[usafguy00]

I am trying to reinstall windows XP with the XP cd's. After using all of the cd's- I received an error message that says: Cannot format user partition! System Recovery cannot continue!' How can I continue and why did I get the error? Thanks!

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Hi usafguy00...

The error you are getting usually indicates a HDD failure. What was it that led to this reinstall?

wannabe1

[wannabe1]

Hi usafguy00...

The error you are getting usually indicates a HDD failure. What was it that led to this reinstall?

wannabe1

[usafguy00]

Im not exactly sure. A couple of days before it crashed, I updated a program on my computer, then deleted it. Within a day my computer wouldnt boot up to windows XP.

[usafguy00]

Is anyone currently online that is familiar with the partition error I received and how I can do away with it so I may continue with the full recovery on my PC? I would definitely appreciate anyone's assistance.

[wannabe1]

What is the make and model number of your computer?

Do you recall what program it was that you updated and then deleted? How did you remove the program?

[usafguy00]

It is a Compaq Presario 6410NX. The program I updated was JASC Photo... I updated a patch on it and then my PC started acting crazy on me, so I deleted the update.

[wannabe1]

Which recovery operation did you attempt? Was it the non-destructive recovery or the full recovery? I am assuming it was the latter?

[usafguy00]

I attempted the Full System Recovery (Destructive).

[wannabe1]

Try the whole recovery operation again...if it still won't complete, we'll try wiping the drive another way and see if it will run to completion.

[usafguy00]

I've tried twice already.

[wannabe1]

I'm assuming both of your machines have a floppy drive?

Download this Win98SE Startup Disk and save the file to your desktop. Double click on the file to run the program and insert a formatted floppy diskette into the drive when you are prompted to do so by the application. This will create the startup disk.

When you have created this disk, let me know and we'll continue...

[usafguy00]

OK, I have created the floppy disk

[wannabe1]

Restart the Compaq with the startup disk in the floppy drive (and the cd-rom empty)...the machine should boot to the floppy. If it doesn't, you may have to change the boot priority in the BIOS Setup so the floppy is second boot device after the cd-rom.

In the Startup Options screen, press Shift + F5 for a command prompt.

At the command prompt (A:\), type fdisk and press "Enter".

In the next screen, select the option to "show partition information" and press "Enter".

Post the partition information here for me.

[usafguy00]

Problem- the computer is at home. What can we do without access to the home PC?

[wannabe1]

I can give you the jist of what needs to be done so you can do it at home.

If, when you check the partition information, there are any partitions listed, they will have to be deleted. If there are logical disk drives listed, they must be deleted first. Remove any and all partitions on the drive including the Primary DOS Partition.

This will all be accomplished using the various options listed in the fdisk options. Use the Esc key to go to previous screens. Don't worry about formatting the drive, just get all of the partitions deleted so that when you check partition information, there is nothing listed.

Then put the recovery cd into the cd-rom drive, remove the floppy disk, and press Ctrl + Alt + Delete to reboot the machine. It should boot to the recovery cd and perform the recovery...formatting the drive in the process.

If you have questions, now is the time to ask them...