[Lowie99]

Can anyone help?

I am trying to upgrade my wifes laptop from Windows 2000 to Windows XP Home edition and have got in a bit of a muddle.


I want to do a clean install and previously had always been used to being able to format the hard drive from a dos prompt at setup.

1) Firstly I tried to format from the MS Dos command in windows programs but was told that 'format cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Format may run if this volume is dismounted first. ALL OPENED HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD THEN BE INVALID. Would you like to force dismount on this volume?'' when I click "yes" it says that it is locked and therefore I can't get any further.

2) I understand that Win 2K is different to windows 9x and I have to force a format through the startup disks. I do not have a copy of the Win2K set up disks anymore so I tried to download the 4 floppy disks from www.bootdisk.com. I downloaded them into seperate folders and when i unzipped them I tried to put each file onto a seperate 1.44 floppy but it said that the file would not fit.

3) Since I had no luck this way I then tried to run through the install of XP itself to see if there was a format option this way. It did show me which partition was in use and then asked if I wanted to delete it? Is this a viable option and could this format the C drive before an install? I have read advise not to install over an old OS as it leaves alot of rubbish in there (hence the wish to install afresh.)

4) My next endeavour was to try using an old win 98 startup disk which got me to the following dos prompt A :\

At last I thought I was getting somewhere but did not know what to type in next to get me to a prompt where I can type in format C:

Sorry if this all sounds simple but it is all fairly new to me and any advise would be greatly appreciated.

When I boot up I now have a choice of 2 operating systems at startup 1) Windows 2K, or 2) Windows XP Set up. My objective is to be able to install WinXP Home on a fresh PC.

Thanks alot.

Chris.

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HI
welcome to GTG
Put in the windows 98 bootdisk start your pc then at the a:/ type in format c: should like like this A:/format C: then hit enter.

[tazz1964]

HI
welcome to GTG
Put in the windows 98 bootdisk start your pc then at the a:/ type in format c: should like like this A:/format C: then hit enter.

[DHooper]

Ok first thing you cant use the Windows 98 Boot Disk b/c it can only read FAT, and FAT32 partitions. If you really want a fresh install I would run then download Kill Disk and run that. After that is done then insert the Windows XP disk and let it do its thing. If it is a upgrade then sometime during the install it should ask you for a vaild Windows OS, so just put in the Windows 2000 disk, and you should be fine. After it checks it, it should ask for the Windows XP disk to finish the Setup.

Now how to move from one dirve to another in DOS is by using the X: command where X is the dirve you want to do to. I hope that this helps you and if you have another questions the PM me.

[DHooper]

HI
welcome to GTG
  Put in the windows 98 bootdisk start your pc then at the a:/ type in format c: should like like this A:/format C: then hit enter.

You cant use the Windows 98 Boot Disk to fromat a NTFS partition. It can only format FAT, and FAT32 partitions.

[Lowie99]

Thanks for your help.

I'll let you know how I get on!!

[Lowie99]

Thanks alot. Finally getting somewhere.

Installed Killdisk and after a few problems, (namely the inability to boot from the floppy using the autoexecute mode) I was able to boot up using the old win 98 start disk and then run killdisk.exe from the download.

When I finished erasing the partition the last screen (grey) confirmed that the erase had been completed. I then went back to look for any other partitions and it said that there was still 5.5gb in the partition just erased (on the right hand side of the screen in the device geometry). I am assuming that this is not the case as when I looked through the scan in the preview sector it was full of zero's.

I am correct in assuming that all data has been deleted aren't I?

Thanks again guys.

[-=jonnyrotten=-]

I don't know much about killdisk cuz I've never used it. I do know that if you find what what the manufacturer of your hard disk is you can go to their website and download specialized utilities that fit on a floppy to totally format your hard disk clean, back to how it was when it came from the factory. Nothing on the hd previously will ever be able to be recovered. Very nice format, you can also use a windows 98 FDISK to wipe all partitions and it will kill NTFS volumes, it doesn't care what the volume is, it can clean it.

-=jonnyrotten=-

[DHooper]

Thanks alot. Finally getting somewhere.

Installed Killdisk and after a few problems, (namely the inability to boot from the floppy using the autoexecute mode) I was able to boot up using the old win 98 start disk and then run killdisk.exe from the download.

When I finished erasing the partition the last screen (grey) confirmed that the erase had been completed. I then went back to look for any other partitions and it said that there was still 5.5gb in the partition just erased (on the right hand side of the screen in the device geometry). I am assuming that this is not the case as when I looked through the scan in the preview sector it was full of zero's.

I am correct in assuming that all data has been deleted aren't I?

Thanks again guys.

Yes you are correct.

[Lowie99]

Following the killdisk I installed XP and chosed the NTFS partition as suggested by DHooper. What was strange was that it then said that this partition was full and promted formatting. I ran through the format which was not a problem and continued with the installation but I wonder whether Killdisk ever erased that partition?

Anyway I now have XP up and running but the next hurdle is that the display area on the screen now sits within a 1 inch black frame. I have tried playing with the monitor settings and not managed to change this at all??? (Unfortunately I tried playing around with the monitor settings so much that I disbaled the devise in the advanced monitor settings and got completely stuck with a blank screen!! Big mistake. I tried to get in safe mode but I could not get into those settings..I resorted to reinstalling Windows and I am back on track
again.

Obviously I am learning all this the hard way!!

Has anyone got any suggestions for the monitor display settings!!!

Do I need to post a new

Thanks again everyone..

[DHooper]

For the 1" black boarder, make sure that you have the lastest video drivers installed. I worked on a IBM ThinkPad and installed the lastest driver and it fixed it. Im not saying that it will work just give it a try.

Now for blank screen, most laptops have a VGA output port and S-Video output. There is a function key (Fn) either blue, or gold for most laptops, and blue, and gold chars. on the other keys. Just press and hold the Fn key, and the key that has a little mointer on it(mostly on the F keys) and it should switch though the differnet outputs. Hope that this helps some.

[Lowie99]

I'll have a go looking for the driver this evening.!

Is a video driver the same as a monitor driver?

Thanks

Chris.

[DHooper]

No it is not, they are two differnet things.

Video Drivers - They control how the video card will display the information on the screen.
Monitor Drives - They are drives that tell the video cards the max res, and the max refresh rate they can support.

I hope this helps you clear that up.

What is the make of the laptop??

Make:
Model Number:

I will help you look for drivers.

[Lowie99]

Thanks for all your help! I am sorted now.( Big thanks to DHooper for all your help)

Once I differentiated between a monitor driver and video driver I was able to find the correct setting in control panel.

What I could't believe was that having completely erased the hard drive and reinstalled windows XP I connected to the internet to test the speed (stupidly before activating the firewall) and went to google and Msn and almost immediately started to get spyware popups using Windows messenger.

I have since activated the Mcaffee firewall and have been running adaware and spybot which has got rid of it but it just goes to show you dont have to go to far to get hijacked these days.

Big Thanks everyone!!

[DHooper]

Not a problem Lowie99. Im glad that I was of help, if you havent done so I would go ahead and download Serive Pack 2.

[Flame Lily]

A reply to an old query.

Thanks to the Folks on this BB, after nearly 140 hours of trying to reinstall XP after a Trojan attack (despite having ZA Pro as well as Norton on my PC, this forum has given me the assistance that no other has.



Thanks,

Flame Lily