Starting Windows XP in DOS help!

[enzio]

I want to reformat my computer by using DOS. But I have no idea how to actually start up the computer in DOS mode, not windows mode. By the way, i'm using a laptop and it doesn't have a floppy drive.

 

[IAM_7154]

Why not just format in Windows setup?

 

[enzio]

Why not just format in Windows setup?

Is this the same as popping in your windows XP cd and re-installing it? If so, I already did that, but it didn't really erase everything.

 

[macdude425]

Did you tell it to format?

Anyways, there is no DOS mode in Windows XP. [SNIPPED, BECAUSE I'M AN IDIOT]
EDIT: And since you have no floppy drive, that only complicates matters

 

[IAM_7154]

You can use a 98 boot cd ( PM if you need one) then use fdisk to format but theres no reason to do that, formatting in xp setup is easier & faster. You need to pay attention to the setup process and choose the option to format w/ ntfs when asked.

 

[beedubaya]

The bad thing about formatting in DOS mode is that you must format in FAT32 then convert to NTFS. Yes, you can do it using the Windows 98 Startup Disk, as described above, but you will be missing out on much by formatting in FAT32. Also, you do lose some system stability by formatting in FAT32 then converting to NTFS.