[SOLVED] Hard drive reformat

kaine1962 · 06-25-2009, 12:36 PM

Hi.
Hope someone can help me here. I would like to reformat my hard drive. I am using Win XP home. Compaq Pressario desktop. The problem i am having is that my floppy drive wont work. tried reinstally new one. done a reformat from OS disk, it worked ok, but it wouldnt allow me to do a Fdisk, which resulted in a new Xp install on top of old one, meaning my hard drive is near full capacity now.
I prefare doing an fdisk format so i can wipe drive to new again.

Is there a way around this probelm without using a floppy drive with the startup disk.

Although i have some knowledge about reformatting, this one is beating me.
i just want to take hard drive back to new.

Hope someone can help me in easy steps lol.

Thank you in advance for any help.

Kaine

tech313 · 06-25-2009, 12:43 PM

When you boot the system with the XP disc, the setup should allow you to partition the drive. It will give you a list of the partitions on your drive. It might say Partition 1. Either way, if you're sure you want to wipe out everything, follow the directions on this screen to delete ALL partitions in this list, until the only thing left says "Unpartitioned space" now press enter on this, and choose to format it.

kaine1962 · 06-25-2009, 01:29 PM

Thanx Tech313.
That is the way i done the format, as i would have had using fdisk from floppy start up. i deleted partitions, an created a new ntfs partition as normal, went through the format an instalation an still my hard drive is near full capacity. i cant see anythin on there to suggest why it should be full, its really confusing me. sorry to be such a pain lol. i am afraid to try agai, in case the same thing happens an i completely fill hard drive
there is nothing on the hard drive to fill it other than operating system(s).

**simpswr** · 06-25-2009, 02:11 PM

Once you boot from the Installation cd, Early in the installation you will be given the chance to delete existing partitions . . do that and you will have a clean drive.

This is a good guide to reinstalling XP . . you might want to print it for reference during the install.

http://www.techhandbook.com/windows/...g-Windows.html

**blah789** · 06-25-2009, 06:12 PM

huh? where are you getting fdisk from? fdisk is a windows 9x utility.
what are the specs of the computer? in particular, hard drive size (you need about 2GB + 2.5 times RAM size for just XP and nothing else), memory, and processor speed.
are you able to boot from the XP CD? Check in the BIOS (press F10 while the computer is starting up) for the boot order. Should be CD or DVD drive first.

tech313 · 06-25-2009, 08:36 PM

As blah789 said, why are you even messing with fdisk? There is no need. As I said, XP setup includes all the tools needed to partition and format the drive. I am also curious as to the size of your HD because you say it's full but what says it's full?

kaine1962 · 06-26-2009, 07:26 AM

Yes Guys, i understand all that, but i used to be able to put start up floppy in, then at command, type Fdisk an went through the process deletting everythinh, an creating new. but now my floppy drive is not working. And yes i Booted from xp disk, an went through the process as well, agreeing with you both, that i can get to point to delete partitions, an creating new, and going through the whole instalation process without any problem, completing instalation an updating drivers an all the usuall thing ya do when reformatting. But when i start pc again, on checking C drive after completion, it is showing on a 40G hard drive with 25G used space, and 12G free. there are no large programs on yet, i have not downloaded anything yet, This is straight after a reformat. Please forgive me, but i have reformatted many times with a lot of Pc, including this one in the past, But for some reason NOW because of Floppy drive down, i cant do it the way i used to. with respect, i have done all the things that you's have said, but stil the hard drive is filling uo on each instalation, if i do it again, i feel the hard drive will be full.

Again i appreciate your help folks, an i do apologise if i am sounding stupid.
Kaine

tech313 · 06-26-2009, 08:52 AM

We definitely don't want to insult anyone's intelligence. Unless we are aware of someone's tech level we must assume and/or judge by the post. So this is very odd. Where are you looking for the space report? Windows explorer drive properties, disk management, or something else? I would start browsing files on the disk and see what things I find on there because you are correct that it should never be taking that much if the drive was just formatted and only installed windows.

**raptor_pa** · 06-26-2009, 11:35 AM

XP install does the same thing FDisk does - delete the partition table. Try using killdisk to zero-wipe the drive then install to the unpartitioned space. Killdisk will truly wipe out everything - Fdisk and Format only wipe out the filesystem information that says where everything is....

kaine1962 · 06-28-2009, 06:24 PM

well guys got it sorted. Thanks raptor, got that killdisk, worked a treat. again thanx to all of you for your valued help.

