Could one of you geniuses tell me the entire process step by step to "wipe out" my hard drive and reinstall windows 3.1. I have a computer that was given to me and i want to start from scratch, please help me, I have no where else to turn......thanx so much- I am new at this?????

If you boot w/ a DOS setup disk, it should have an option to install DOS, deleting everything on the hard drive. If it does not automatically run, once you boot up off of the DOS disk, at the a: type format c: /s This will reformat your hard drive and copy over the system files. You will then need to run the DOS setup program off of DOS disk 1(which should be the boot disk) Once you load DOS put in Win disk 1 and run setup.exe and prepair to swap disks as requested. I probably left something out(it's been a while). Let me know if you need any more help.

All geniuses know that if you use the 'Correct' MS-DOS (version 6x) Install Disks, that you do not need to System Format your Hard Drive, as Setup does this for you! So all you need to do is FORMAT C:\U (Include the Unconditional Key to obtain 100% clean format) Install MS-DOS (6.22 if you have it) Install Windows 3.1 Install Programs

All Geniuses know that when users acquire older hardware that none of them have any documentation or original software. I would deltree all directories except the dos directory and start from there. go to c:\ type "dir" delete anything that is there except command.com, io.sys, msdos.sys, you may not see the last two files, this is ok. and the dos directory. Start from there, otherwise you may have trouble finding the original dos diskettes.

The most important thing to do before you reformat the hard drive is to get together all the required disks to reinstall DOS, Windows and any application software. Just telling people to reformat their hard drive is not exactly correct. Here's what I would do: Find my DOS setup disks, find my Windows setup disks, get on the Internet and download the Windows 3.10 video drivers from the Manufacturers web site. Also, get the diagnostics disk (Dell provide Diag disks for their systems for example). Make sure you have backed up any files you wish to keep onto floppy. Boot with DOS setup disk 1, wait till you get to the blue screen saying about Installing DOS. Hit F3 twice. This will take you to the Dos prompt. C:>\ type in fdisk /mbr (to get rid of any bootloaders etc, also to refresh the Master Boot Record) Type fdisk Select 4, display partitions. If you have one partition C: go to next step. Next Step: Hit Esc to return to the menu. Select 3 Delete Partition Select 1 Delete primary DOS partition Follow on screen instructions about typing in the volume label. Once the Primary DOS partition is deleted, Hit Esc to return to main menu Hit Esc to exit fdisk Reboot Run the DOS setup. Reboot when told to do so. Insert Windows Setup Disk 1 type a:\setup, hit Enter Follow onscreen instructions Use the Express setup unless you know what you are doing. Reboot Type win at the prompt to load Windows Install video drivers Install application software, using the method oldest programmes to newest, eg. Install Word for Windows 2.0 before Excel 5.0 etc. Resources www.powerload.fsnet.co.uk Site contains links to DOS and Windows disk images Should any of the above still be confusing, I can email you a full guide to redoing your pc, let me know.

Hello, To format the hard disk and install windows 3.1 you will need the followings: 1. One boot floppy of Windows 3.1 or Dos. with format.com file copied to it. 2. CD or floppies to install windows 3.1. and follow the following steps: 1. switch on the m/c and press del to enter into setup. 2. change boot sequence to A, C 3. save the setting and exit. 4. insert the boot floppy in drive A. 5. it will boot the m/c in A drive. type Format C: 6. this will format the hard disk. 7. reboot the m/c and enter setup again 8. make the boot sequence as CDROM,C,A 9. save the setting and exit. 10. reboot the m/c and follow the instruction on the screen. Hope this helps you:-) Regards, Sherlock holmes@qsupport.com