Formatting in Windows XP

Fraki · 8-11-02, 04:45 PM

My friend has Windows XP and he needs to know how to format his hard drive.

I told him the way I had done it (MS-Dos: format c:\) but I'm on Windows 98, and he said that it didn't work for him.

EvilCensor · 8-12-02, 02:11 AM

Tell your friend to boot up from the XP CD - the options he needs are there.

Atomic-Design · 8-17-02, 03:25 AM

It depends on the format he wants to do. He probably wants to do the type of format that Evil has told you how to do. If he wants to do a low-level format it's a lot more confusing than that.

9-9-02, 11:28 AM

Use a boot disk.

then you will be at the a:

type Fdisk which will look like

A:Fdisk

This will take you into the FDISK utility you will want to hit Y at the first intro page that will enable LARGE disk support.

Then you will just need to read the options. Your going to need to delete partition

once in there you will be deleting the NON DOS partition, because the partition you want to blow away is NTFS.

Once thats done you will need to create a PRIMARY partition on that drive.

Once it does its thing, reboot the machine with the XP disk in the CD ROM and go to it.

You can not use a DOS boot disk to do ANYTHING to an NTFS drive as far as a "format" or to browse the drive.

10-5-02, 08:39 AM

I know this is a month later , but when installing XP you have the choice of formating FAT32 or NTFS. NTFS is the "Native" file system type for XP. It can be a lot different to most users. You can use a win98 boot disk to pre-format the drive as FAT32 but that is not neccessary because as Evil mentioned the XP CD has all the tools you need built into the install (which runs from boot up!) If you have an older machine that does not boot from the cd the xp disk is useless untill you can run the setup program. Fortunatly microsoft released a file for creating a 6 floppy boot disk set for the install (the cheep-scates) make it available for download @MS website. It comes in 2 flavors Pro & Home. Make the disks and run the install. In the XP setup when you get to partitioning you have the choice to go FAT32 or NTFS, NTFS is best as it does not fragment as easily therfore bitrot is kept to a minimum adding to it's stability. if you want you would be able to run the older OS version in addition to XP {unless it is win-me, in which case you will want to watch the the electromagnetic fiz flash it's electric blue spirit through the abused partition that was fored to be possesed of the win-me deamon, you will be proforming an exorcism and gain God's good Grace... (UNLESS YOU ARE REPLACING WIN-ME WITH XP HOME EDITION WHERBY YOU ASSURE YOUR PLACE IN THE LIVING HELL HERE AND AN AFTERLIFE.) } Win98 and XP Pro will happily co-exist but 98 has to be installed first. Actually I have a box with 98/XPpro/SuSE7.3Rpro tri-boot, they are all very happy together in their little menagetwa (sp)

Just follow the Install instructions it is easy, and do yourself a long term favor use NTFS.

Paul

10-23-02, 11:46 AM

You need to get a boot disk, I Use a Windows 98 boot disk.

Re-boot with the floppy in the drive, start with cd rom support and re format from there, I reformatt my hard drive roughly every 6 months whether The computer needs it ot not.

I've never had any trouble doing a format this way

8-11-02, 04:45 PM	#1
Fraki - Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Cambridge, Ontario Posts: 539 Reputation: 16	Formatting in Windows XP My friend has Windows XP and he needs to know how to format his hard drive. I told him the way I had done it (MS-Dos: format c:\) but I'm on Windows 98, and he said that it didn't work for him.

8-17-02, 03:25 AM	#3
Atomic-Design Electro-shock Blues Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,877 Reputation: 5	It depends on the format he wants to do. He probably wants to do the type of format that Evil has told you how to do. If he wants to do a low-level format it's a lot more confusing than that. __________________ If I lay my head down I will see you in my dream, Wearing that polka-dot dress, and sitting by the stream. Leaning in to hear you, you will whisper in my ear. And everything I need to know, I finally hear. When I was a baby we would go out to the park, And sit out in the fountain, splashing 'round until its dark. The days on forever when you only know that much, And everything I need to know is answered with one touch.

10-5-02, 08:39 AM	#5
metarose Posts: n/a	use NTFS. I know this is a month later , but when installing XP you have the choice of formating FAT32 or NTFS. NTFS is the "Native" file system type for XP. It can be a lot different to most users. You can use a win98 boot disk to pre-format the drive as FAT32 but that is not neccessary because as Evil mentioned the XP CD has all the tools you need built into the install (which runs from boot up!) If you have an older machine that does not boot from the cd the xp disk is useless untill you can run the setup program. Fortunatly microsoft released a file for creating a 6 floppy boot disk set for the install (the cheep-scates) make it available for download @MS website. It comes in 2 flavors Pro & Home. Make the disks and run the install. In the XP setup when you get to partitioning you have the choice to go FAT32 or NTFS, NTFS is best as it does not fragment as easily therfore bitrot is kept to a minimum adding to it's stability. if you want you would be able to run the older OS version in addition to XP {unless it is win-me, in which case you will want to watch the the electromagnetic fiz flash it's electric blue spirit through the abused partition that was fored to be possesed of the win-me deamon, you will be proforming an exorcism and gain God's good Grace... (UNLESS YOU ARE REPLACING WIN-ME WITH XP HOME EDITION WHERBY YOU ASSURE YOUR PLACE IN THE LIVING HELL HERE AND AN AFTERLIFE.) } Win98 and XP Pro will happily co-exist but 98 has to be installed first. Actually I have a box with 98/XPpro/SuSE7.3Rpro tri-boot, they are all very happy together in their little menagetwa (sp) Just follow the Install instructions it is easy, and do yourself a long term favor use NTFS. Paul

10-23-02, 11:46 AM	#6
tjplaw Posts: n/a	Formatting Hard drive with XP operating system You need to get a boot disk, I Use a Windows 98 boot disk. Re-boot with the floppy in the drive, start with cd rom support and re format from there, I reformatt my hard drive roughly every 6 months whether The computer needs it ot not. I've never had any trouble doing a format this way

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8-12-02, 02:11 AM	#2
EvilCensor Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 67 Reputation: 5	Tell your friend to boot up from the XP CD - the options he needs are there.

9-9-02, 11:28 AM	#4
Andrax Posts: n/a	Use a boot disk. then you will be at the a: type Fdisk which will look like A:Fdisk This will take you into the FDISK utility you will want to hit Y at the first intro page that will enable LARGE disk support. Then you will just need to read the options. Your going to need to delete partition once in there you will be deleting the NON DOS partition, because the partition you want to blow away is NTFS. Once thats done you will need to create a PRIMARY partition on that drive. Once it does its thing, reboot the machine with the XP disk in the CD ROM and go to it. You can not use a DOS boot disk to do ANYTHING to an NTFS drive as far as a "format" or to browse the drive.