i need help

briansells · 10-18-2004, 12:13 PM

hello i am new to this. i need to erase my hard drive and re-install windows. Can someone help me

Thanks

bry623 · 10-18-2004, 02:29 PM

Hello and welcome aboard!
I would first ask you what kind of system you have. If you have the factory CD, put it in and reboot the computer and follow the directions.

geek_11 · 10-24-2004, 05:20 PM

This is a somewhat difficult thing to do, but it does not take long. By the way, the technical word for erasing all data on a hard drive is called formatting. Follow each of these steps very closely, AND BACKUP ANYTHING YOU WANT TO KEEP!

1.) Create a Windows boot disk. This can be done by going to control panel, add/remove programs, clicking on the startup disk tab, and then by clicking create disk. Of course, this is assuming that you already have Windows installed on your computer. If not, get the fdisk utility from the web and put it onto a floppy disk and you've made yourself a boot disk.

2.) Put the boot disk you made into the floppy disk drive.

3.) Turn the computer off, wait three seconds and then turn it back on. The computer will now start using the files on the boot disk.

4.) You will see a menu asking you about CD-ROM support. Select the third option.

5.)Once you see "A:>\" on your screen, type in "fdisk". If you see a menu asking you about large disk support, type in "Y" and continue.

6.) You will now see a menu with four choices. Choose the third option. At the next menu, choose the first option.

7.) At the next menu type in "1" and press enter. Then enter the volume label of the drive(if you have one, that is). MAKE SURE ENERYTHING YOU WANT IS BACKED UP!Then type in "Y" and press enter. Now everything on the drive is gone! Hit the escape key.

8.) Now choose the first option. Then type in "Y". The computer will tell you to restart. Do so, and leave the floppy disk in the floppy drive.

9.) Once your system is restarted and you see the "A:>\" on your screen, type in "format c:". You will see a screen telling you that everything of drive C will be lost. Type in "Y". Now your drive is being prepared for use.

10.) You will now see a screen prompting you to enter a new volume label for the drive. You don't have to enter a volume label unless you want to.

11.) Now type in "C:\" and you are all set.

Please tell me if this was of any help to you. If anything went wrong, just write me back.

10-18-2004, 12:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
briansells Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1 OS: win98	i need help hello i am new to this. i need to erase my hard drive and re-install windows. Can someone help me Thanks

10-18-2004, 02:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
bry623 Manager, The Conversation Pit/Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: NW Territory circa 1787 Posts: 11,692 OS: winxp pro sp2	Hello and welcome aboard! I would first ask you what kind of system you have. If you have the factory CD, put it in and reboot the computer and follow the directions. __________________ "If you aren't a liberal when you're 20, you have no heart. If you aren't a conservative when you are 50, you have no brain"

10-24-2004, 05:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
geek_11 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 6 OS: Win98	erase hard drive This is a somewhat difficult thing to do, but it does not take long. By the way, the technical word for erasing all data on a hard drive is called formatting. Follow each of these steps very closely, AND BACKUP ANYTHING YOU WANT TO KEEP! 1.) Create a Windows boot disk. This can be done by going to control panel, add/remove programs, clicking on the startup disk tab, and then by clicking create disk. Of course, this is assuming that you already have Windows installed on your computer. If not, get the fdisk utility from the web and put it onto a floppy disk and you've made yourself a boot disk. 2.) Put the boot disk you made into the floppy disk drive. 3.) Turn the computer off, wait three seconds and then turn it back on. The computer will now start using the files on the boot disk. 4.) You will see a menu asking you about CD-ROM support. Select the third option. 5.)Once you see "A:>\" on your screen, type in "fdisk". If you see a menu asking you about large disk support, type in "Y" and continue. 6.) You will now see a menu with four choices. Choose the third option. At the next menu, choose the first option. 7.) At the next menu type in "1" and press enter. Then enter the volume label of the drive(if you have one, that is). MAKE SURE ENERYTHING YOU WANT IS BACKED UP!Then type in "Y" and press enter. Now everything on the drive is gone! Hit the escape key. 8.) Now choose the first option. Then type in "Y". The computer will tell you to restart. Do so, and leave the floppy disk in the floppy drive. 9.) Once your system is restarted and you see the "A:>\" on your screen, type in "format c:". You will see a screen telling you that everything of drive C will be lost. Type in "Y". Now your drive is being prepared for use. 10.) You will now see a screen prompting you to enter a new volume label for the drive. You don't have to enter a volume label unless you want to. 11.) Now type in "C:\" and you are all set. Please tell me if this was of any help to you. If anything went wrong, just write me back.