How Can i format my computer without losing data in "C" Drive

piyushjeswani · 11-03-2009, 12:59 PM

Hello,

I don't know from where but i got some virus in my comp. I tried scanning my comp using AVG but it did not find any virus. It did find some, but they were not removed as AVG was unable to remove them. Now, i restarted my comp. But my comp won't start. After the Windows XP loading bar comes, i get a blue screen and it won't go ahead from there. I thought of formatting but realized that i had many important documents on "C" Drive. I don't want to lose it. So, i did not format, just gave the repair option to repair my Windows OS. After repairing, it still gets hanged at the windows loading bar.

So, please help me. I want the data on "C" Drive badly and i can't afford to lose it. I have no backup of it whatsoever. Please tell me how can i get the data and then i will format it.

Waiting for some good replies.

Thanking you

**spike2me** · 11-03-2009, 01:03 PM

Pull the hard drive from the computer. Put it on an External USB Enclosure/Adapter. Mount the now external drive to a working computer. Pull the data off that you can't live without. Put old HDD back in computer, boot off of XP CD and Format and install Windows.

piyushjeswani · 11-03-2009, 01:09 PM

Thanks for the reply. I don't have any external USB enclosure/adapter.

Instead, can i do this somehow. I install a copy of Windows on "D" drive. Then i copy data from "C" Drive and then again format it properly.
Please tell me if that is possible somehow.

Thanking you

**simpswr** · 11-03-2009, 01:12 PM

That is risky . . you could also take the drive out and attach in in place of a CD/DVD drive in a working pc with uptodate antivirus and salvage the files. Then oput it back in and reinstall.

Another option is to put a new drive in and install on it . . then attach the old one and copy files

piyushjeswani · 11-03-2009, 02:32 PM

Thanks for the reply.

Can I do this way:

I have an external HDD. Can i install windows on the external hdd and then attach it to my pc and run the OS installed on the external hdd. And then i can copy the data.

Waiting for a reply.

Thanking you

**simpswr** · 11-03-2009, 02:44 PM

Windows will not install on an external drive. You could boot from something like Knoppix and copy the files

http://www.knoppix.net/

Xeneth · 11-03-2009, 09:25 PM

If you have an extra drive, set that to main, the current one to be a slave, and install it on the new drive.

if you have an external drive, why not just move what you want to keep, then format the internal drive?

EDIT: To do the move, boot from a CD.

11-03-2009, 12:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
piyushjeswani Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 16 OS: Windows XP	How Can i format my computer without losing data in "C" Drive Hello, I don't know from where but i got some virus in my comp. I tried scanning my comp using AVG but it did not find any virus. It did find some, but they were not removed as AVG was unable to remove them. Now, i restarted my comp. But my comp won't start. After the Windows XP loading bar comes, i get a blue screen and it won't go ahead from there. I thought of formatting but realized that i had many important documents on "C" Drive. I don't want to lose it. So, i did not format, just gave the repair option to repair my Windows OS. After repairing, it still gets hanged at the windows loading bar. So, please help me. I want the data on "C" Drive badly and i can't afford to lose it. I have no backup of it whatsoever. Please tell me how can i get the data and then i will format it. Waiting for some good replies. Thanking you

11-03-2009, 01:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
spike2me TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 2,676 OS: XP SP3, Vista SP2, Windows7	Re: How Can i format my computer without losing data in "C" Drive Pull the hard drive from the computer. Put it on an External USB Enclosure/Adapter. Mount the now external drive to a working computer. Pull the data off that you can't live without. Put old HDD back in computer, boot off of XP CD and Format and install Windows. __________________ Spike Baron A Plus, MCSE, MCAS (office 2007) MOUS, CNA

11-03-2009, 01:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
piyushjeswani Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 16 OS: Windows XP	Re: How Can i format my computer without losing data in "C" Drive Thanks for the reply. I don't have any external USB enclosure/adapter. Instead, can i do this somehow. I install a copy of Windows on "D" drive. Then i copy data from "C" Drive and then again format it properly. Please tell me if that is possible somehow. Thanking you

11-03-2009, 01:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
simpswr Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: May 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 12,328 OS: XP, Vista, Win 7	Re: How Can i format my computer without losing data in "C" Drive That is risky . . you could also take the drive out and attach in in place of a CD/DVD drive in a working pc with uptodate antivirus and salvage the files. Then oput it back in and reinstall. Another option is to put a new drive in and install on it . . then attach the old one and copy files __________________ Rich MemTest86 \| BenchTest \| Virus/Trojan/Spyware Help How to post a Screen Shot \| PC running slow?

11-03-2009, 02:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
piyushjeswani Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 16 OS: Windows XP	Re: How Can i format my computer without losing data in "C" Drive Thanks for the reply. Can I do this way: I have an external HDD. Can i install windows on the external hdd and then attach it to my pc and run the OS installed on the external hdd. And then i can copy the data. Waiting for a reply. Thanking you

11-03-2009, 02:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
simpswr Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: May 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 12,328 OS: XP, Vista, Win 7	Re: How Can i format my computer without losing data in "C" Drive Windows will not install on an external drive. You could boot from something like Knoppix and copy the files http://www.knoppix.net/ __________________ Rich MemTest86 \| BenchTest \| Virus/Trojan/Spyware Help How to post a Screen Shot \| PC running slow?

11-03-2009, 09:25 PM	#7 (permalink)
Xeneth Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 71 OS: XP	Re: How Can i format my computer without losing data in "C" Drive If you have an extra drive, set that to main, the current one to be a slave, and install it on the new drive. if you have an external drive, why not just move what you want to keep, then format the internal drive? EDIT: To do the move, boot from a CD. Last edited by Xeneth; 11-03-2009 at 09:26 PM.