How do i format my hard drive???

Matt7613 · 23 Feb 2007 at 23:22

Hey People,

I've tried installing XP on my new system, but i can't ask my hard drive inside it has got my old stuff on it and won't let me install it. So how do i go about formatting my hard drive??

All comments will be appreciated.

Thanks Matt.

Cob · 23 Feb 2007 at 23:31

Do you need the stuff on the hard drive or are you happy to wipe it now?

If you're happy to wipe it now, boot from the XP cd and enter the Recovery Console.

Then type format c:

When it's finished, reboot and install XP.

Matt7613 · 23 Feb 2007 at 23:38

When i turn my pc on with the XP disk in it comes up with the Blue Screen for installing XP etc, so how do i bring the Recovery Console up?

- Matt.

Cob · 24 Feb 2007 at 00:03

It will be one of the options on the main screen that comes up after the blue screen finishes loading.

PhillyDee · 24 Feb 2007 at 00:11

It also gives you the option to format the drive during the pre-install phase.

Matt7613 · 24 Feb 2007 at 00:16

When the Blue Screen, comes up it doesn't give me any options. It just starts to install XP, and after a while of trying to Install XP it comes up with a Blue Screen and a message.

Matt7613 · 24 Feb 2007 at 02:23

Any Idea's?

rpstewart · 24 Feb 2007 at 09:01

I'm afraid your posts aren't making a lot of sense so it's difficult to give any assistance sp could you answer the following and we'll see what we can do.

Is this a brand new machine that you're trying to install XP on or are you reinstalling on a machine/disk which already has a copy of XP on it?

What's the hardware config - board, CPU, HDD (model and connection)?

You mention that a message comes up during the XP install, what's the message?

Matt7613 · 24 Feb 2007 at 09:23

Hi,

I've just a built a new PC, and i've got my old hard drive in there with XP on it. I am trying to format the hard drive, so i can re-install XP. People have told me to bring the Recovery Console up, but i don't know how to, as when i turn my PC on with the XP disk there are no option on what to do it just starts to install. Then after it trys to install a a message appears on my screen saying some on the lines of... "the installation has stop, so further damage could not be caused, and said please remove any new hardware and check hard drive."

My Spec:

Intel Pentium D - 3.4GHZ
Asus P5LD2-VM-DH
1024MB DDR2 PC6400
40GB Hard Drive SATA
650W PSU
ThermalTake Soprano Case

- Matt

rpstewart · 24 Feb 2007 at 10:48

How far through the install does it get? Do you get as far as selecting which drive to install XP on?

Matt7613 · 24 Feb 2007 at 15:31

Nope, it says "Loading Windows Setup" and then goes to the blue screen.

rpstewart · 24 Feb 2007 at 15:49

OK, how are the SATA ports configured in the system BIOS? They should be in single drive mode rather than RAID.

Matt7613 · 24 Feb 2007 at 22:19

Yeh, there in single.

Corasik · 24 Feb 2007 at 23:25

Matt7613 said:
"the installation has stop, so further damage could not be caused, and said please remove any new hardware and check hard drive."

- Matt

Sounds more like a memory/hardware issue, windows shouldnt bring up that message just because an 'old' install of XP is present on the HDD.

Matt7613 · 24 Feb 2007 at 23:43

Everything is compatible, there could be a possibilty of the RAM being damaged.