EDIT: Yes just go into your bios, and set your CD/DVD drive as the primary boot device. Make sure you set it back to your HD afterwards though.
 
Yes, go into your bios, go to the second to last tab, change the boot order to cd drive and then hard drive. Restart and then choose the second option which is boot off cd.
 
Okay I've done that, it said "press any button to BOOT from CD" So I did, but it didn't go to the installation it went straight to desktop. I assume this is because Windows is already installed, is there any way I can uninstall it and then format after that?
 
No luck, I tried it a couple of times, I even tried taking the hard drive off of the boot order. But it didn't work, i think I'll try uninstalling windows with this method:

Start your computer to Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Type “cd\” press “Enter”.

Now type cd\windows\system32 , press “Enter”

Type “osuninst.exe”, press ENTER.

Now follow onscreen prompts to uninstall XP

would it work?
 
Are you sure you put the right cd drive up there? It should be all the way up at the top, then go to save changes and exit. That should work for you. Ive never tried the above method but it may work. To get to safe mode you know that you hold down f8 when you restart to get to that menu right?
 
Try this. get to the command prompt and type in fdisk and nose around in there, see how many partitions you have, what theyre set under and so on. You could do a cmos and debug routine where it would clear out your cmos and debug your partiton, which would wipe off windows xp, spyware and viruses and reset your cmos. heres the script for that. But if you arent getting a prompt for your cd and clearing the cmos doesnt work, you may be out of luck. http://www.computerhope.com/rdebug.htm#5
 
Oh, nothing worked :( Going to try the fdisk thing now. Otherwise I have a windows 2000 disk, I'll try formatting with that cd. and then try reinstalling XP.
 
Woohoo! just realised, my zboard turns off for a little bit during startup so when it says press any button to BOOT from CD, i wasn't pressing anything, I should've realised sooner because when i pressed f8 I couldn't go up or down to choose startup mode. I got the downstairs keyboard and that worked, then I when it said press any button to BOOT from CD I thought, let me try the other keyboard, and it worked. Yipee! :D
 
Well, it's all done and dusted, thanks guys for all your help, in the words of Billy G down at Winders in Georgia, Yeee-Haww! ;)
 
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