I have a Packard Bell with windows 95 that has a unknown password that prevents me from starting windows or doing anything on the computer. I tried rebooting windows, but it didn't work because I can't reset the bios. I would like to delete the hard drive and start from scratch, but don't know how to. Any help on how to deal with this problem or rebiuld the computer's hard drive would be greatly appreciated.

Luke Not sure why you want to delete everything on the HD as there are ways of removing the password, I believe that I've seen the process posted here before. But if you are dead set on deleting everything, then get to a dos prompt and type in format, ie. c:\format c Then hit the enter key and away you go. First a question to you, do you have an os ready to install after everything is gone? Make a boot disc before you do this, if you do not know how goto the Help section (when you click the start button) and read up on how to do it. I presume you can get to the help file as you are posting here so either the system does some things or you have access to another PC. At any rate good luck man. Alan

If there is a password when you log into Win 95, all you have to do is hit escape. There is no mandatory login in Win95. By the was, if you do want to format, you have to boot with a boot disk first and format from the a: prompt.

I'm not a Windows 3.1 person, I'm running XP Prof., (huge jump!) anyway, I just wanted to see what people actually said about 3.1. Anyway, My expertise is only from 98 and forward, but couldn't you just hit "F8" before Windows loads and get into MS-DOS somehow...and reformat the hard drive? That's how I reformat hard drives 95 and up. No telling with 3.1. :) Probably didn't help, but just thought I could give an idea to someone with a better idea.

I could be wrong but This sounds like a bios password and not a windows password since you can just click through the windows PW. If this is the bios password wich locks you out before windows even kicks in things may be a little more difficult such as playing with jumpers on the motherboard which are put there in the event that any one should forget their bios password. And some have told me that pulling the lithium battery used for storing the bios info will reset your bios to default. Good luck.

format a compressed HD. YES

l have been having problems with my laptop . its pretty old but l like it.in windows 95 the oringinal directory name was window so l changed it to windows and when l started my computer windows didn't start. l have windows 95 disks and l want to delete windows 95 and reinstall it but the computer wont allow me, l think l deleted important files , because the computer wont start unless there is a system floppy disk and it keeps saying Disk 1/0 error.