XP reformat help

950 Views 2 Replies 3 Participants Last post by Kalim, Dec 28, 2006

jbons

Discussion Starter · Dec 26, 2006

My windows XP is messed up and has a lot of problems, so I want to reformat it. I have reformatted it before, but this time I can't get it to work. Every guide i read how to do it says I need to use my windows xp disk and change my bios settings to boot from disk and then go from there. I change everything and put my windows disk in and restart my computer. When it prompts me to boot from disk, I press enter. For some reason it just causes me to start windows normally instead of sending me to the welcome screen where I can use the recovery console and such. Please help me. Thanks.

PS: this is my first time posting so sorry if it is in the wrong forum. Also, I am kind of a noob when it comes to computers >.<

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dm01

· #2 · Dec 26, 2006

What you want to do is enter your BIOS and set the primary boot device to your CD-ROM (usually d:/) drive.

I would try a System Restore or re-install before a reformat. However, if you don't really care about anything on your computer, a reformat is simplest.

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Kalim

· #3 · Dec 28, 2006

Hi

If you're willing to loose everything on your system as its trivial then a format is the best and cleanest option for a perfectly working system.

Have the HDD to install XP on setup as Master and then get into the BIOS: http://www.techsupportforum.com/art...ios-articles/122271-how-enter-bios-setup.html

In there, change your bootup device to your CD-ROM rather than the IDE it will be set to. Save those changes and exit. It should bootup from the CD now.

Before all this, make sure the CD is not flawed (physically and the data) and that your RAM and HDD is OK (test with Memtest86 and HDD Diagnostic utility). Because if it isn't it'll k.o your installation midway.

If it boots to your Win installation, most likely your CD is corrupted. make another one and see.

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