Reformat Help

[infective]

Alrighty, first time solo.. kinda ..

I have the Windows XP Install CD next to me. I wanna delete all my partitions and start fresh. While logged on can I install Windows XP over itself and get the same thing? And if not can you throw me some suggestions.. Please!

[rjfvillarosa]

Why do you want to format your hard drive and what OS are you using at the moment?

[infective]

Im using Windows XP SP1.
Noticeable decrease in performance from when my PC was built.

[rjfvillarosa]

Are you sure you want to format? maybe just some adaware cleaning will do the trick and on the subject how is your antivirus.

[infective]

Yes im absolutely possitive I want to reformat

[rjfvillarosa]

No worries then put the XP cd in the tray and install XP at the command. setup will detect everything thats on your hard drive and prompt you to do a format, just click yes

[rjfvillarosa]

do you have all the necessary drivers for your hard ware?

[infective]

No, for my vid card I figured I could just download them from the site..

And something about my Ethernet card(it's integrated into the board), some info I have to write down or place on a floppy.. just don't know where to go, to find it..

[rjfvillarosa]

You sound to me like you can handle this easy, dont worry about the ethernet card windows will load generic drivers for it which actually work quite well. If you can get the drivers for your video card from their site great but if not just go to driverguide.com you will find it all there. Windows will load generic drivers for your video card which will work but not very well so everything should be working, you will just need to update. Do you know how to get to "device manager" in "system" in "control panel"?

[infective]

Yep, im there right now.

[rjfvillarosa]

If you think the only two things that will be affected by your reinstall of windows are the ethernet and video card then no worries go on get stuck in and do it. If you are in device manager at the moment then I am sure you know that an exclamation mark in a yellow triangle next to a device means that that particular device is not installed or not installed correctly.
Personaly I would just get on with it and check device manager when you are finished reinstalling, if you see the ethernet card is ok you could always try just updating the drivers and you already know that your video card will not be right, so no worries go for it. and best of luck which i am sure you wont need.

[rjfvillarosa]

Do you have the original cd for your mobo?, coz if you do the drivers for the ethernet card will be on there.

[infective]

You speak as if you think I know what im doing.. of which I truly don't, hehe.

So doing this install will allow me to delete my partitions and create new ones?

EDIT: Yes I have the mobo CD, yay!

[rjfvillarosa]

Yes windows will clean and revamp the partitions it needs and if you need any more you can always use partition magic.

[infective]

Ok then cool, I've also written down my Network Connection Details: Physical Add, IP Add, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, DHCP Server, DNS Servers..

Hopefully, this will help get me online.. I got another active computer downstairs though, so if anything should go wrong, I could get my resources from there..

And thanks alot for your help!

[rjfvillarosa]

your very welcome, come back and let me know how you get on

[infective]

Aye..

Well I installed Windows XP..

Now on start-up I can choose between my old windows XP and my new one, so I have like two instances of it...

Start Windows XP
Start Windows XP

(place where you get a lil countdown to choose)

So I got two now.. This ain't right =(

[glc]

On the reinstall, you should delete all partitions till you only have unallocated space - then install XP in the unallocated space. This is the only way to totally wipe out the old info. You just did a parallel installation.

[rjfvillarosa]

As glc says you didn't clear (format) the partitions when prompted.
Do it again but this time clear it all, or you could run partition magic and clean up the unnecessary partitions.

[glc]

Just formatting does not necessarily get rid of the bootloader. You need to actually delete the partitions.