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Problem Re-Installing Windows?

I have a problem reinstalling Windows XP and deleting partition while reformatting??

  • I am trying to do a clean install of Windows XP and a complete reformat of my hard drive. Its an 8400 Dell with a C drive and a small F partitioned drive (curtousy of Dell) I want to delete the F drive and the C drive partition to make ONE HUGE C DRIVE. But I can only delete the F drive when I try to reinstall from the Dell Windows disk. When I try to delete the C drive it wont let me, it says Windows needs the drive to do a clean install. And when I delete the F drive, it deletes it but doesnt add it to the C drive. It just makes it unused space. Also when I reinstall Windows all my old files are still on the C drive, but I want to nuke the whole damn thing. Any idea what I should try?? I also cant reformat from the my compter right click where you can reformat from the little drop down disk manager deal. It says my C drive cant be reformatted because windows is in use and it wont let me do it from a dos prompt either. HELP??!!

  • Answer:

    If you have a windows xp disk, install the disk and turn off the pc. Restart the pc, and tell the pc to boot from the cd drive. The pc will the disk and ask if you want to install or repair. Tell it to install. When it ask where you want to install, delete partitions and create a new one.

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Dude you need to install it from a CD. If your installing it from the hard drive then of course it's going to use the drive your installing it from. Try using a CD and it will prompt an option to format the "whole damn thing"

Mac S

Are you trying to install windows from a CD or from the image in your computer.If it is an image of course you cant delete the partition.....you are using it.

Safe Mode

Use utillity of the hard disk drive DM (Disk Manager) and Delete all partation and your problem solve .

Awais

Use an Acronis program, it is great for resizing, formatting, and adding HDD's.

snoopy005

If you can find a DOS boot disk, it would be great. You could then boot from that disk and use the 'fdisk' command or if that version of DOS has the 'delpart' command then that would be even better, although both commands should let you manage your hard drive. If not feasible, try a third party tool like partition magic to partition. I think you can even do it after your OS is loaded. Good luck!

mornin'

Windows won't delete itself, so you can't boot the computer by itself and expect it to delete itself. You have to boot from the CD, it will usually tell you on the screen when you turn it on the button to press to change the boot order. When it gets to the install screen there is a choice for fresh install, on which partition, and it should also have the option to delete partitions on the same page. Then you delete them both, create one and let it have it all. Then format and install. If you are that short on space that you are dumping the restore partition, you seriously need an bigger hard drive

Jeffery H K

USE: Darik's Boot and Nuke - http://dban.sourceforge.net/ This should let you do what you want. Reviews here (download from the first link, NOT this one): http://www.download.com/Darik-s-Boot-and-Nuke/3000-2092_4-10165154.html If you are using your drive to reinstall, not a CD, just use this program and then go buy an XP cd. It is the ONLY way for it to work. Get XP cheap: http://software.pricegrabber.com/windows-family-os/p/186/form_keyword=windows+xp/rd=1

Slap in a new hard drive.

big sir

Here is the deal, if you have a different XP installation disk which is not branded like dell, just plain windows XP. Use it just up to deleting partitions and creating partition as C only. Then place your Dell XP installation disk restart your installation. The reason is dell created their customized Dell xp for marketing purposes for you to ask for their support from india. I got a dell it works for me I hope it works for you.

michael d

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