Formatting a Hard Drive

Computing.Net > Forums > General Hardware > Formatting a Hard Drive

Original Message

Name: UFLester
Date: September 8, 2004 at 22:04:55 Pacific
Subject: Formatting a Hard Drive
OS: XP Pro
CPU/Ram: 512 DDR PC-2700

Comment:

In preparation to buld my new computer, I installed windows XP on a new Western Digital Hard Drive on an old computer. Now that I am setting up the new computer, there seems to be a problem where XP will not boot up. I think it is because of a confusion with the Chipsets of the 2 motherboards. Does anyone know how to format a hard drive that wont boot up to windows? I would appreciate any help I can get. Thanks!!!

Report Offensive Message For Removal

Response Number 1

Name: Ryan (by evil_lbt)
Date: September 8, 2004 at 22:10:07 Pacific
Subject: Formatting a Hard Drive

Reply: (edit)

do you have windows xp cd?
if so go into bios and set the boot pritory to cd-rom and boot from windows xp cd and just follow the insturctions

Report Offensive Follow Up For Removal

Response Number 2

Name: UFLester
Date: September 8, 2004 at 22:12:11 Pacific
Subject: Formatting a Hard Drive

Reply: (edit)

I have the windows xp cd...the problem is that I keep getting a window saying that there was an error and it gives me options to start windows in safe mode, safe mode with command prompt, etc. I dont know what to do...and how to do it through the BIOS like you said...thanks

Report Offensive Follow Up For Removal

Response Number 3

Name: ron
Date: September 9, 2004 at 01:03:05 Pacific
Subject: Formatting a Hard Drive

Reply: (edit)

To format a hard drive ready for a XP install you will need a Windows 98 startup floppy disk, set boot order to f/drive & with the fdisk utility remove partitions. reset boot order to cd rom & with Xp disk in the drive restart computer. XP will format & create partitions if required.

Report Offensive Follow Up For Removal

Response Number 4

Name: jubalsams
Date: September 9, 2004 at 05:32:23 Pacific
Subject: Formatting a Hard Drive

Reply: (edit)

Get into BIOS : watch monitor when machine first on, will say something to press ... maybe Del {Delete} key. Now in BIOS find boot order options page (carefully read instructions at bottom to navigate). Set boot order to optical drive first. Exit and save settings. Reboot with XP CD in drive and ask it to reformat drive before install.
After install complete, change boot order to FDD then HDD then CD.
Best

Report Offensive Follow Up For Removal

Response Number 5

Name: jam
Date: September 9, 2004 at 05:43:29 Pacific
Subject: Formatting a Hard Drive

Reply: (edit)

I'd use the WDC diagnostic floppy (Data Lifeguard)...if you don't have it, go to the WDC site & download it
http://support.wdc.com/download/

Report Offensive Follow Up For Removal


Wipe a hard-drive. flashing a hard drive Formatting XP hard drive Format XP Hard Drive Making 80G Hard-drive run on a P1?	Recovering a hard drive Format a partitioned drive Formating a hard drive format hard drive Mounting a Hard Drive in a Cd Rom

Response Number 6

Name: name
Date: September 9, 2004 at 09:55:05 Pacific
Subject: Formatting a Hard Drive

Reply: (edit)

""""""""To format a hard drive ready for a XP install you will need a Windows 98 startup floppy disk, set boot order to f/drive & with the fdisk utility remove partitions. reset boot order to cd rom & with Xp disk in the drive restart computer. XP will format & create partitions if required."""""""

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaloney. All you need is the BOOT MEDIA FOR THE SYSTEM YOU ARE ABOUT TO INSTALL, in this case, your X tra P utrid CD. If for some reason you can't figure out how to get your cdrom drive to boot, you can download the several startup floppies needed, for X tra P utrid, at Microshaft.

Report Offensive Follow Up For Removal

Response Number 7

Name: ron
Date: September 9, 2004 at 14:18:17 Pacific
Subject: Formatting a Hard Drive

Reply: (edit)

For a drive thats not new out of the box it works for me.

Report Offensive Follow Up For Removal

Response Number 8

Name: name
Date: September 9, 2004 at 19:35:53 Pacific
Subject: Formatting a Hard Drive

Reply: (edit)

""For a drive thats not new out of the box""
Why does the fact that the drive is not new out of the box have anything to do with it? XP's install utility can remove/create both FAT32 and NTFS partitions.
The point, here, is, that you do NOT need a bunch of "other" bootdisks, or third party partitioning software, to do this.

Report Offensive Follow Up For Removal

Hard drive stalling terri...

Camcorder On CPU

Use following form to reply to current message:

Name: From My Computing.Net Settings E-Mail: From My Computing.Net Settings Subject: Formatting a Hard Drive

Comments:

  Homepage URL (*): 
Homepage Title (*): 
         Image URL:

Ot. Justin

Dwl-3200 Ap Rev.A

Computer keeps restarting

Logitech Message Hangs My System

Why does my computer start up slow?

All Posts Awaiting Replies