Boot into DOS

panthro · 3 Nov 2007 at 22:08

How do I do this? I need to reformat my HDD as the windows CD is not doing it for me. I cant see any options when I try a custom boot from startup.

Burnsy2023 · 3 Nov 2007 at 22:13

Can you boot from the CD to get the recovery console?

Burnsy

panthro · 3 Nov 2007 at 22:19

Yes, and when Im in the Vista install screen I click format all it does is hourglass for a few seconds and thats it.

Burnsy2023 · 3 Nov 2007 at 22:26

Go into the recovery console and type format c: (replace with drive letter)

Burnsy

panthro · 3 Nov 2007 at 22:28

sorry, how do I do that? Is that in the Vista set up when I boot from the CD? Wasnt sure what you meant first time round.

Also - I have a partition on there which is for the Dell Mediadirect application, will format c: get rid of that?

Burnsy2023 · 3 Nov 2007 at 22:32

No it won't get rid of the recovery partition, just make sure your formatting the right drive.

I think you can get into the recovery console, either from the boot menu (without booting off the disc) or it's an option when you start the Windows setup.

Burnsy

panthro · 5 Nov 2007 at 00:05

What does this mean? Im trying to format my C drive and its come up with this error message after I type format c:

"format cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Format may run if this volume is dismounted first. ALL OPENED HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD THEN BE INVALID. Would you like to force a dismount of this volume? Y/N?"

Ive done it anyway....figured it cant get any worse than the current situation