[11010110]

I have tried to format my hard drive by right clicking the C Drive in my computer, and hitting Format. This has given me an error message saying to close everything before proceeding. I have done this but to no avail.

Does anyone know how to format the hard drive from DOS?

Any info is appriciated.

Thanks

Edited by 11010110, 16 August 2005 - 07:39 PM.

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You are unlikely to get Windows to delete itself.

Boot the PC, enter set up and change the boot priority to CD ROM Drive, press F10 to save and exit, load the XP CD, type Y to confirm changes, press enter and it will reboot.

Look for, press any key to load from CD, follow instructions for installation, format is part of this if you choose to install without repairing.

If you do not want to put an operating system on to the formatted drive, wait till it starts to countdown to reboot and remove the XP CD

[Retired Tech]

You are unlikely to get Windows to delete itself.

Boot the PC, enter set up and change the boot priority to CD ROM Drive, press F10 to save and exit, load the XP CD, type Y to confirm changes, press enter and it will reboot.

Look for, press any key to load from CD, follow instructions for installation, format is part of this if you choose to install without repairing.

If you do not want to put an operating system on to the formatted drive, wait till it starts to countdown to reboot and remove the XP CD

[11010110]

Will this completely remove all data and the OS? Because thats what im after.

[Retired Tech]

Yes

When you get to format, take the dot out of quick and let it run NTFS format, this takes longer so I suppose it is more thorough.

Remove the XP CD as it is rebooting

Let it continue to try to load, which it won't be able to

[11010110]

It still wont let me format the drive

[Retired Tech]

What does it say

[Murray S.]

Howdy:

Are you booting with the XP cd (should get an option to "Press any key to boot from the cd") ??

Murray

[11010110]

It tells me to close all programs using the hard drive

[11010110]

and yes, i am using the CD

[11010110]

Is there another way to format?

[Retired Tech]

Having set the boot priority to CD ROM Drive, as it loads it will say press any key to load from the CD, as long as you press enter then, it will load set up

[Retired Tech]

This is what you should see for XP Home

http://www.theelderg...l_-_graphic.htm

For XP Pro

http://www.theelderg...l_-_graphic.htm

[11010110]

while trying to install windows as you said, it said that the only partition big enough already had windows on it and it would interrupt the other OS by installing this one. so should i delete the partition with windows in it now (it is labled C:) and if i did would that delete all the info on the disk? (that is what im after)

[Retired Tech]

Yes

You should press D to delete, L to confirm

[11010110]

Thanks alot guys for all of your help the disk is formatting as i speak.

Also if you know, how would i go about installing a seccond hard drive on a dell 4600 dimension PC?