i would like to format my c: drive,but it can't work .i have used the win98 startup disk to run Ms dos ,try to format it,but fail........

Use a 95 or 98 start up disk
Boot to A: Fdisk
Delete Partition or logical drive
Delete primary DOS partition if fat16 or fat32
Delete Non DOS if NTFS
Next
Create DOS partition
Create primary DOS partition
Do you wish to use max size?_______Y
Reboot to A: format C:
You have FAT32

You can use the win me disk to format your computer.

1. go to your bios to boot from the cd.
2. boot with win me cd, then choose start computer with cdrom support.
3. You should be in a dos prompt after that. (probably a:)
4. If your cdrom is drive d:, type in d:
5. type in dir
6. If you see the win98 directory, then type
cd win98
7. That directory will contain dos files you can use. One of them would be format. type in format c:
8. After it finishes, boot the computer again -
9. Choose Start setup from Cd-rom, and you should be good to go.

Hope this helps.

"you can use the win me disk to format your computer"

Are you sure about this? Ive never seen this info posted anywhere before and not all of the me cd's are bootable cd's.

Recovery disks are usually bootable but they are not windows me cd's.

hello
d/l an m.e boot disk at www.bootdisk.com
at the a:format c: click enter.
for more howtoo format goto www.burzurq.com

1) Create or download Windows ME Boot disk

2) Backup all your files

3) change BIOS setting to allow you to boot off of your floppy drive

4) Boot off your boot disk to a: (just before it finishes booting, it will create a virtual drive with the utilities.. i.e. FDISK, etc)

5) switch to that drive and type FDISK

6) If you want to use FAT32, type Y at the large disk support prompt.

7) use option #3, delete partition

8) use option #1 create primary partition and set to active

9) hit ESC to exit FDISK

10) **VERY IMPORTANT** hit CTRL-ALT-DEL and restart your system before doing anything else

11) Boot off of your floppy to a: be sure to choose the option to install CD drivers

12) type FORMAT C:

13) wait while your hard drive is reformatted. (usually 10-20 min)

14) when done, switch to the drive letter assigned to your CDROM (Probably e: if you only have one hard drive and one CDROM)

15) type SETUP

16) install WinME

hope this helps...

create a startup disk in add and remove programs.
insert floppy/and win me cd/
restart pc
choose with cd rom support
when left with A: prompt TYPE IN "FORMAT C:
press enter choose Y
When format is finished type D: enter
then type "SETUP" and then enter
that should be it

My Windows ME Installation CD is bootable.

-Burbble

I think the full version WinME CD's are bootable, but the upgrade versions aren't.

I have a full version and a "step-up" copy. Niether of them are bootable. A couple weeks ago a coworker proved me wrong when his copy of me was bootable. I brought it home to try it out here on my system and it worked.

I dont know what this is about, why some boot and why some dont.. more MS strategy i guess :).

Either way.. The ME CD as far as i know wont let you format the hd. Am i wrong? If so .. someone please link to or post the instructions so i can try it out.

I know that recovery cd's let you format & reinstall but these arent windows disks.

why are you trying to format using the ME cd use the startup disk instead.!!
do as the posts tell you above

A disk will not format your hard drive; your typing "format c:" will. The only reason you need a boot disk is to get into DOS to type "format c:" (where c is the letter of your hard drive). The FORMAT.COM program is in the Windows\Command directory, and if you use a boot disk and choose the option "Start Computer (With/Without) CD-ROM Support", it will be loaded to a virtual drive.
The type of media you use to get into DOS is irrelevant, since the actual disk you use is not formatting the hard drive (FORMAT.COM is, and is loaded to memory when run [so you can run it on the drive you are formatting]).

-Burbble