[bladez182]

i have a burnt copy of windows xp and i want to format my harddrive so i can install my valid copy of windows ME how do i get rid of xp i only have the burnt cd copy???

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Did you do a upgrade to Windows XP or a COMPLETE format and reinstall? Im guessing you had windows me on your maching before you put XP on there?

[markedmanner]

Did you do a upgrade to Windows XP or a COMPLETE format and reinstall? Im guessing you had windows me on your maching before you put XP on there?

[markedmanner]

If you did an upgrade to XP from ME you can do the following :

1. Restart your computer in Safe mode. To do this, press the F8 key while Windows is starting.
2. Log on with an account that has administrative credentials.
3. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add or Remove Programs.
4. In the list of installed programs, double-click Uninstall Windows XP.

Note If Uninstall Windows XP is not in the list of installed programs, you must manually reinstall Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition. In this case, make sure that you back up all your critical data before you reinstall Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition.
5. When you receive the following message, click Yes to start the Windows XP removal:
Are you sure you want to uninstall Windows XP and restore your previous operating system?
6. After Windows XP is removed, your computer restarts to the previously-installed operating system.

Let me know if this works out for you.

[bladez182]

no i just got this computer and all i did was install the burnt copy of xp, i want to format it so i can use my windows ME from my other computer

[Technogeek8]

K

Simple to do. Boot the comp and wait. Press F8 to get to the menu boot options. Boot using MS-Dos Base. I forget if you can boot in dos or not but you have to get to dos. You might have to get a boot disk from another os. Once in dos, your'll get the basic command prompt with C:/ . Do format C: to format your HD. Please note this WILL ERASE EVERYTHING ON YOUR HARDDRIVE. Be sure to back up any files you want to save before formating. After your done, give your HD a lable name and reboot. Next, reboot into dos and run fdisk. To do this, simple run your boot disk again to load your CD drivers and load the dos prompt. Do A:/fdisk.exe. You have to create a partition before installing windows. Select option 3 which should be create a primary or secondary partition. Do that, it will prompt you and ask if your want to use all the HD space available. Click yes, then let it go. Once it's done, go back and view the partition. Select the view partions tab. You might need to set the partition active. To do this, select option 2 which is set a active partition. Select the Partition you want and click enter. Now if you view it, you'll see that it's active. Reboot and go to dos again by your boot disk. Run the CD drivers. Once it's done, insert yor Win ME cd and go to the CD drive. In dos, unless you have several partitions, should be D:\ or possibly E:\. Do E:\setup.exe or whatever your setup file is. if your unsure, do a dir to view the directory. You should select the drive, then do a dir /p. Go through ME setup and that should be it. Let me know how it works out.

[Technogeek8]

One last thing, you need a boot disk so do a google search for Windows boot disks. You can use any boot disk but since your installing ME, search for Windows ME Boot disk. You must have a boot disk. It should include all the tools you need to get to dos. You also might want to search WIN 98 boot disks, since I'm sure that they have all of the prog. you need like Fdisk. Another partition del tool you might want is Delpart. Do a google for Delpart and get that to a boot floppy. One final thing, if you didn't mess with the bios, you should be able to boot using a floppy, but if you insert the disk and it doesn't reconize it and boot to it, you might have to change your boot sequence. To do this, get into the bios settings. It could be the del key, or F1. Anyway, you'll have to fish around till you get the boot sequence settings. I don't know your mobo so I don't know how it looks. Anyway, select your boot sequence option once you find it. You want the comp to search the floppy first in the boot. So if your floppy isn't selected, do that. MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT CHANGE THE BOOT SELECT TO NOT RECONIZE YOUR HD!!! You have to have your hard drive one of the 3 options in your bootup. If not, it'll tell you that you have a Boot error. Anyway, good luck. Let me know how it turns out. i hop I could help out