Formatting Hard Drive

[oaktree5489]

I need to format the hard drive. Can someone tell me in a very descriptive process what to do to format the HD. I've tried to boot for the CD but i don't even think i'm doing it right. how do i look at my bios settings? Do i have to press somthing what i turn it on? do i need to OS disk? As u can see i don't know much so please tell me how to do each step. I have a 60 GB HD in a Dell 2350, 2.5 ghz Pentium 4 Processor and 512 mb RAM.
Thanks SO much,
Jeff

 

[blackwrx]

You need the windows installation cd. When you first turn your computer on, hold either f8 or f2, I can't remember which, to get to your bios. Then someplace it will ask you the order from which to boot from (usually 3 or 4 things, normally your hard drive is first). Just make sure your cd drive is the first one, save it, and exit the bios. Put the windows cd in and then turn the computer off. When you start it back up, it should boot from the cd and there will be some options. Eventually you'll get to a point where it will show you your hard drive and how it is configured now. Just delete all the partitions and creat new ones. Then it will reinstall windows, and you'll have a fresh, fast computer. Hope this helps some, let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[didi]

1st U need a bootable window cd
2nd.When booting up your m/c press delete which will lead u to BIOS
3rd. Set your CDROm/DVDrom whick u put cd to first boot device
4th. Finally, restart your pc again n follow the instructions

 

[kboy]

Try this Link.


http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313348

 

[HoLoCroN]

In order to format your drive you will need a windows format utility. This utility is found in the Windows boot disks. If you have a floppy drive you can simply download a Windows 98 boot disk for free at www.bootdisk.com That will make a bootable floppy disk for you. You can also creat a bootable Windows 98 CD but you will still need the floppy to create the bootable CD.

Lets say you downloaded the Windows98 boot disk and created the floppy.

Once you do that, all you have to do is restart your computer and put the floppy in the A:

During the booting process, the computer will boot from the files on that floppy disk.

After all is said and done, you will be in a DOS prompt (A:\)

Just type Format C: and hit enter. You will be asked if you're sure a few times, just hit Y for yes and it will proceed to the format process.

 

[oaktree5489]

Thanks didi i did that and it worked like a dream. A few steps and it's formatting and reinstalling windows xp. Sry i took so long to reply