Formatting a pc.

outsidethe65

Hi all,

I want to format the c:\ drive on my pc.

However, when I try to do this, the following error comes up:

"Windows cannot format this drive. Quit any disk utilities or other programs that are using this drive and make sure that no window is displaying the content of this drive. Then try formatting again"

I powered cycled the pc and tried it again. The same error occurred even though I have no window open. I suspect that something must be running in the backround. Does anyone have any suggestions how to solve this?

Cheers,
Ted.

BKtje

I assume windows itself isn't installed on your c: drive?

Ciaran500

Is windows installed on C:\ drive?

outsidethe65

It is but isn't the operating system on the c:\ drive protected from a normal format? Kept on a ghost drive if you will...........

Biro

outsidethe65 wrote: »

It is but isn't the operating system on the c:\ drive protected from a normal format? Kept on a ghost drive if you will...........

Nope. It resides on the C drive like every other file there. If you want to format the drive, you'll need to put it into another host system, where it'll be the or E: drive most likely. Then you'll be able to format it. However it sounds like you want to keep your OS in tact, which won't happen if you format the drive.
What do you want to get rid of?

outsidethe65

I'm giving this pc to my father and I want to restore the factory settings. I no longer have the origional xp disk...........

Biggins

Is there a floppy drive on the system also?
Do you know anything about Dos or how good are you at it?

Answering the above will help.

Get yourself a bootup disc/cd with dos command on it.
Try here to begin with: http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

If you can start up the system using one of these completely, you will avoid activating any/all files on the hard-drive itself.
For the cd drive to become the first primary location that the BIOS/CPU checks for an operating system files, you might have to go into the BIOS setup and reconfigure the startup drive list there in alternative configuration - move them around A to B, B to A, etc.

Long story short, if you can do the above, your half way home.
Let us know about the above (if its needed) and we can take you from there to getting it done.

By the way, if you want a full XP install disk let me know. Will tell you where to get one.

---

When you turn on your pc normally, hidden system files (autoexec.bat, config.sys, etc) kick in right away. These set up the system and kick start all the rest of everything. These are the type of files that need to be bypassed by the use of a boot cd/disk.

biologikal

outsidethe65 wrote: »

I'm giving this pc to my father and I want to restore the factory settings. I no longer have the origional xp disk...........

If your PC is one of the major manufacturers, and has original hard drive, there may be a restore partition that would allow it to revert itself back to factory installation state. Usually accessed from Windows through manufacturer utilities, or function key during bootup. Documentation will tell you how to do it.

ruprect

I have a mates dell that he wants wiped and started fresh again. There are no file etc he wants to keep. I have all the original disks etc. It is XP service pack 1. I have a service pack 2 disk from my own PC, I am just wondering if it would accept his original serial number/authorization codes if I tried loading on SP2. I thought this would be a cleaner install than reloading SP1 and upgrading to SP2 after.

Are there any good sites with idiots guides to formatting and doing a fresh install?

Biggins

ruprect wrote: »

Are there any good sites with idiots guides to formatting and doing a fresh install?

http://lifehacker.com/software/windows/geek-to-live-how-to-format-your-hard-drive-and-install-windows-xp-from-scratch-157578.php