how do you re formate a hd?

[99sei]

my aunties computer fecked up and she got a free one from work.

im always wanting to learn new things so i want to get it up and running, i want to learn how to reformat a hd as i think this will cure the problem.

can any one with the know how, teach me?

Kris

 

[custard]

formatting or doing a fresh install?
on a fresh install the OS disc will give you the option on formatting/partitioning

 

[Trancendental]

Enter "MS-DOS" native mode using a suitable "Boot Disk" (Windows 98 floppy or something else you have a available)

Upon seeing the black screen with flashing cursor type:

FORMAT C:

and press enter, Then press 'Y' when asked, sit back and watch the magic happen

=====================================================

If not, Boot into a different mode using a different floppy disk or CD ROM (Windows XP CD)

If using the Windows XP CD ROM simply follow the instructions.

 

[frenchwood]

Formatting a HD is dependant on a number of factors... As custard says depends if you're installing a new OS or not.

If it is a second HD (i.e. not got windows or the like on it) then it's a piece of cake.

Trust me, i'm an IT geek!

 

[(CZ)enda]

Reformatting a HD?
E-Z:
1. Put it into a vice.
2. Smash it with a 2 kg hammer to the format required.

However, I always prefer the method described by Transcendental.

 

[Hellcat]

Problem with formatting in DOS is that it won't see modern hard drive sizes i.e. anything over 127Gb.

The only way around this is to have an XP disc with SP2 slipstreamed into it. Then when you install you will be able to see the whole disc for partitioning.

If its a 2nd hard drive then just install, get into windows. My computer. Right click and format.

Any more questions pm me, or loiter in the chat room.

 

[Trancendental]

Problem with formatting in DOS is that it won't see modern hard drive sizes i.e. anything over 127Gb.

The only way around this is to have an XP disc with SP2 slipstreamed into it. Then when you install you will be able to see the whole disc for partitioning.

If its a 2nd hard drive then just install, get into windows. My computer. Right click and format.

Any more questions pm me, or loiter in the chat room.

Modern versions of DOS have Large Disk support, only problem with "windows dos" Formats I found is that the FAT32 file system cluster size doesn't use a massive disk properly so in some cases the user might lose a few hundred MB or a couple GB of disk space.

Why would the WinXP need SP2 slipstreamed? can just install standard XP using the NTFS file system then add SP2 afterwards I thought.

 

[Hellcat]

WinXP standard won't see drives over 127GB during setup. If you want (like me) to have a 160Gb partition, you have to either partition the 127Gb that the OS can see, install windows, install partition magic, and then partition the other 33Gb and link them. Or slipstream XP2 into the setup and make one 160Gb drive from the start.

 

[Trancendental]

My Windows XP does (Build 2600, The Acient One).. I think.. I'm sure it saw my 80GB and 250GB all the drives are there in my computer when I install, although my mate did have a problem similar to the one you described which went away after I installed SP2 for him.