06-25-2009, 12:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
kaine1962 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 5 OS: WinXP home	[SOLVED] Hard drive reformat Hi. Hope someone can help me here. I would like to reformat my hard drive. I am using Win XP home. Compaq Pressario desktop. The problem i am having is that my floppy drive wont work. tried reinstally new one. done a reformat from OS disk, it worked ok, but it wouldnt allow me to do a Fdisk, which resulted in a new Xp install on top of old one, meaning my hard drive is near full capacity now. I prefare doing an fdisk format so i can wipe drive to new again. Is there a way around this probelm without using a floppy drive with the startup disk. Although i have some knowledge about reformatting, this one is beating me. i just want to take hard drive back to new. Hope someone can help me in easy steps lol. Thank you in advance for any help. Kaine

06-25-2009, 12:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
tech313 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NC, USA Posts: 149 OS: XP Pro SP2	Re: Hard drive reformat When you boot the system with the XP disc, the setup should allow you to partition the drive. It will give you a list of the partitions on your drive. It might say Partition 1. Either way, if you're sure you want to wipe out everything, follow the directions on this screen to delete ALL partitions in this list, until the only thing left says "Unpartitioned space" now press enter on this, and choose to format it.

06-25-2009, 01:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
kaine1962 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 5 OS: WinXP home	Re: Hard drive reformat Thanx Tech313. That is the way i done the format, as i would have had using fdisk from floppy start up. i deleted partitions, an created a new ntfs partition as normal, went through the format an instalation an still my hard drive is near full capacity. i cant see anythin on there to suggest why it should be full, its really confusing me. sorry to be such a pain lol. i am afraid to try agai, in case the same thing happens an i completely fill hard drive there is nothing on the hard drive to fill it other than operating system(s).

06-25-2009, 02:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
simpswr Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: May 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 12,274 OS: XP, Vista, Win 7	Re: Hard drive reformat Once you boot from the Installation cd, Early in the installation you will be given the chance to delete existing partitions . . do that and you will have a clean drive. This is a good guide to reinstalling XP . . you might want to print it for reference during the install. http://www.techhandbook.com/windows/...g-Windows.html __________________ Rich MemTest86 \| BenchTest \| Virus/Trojan/Spyware Help How to post a Screen Shot \| PC running slow? Last edited by simpswr; 06-26-2009 at 06:10 AM. Reason: forgot the link

06-25-2009, 06:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
blah789 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2,324 OS: Windows 2000 SP4 and Windows XP SP3	Re: Hard drive reformat huh? where are you getting fdisk from? fdisk is a windows 9x utility. what are the specs of the computer? in particular, hard drive size (you need about 2GB + 2.5 times RAM size for just XP and nothing else), memory, and processor speed. are you able to boot from the XP CD? Check in the BIOS (press F10 while the computer is starting up) for the boot order. Should be CD or DVD drive first.

06-25-2009, 08:36 PM	#6 (permalink)
tech313 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NC, USA Posts: 149 OS: XP Pro SP2	Re: Hard drive reformat As blah789 said, why are you even messing with fdisk? There is no need. As I said, XP setup includes all the tools needed to partition and format the drive. I am also curious as to the size of your HD because you say it's full but what says it's full?

06-26-2009, 07:26 AM	#7 (permalink)
kaine1962 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 5 OS: WinXP home	Re: Hard drive reformat Yes Guys, i understand all that, but i used to be able to put start up floppy in, then at command, type Fdisk an went through the process deletting everythinh, an creating new. but now my floppy drive is not working. And yes i Booted from xp disk, an went through the process as well, agreeing with you both, that i can get to point to delete partitions, an creating new, and going through the whole instalation process without any problem, completing instalation an updating drivers an all the usuall thing ya do when reformatting. But when i start pc again, on checking C drive after completion, it is showing on a 40G hard drive with 25G used space, and 12G free. there are no large programs on yet, i have not downloaded anything yet, This is straight after a reformat. Please forgive me, but i have reformatted many times with a lot of Pc, including this one in the past, But for some reason NOW because of Floppy drive down, i cant do it the way i used to. with respect, i have done all the things that you's have said, but stil the hard drive is filling uo on each instalation, if i do it again, i feel the hard drive will be full. Again i appreciate your help folks, an i do apologise if i am sounding stupid. Kaine

06-26-2009, 08:52 AM	#8 (permalink)
tech313 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NC, USA Posts: 149 OS: XP Pro SP2	Re: Hard drive reformat We definitely don't want to insult anyone's intelligence. Unless we are aware of someone's tech level we must assume and/or judge by the post. So this is very odd. Where are you looking for the space report? Windows explorer drive properties, disk management, or something else? I would start browsing files on the disk and see what things I find on there because you are correct that it should never be taking that much if the drive was just formatted and only installed windows.

06-26-2009, 11:35 AM	#9 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,892 OS: XP	Re: Hard drive reformat XP install does the same thing FDisk does - delete the partition table. Try using killdisk to zero-wipe the drive then install to the unpartitioned space. Killdisk will truly wipe out everything - Fdisk and Format only wipe out the filesystem information that says where everything is.... __________________

06-28-2009, 06:24 PM	#10 (permalink)
kaine1962 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 5 OS: WinXP home	Re: Hard drive reformat well guys got it sorted. Thanks raptor, got that killdisk, worked a treat. again thanx to all of you for your valued help.