format help!!!!!!

[tolian]

i would like to format my hard drive.
i wish somebody will give me some instructions on how
to format my hard drive and how to install windows XP
again on my Pc.
please help.
thanx

[pillainp]

Hi,

To install Windows XP over an existing install of Windows, just go into your BIOS (press DEL/F1/F2 at the startup screen just after you turn the computer on - read you motherboard manual for the exact key) and set the system to boot from CD (Advanced Options>First Boot Device on the standard Award/Phoenix BIOS - OEM Intel, HP/Compaq and IBM have a separate page in the BIOS called BOOT).

Insert your XP CD in the drive and restart the system. If you have any hardware like SATA drives or SCSI drives that require third party drivers, copy them to floppy disks and have them handy. Windows will ask if you want to install them. If you do, insert the floppy and press F6 (keep an eye on the periodic messages that flash across the bottom of the blue screen).

At a certain point in the install XP setup will say it has found another install of Windows (if one exists) and ask if you want to repair, upgrade or do a fresh install. Choose the last option (but remember you will lose all data on the partition, so back up first, before you even think of reinstalling Windows).

Next Windows setup will list all the available partitions and ask where you want Windows installed. Choose partition C. At this time you may also opt to delete one or all of the existing partitions and recreate them to new sizes to meet your needs.

If the disk is in its raw state and has no partitions you can choose to create one. Clear the partition size field by pressing BACKSPACE and type in the new size (by default the new partition will occupy the entire disk).

Next you will be asked whether you want to leave the existing file system (if there is one) or format it to FAT32 or NTFS (XP's native file system). Make your choice and press the appropriate key to move on. Setup will now format your partition and proceed with the install.

There is not much else to do after that except regional specifications and assigning a machine name and admin password if you require it. It is more or less painless.

I would suggest you install XP to an NTFS partition to get the best out of it.

Also, if you have a lot of users (mostly computer illiterate, but even otherwise), it might be best to create a limited user account and use that for day to day stuff. use the admin account only when you want to make changes to the system.

[tolian]

ok i understand the installation procces.
but i don't want to install windows over the
already existing version,i want first to format my hard drive
and then install Windows XP from the beggining.
So how can i "erase" the existing version of my windows
and format my hard drive?
thanx.

[pillainp]

Ok,

The old days of having to partition your hard drive and then format it so that you could install Windows died with 9x/Me.
Nowadays all that is handled by the 2K/XP installer routine.

Just set up your system to boot from CD and restart with the XP bootable CD in the drive. Follow the prompts from there.

When it gets to the part about where you want Windows installed, setup will show you a list of all available partitions, if there are any. If the disk is raw (unpartitioned and unformatted), XP will offer to create a partition for you, and you can specify the size. If there are partitions just choose the one where you want XP installed and select to format it in NTFS/FAT32. XP will so format and install to that drive.

Also you can choose to delete all existing partitions and then recreate a new one for XP to beinstalled to.

[tolian]

ok.
i'll try it.
thanx for helping.

[pillainp]

you're welcome. have a great day.

[Markoman01027]

if you want to make things easier..you can download a program called Delpart which will delete NTFS partitions, or you can just download a zerofill and destroy everything on the drive :-P.