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Can't format hard drive.
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Original Message
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Name: peter
Date: January 30, 2000 at 21:37:11 Pacific
Subject: Can't format hard drive. |
Comment: I'm trying to format my hard drive but keep getting refused by windows (95). I've tried "my computer" and right clicking "c" drive but I get the message, "windows cannot format this drive because it contains files in use by windows". I get the same message when I right click the c drive from windows explorer. I've gone into the dos prompt from windows and typed in format c: and it says am I sure and I say yes then it refuses to do it. Does anyone know how I can format my hard drive?
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Response Number 1
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Name: Lynne
Date: January 30, 2000 at 22:09:33 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)Try formatting with a Dos 6.22 boot disk (www.bootdisk.com.. if you don't have one). Boot up on it and then format, fdisk, or whatever.
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Response Number 3
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Name: Paul
Date: January 31, 2000 at 00:01:58 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)I assume that you are planning a complete system rebuild. I also assume that you realize that you know that once you reformat your c: drive, any data and programs that you have installed (whether or not it is on the c: drive or not) will be lost and the programs will have to be reinstalled. You will need a bootable disk with your cd-rom drivers on it to reinstall windows, unless you have the cab files copied to another drive. If you have the Windows install cd with the bootable disk that came with it, that should work for MOST cd-roms. The easiest way, since your computer is obviouly going into windows, would be to copy the cabs to a dive other than c:, if you have one. Copy the entire directory from the \win95 directory on the cd-rom, since the cab files will do you no good unless you have the setup.exe. Then simply reboot. When the "Starting Windows95" prompt comes up, hit F8, which will bring up a menu. Choose "Command Prompt Only". Then type the format command and reformat. When it is done, go to the directory where you have the cab files and run setup.
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Response Number 4
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Name: peter
Date: January 31, 2000 at 02:36:53 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)Thanks Lynne and sybertek, I managed to format the drive by rebooting and going to dos as per sybertek's post.
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Response Number 5
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Name: peter
Date: January 31, 2000 at 02:58:53 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)Thanks Paul. I got your post after I formatted the drive. I have win 95 and win 98 start disks ( win 98 to get into the CD drive). However now when I try to reboot using the start disk I get a message saying, "Invalid system disk, replace disk and strike any key". Any idea what's going on?
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Response Number 6
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Name: Jim
Date: January 31, 2000 at 12:36:42 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)this my help
http://support.microsoft.com/view/pers.asp?id=pass&pg=http%3a%2f%2fask%2esupport%2emicrosoft%2ecom
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