May have to format the hdd

[Druid]

I want to wipe my hdd, reinstall the OS, and start over.

Ok, so these are the disks I know I have to reinstall or that would be beneficial to reinstall:

OS
SB x-fi disc
McAfee
Linksys wireless adapter disc
linksys router disc (do I even need to do this one again?)

These most likely too:

Dell E196FP LCD Monitor User documentation
contains:
- html user documentation
- drivers (INF, ICM, and CAT files)

Dell XPS 600 Resource CD
contains:
- device drivers
- diagnostics and utilities
- computer documentation

These I'm pretty sure I don't need. Not having them won't affect anything; they are just programs, right?:

cyberlink powerDVD 5.5 (have two of these for some reason)
Sonic DigitalMedia v.7 and MyDVD 6.11 LE Software

I also have a word perfect CD, but that is garbage.



I was looking at this guide: Installing Windows XP - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki
That is where I came up with the key hitting thing. Do I just reboot my computer and then hit the key and the proper time to wipe the hardrive and reinstall the OS, or do I have wipe the hardrive some other way first. I'm assuming it is the latter method.

 

[KSoD]

I wrote that guide.

Yes just insert the XP disc and when it says "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD" hit a key. It will get the process started.

After you get it installed install your network drivers and update your system. Then after that install your other stuff. Shouldnt need the Linksys disk though. Unless your system doesnt connect to the net after installing your network drivers.

 

[Druid]

I haven't formatted yet though. I do have two computers so that I can check these forums and stuff while this one is down, but I want to format this one. Don't I have to wipe the hdd before I install the OS again?

So I need both those discs that are labeled to contain drivers? They don't specify what parts they are for, so I'm assuming that the vid card and everything drivers are included on those discs?

 

[patonb]

It'll give you the option when you reinstall the OS.

The router disk shouldnt be needed eeither...... Mainly just your Dell disk. Also remember you might need the OS key

 

[Druid]

After it format it will start to load the files needed for the XP install. This will also take a few minutes depending on your system. After it loads the needed files it will reboot. Let the system reboot but do not choose to boot from the CD. Let the system keep loading. This will force the system to continue the XP install. This is where it will ask some questions.

So, the system is going to ask me to boot from the cd and I should just sit back and just touch nothing?

fter it loads all the devices and that it will reset again. From there don't boot from CD and let XP load again. This will start XP up for the first time.

Same here?


Also, I don't understand the point of partitioning if all it does is make things neater? How is it neater? Why do this if it can't protect you from having to reinstall the OS when you format next time?

If I do choose to partition, there is nothing more to it than what is in your guide? I thought I saw another topic about it somewhere where someone posted a 4 page guide to doing it. Do I need this too or will I be fine just doing what you said?

Say I don't split the drive, from your guide, it looks like partitioning is the only way to format the hdd. Could I just partition it all into one piece and be done with it?

 

[patonb]

No... partioning isn't needed to reformat...
Partioning is useful so you can keep your files on 1 drive so when you do reformat, you don't lose them.

I keep my personal files music, and videos on 1 drive, and os on another. So I'll not have to worry bout losing my stuff. Also alll my drivers... A format takes me 35minutes, less programs, to do.

I partion as I have 2 HDs... 500Gig each, so I have 1 for 3 OSs XP Vista 64, and Linux.
My 2nd is 500, and is 400ntfs and 100 fat32.

 

[KSoD]

Read post 9. I explain about partitions there.

That guide was a quick write up for a easy steps to take to format and install. You dont ahve to create a partition. Yuo already have one. It is currently what you are using. So skip the partitioning part and move on. It wont apply to you. If you read my guide you would have seen this line:

If not just choose the RAW space to install.

That will only apply if you delete the partition or are workign with a new hard drive. Again it wont apply to you cause you already have a drive and a partition in use.

I will add this to the guide....

 

[Druid]

Ok, sorry. I read your guide, but I didn't see anything about formatting except with the partition, but you say that it asks you to anyway, so I guess I'll just go ahead with this and format when it asks.

Hmmm, it doesn't seem to want to boot from the cd. I have it set up to load from usb cd-rom drive above everything else which includes usb floppy drive, sata hard drive, ide hard drive (not present) and usb device (not present). When I turned off my computer and turned it back on, the screen went black for awhile with one little blinking - and then loaded up windows like normal. The cd was in the cd drive, and the drive was blinking but no load from cd message. I tried hitting keys anyway and nothing. I tried it a couple times and then went into the boot menu and tried to force it to load from the cd, but it wouldn't. If it means anything, on the boot menu, it said use up and down arrow keys to highlight selection and then hit enter to make selection. The arrow keys wouldn't do anything, but hitting enter worked. Luckily, the usb cd drive was already highlighted, but it wouldn't work. I guess I'll try putting it in the dvd drive.

Well, that was pretty dumb of me. The disk was a dvd. There is no option to make the system boot from the dvd-rom drive though. I don't know what to do. Should I try removing the hdd from the boot list? I can't see how that will help though.

 

[KSoD]

Well the first thing is to check your boot order. As i said in your topic you created about this in the Windows area each BIOS tells you what key to hit. Really you dont need to create a new topic everytime you reach a new hurtle. We can help you in jsut this topic. Saves on having to check 4 other topics to find the 1 answer you need...

Look at your screen carefully when it boots. It will say something like:

"Hit XX to enter setup" or "Hit XX to enter BIOS"

That XX is the key you need to hit.

 

[Druid]

Yeah, I got into bios but there was no dvd-rom option listed there. There was a cd option, but my disc is a dvd, and it wouldn't work. Do I have to do this:

How to Create a Bootable Windows XP Setup CD/DVD from a Pre-loaded/Preinstalled Windows System (howtohaven.com)

Sorry about the other topic