Computer HDD partition problem

I_luv_cats

Hi,
My PC HDD is partitioned into C: and
I boot Windows XP Home Genuine Copy SP3 from

I am unable to format or delete system files on C: for some reason.
Kaspersky keeps coming up with 2 infected warnings as I have a couple of old files. Flash 10, sp2 file
I did have an old XP prof on C: and deleted some of the files as it came up not genuine.

How can I format C: or install my XP on C: so the corrupt files are wiped??

Awec

You probably won't be able to format either hard drive from within Windows. You're going to need to do it using a Windows install cd or an equivalent.

PeterPerfect

Files on drive C have been locked. Did you get any CD's with the system. Sometimes the manufacture will only provide an "image" of the OS on another partition to install from. To format/install on any partition, you will need to boot from a CD

I_luv_cats

GUYS I do have an original Windows XP cd BUT when I insert it on boot up, I only get the option to install it or repair on drive (C: scraggy files are locked)
I use to have a dual boot up with options of XP Home on (genuine) and XP Proff C:(not genuine with screen of death) but now I just get the option to set up (with a dll error msg) or run XP home @ boot up.

Percy1983

Are you using the windows disc manager? if so can't you delete the partition? if not read on.

If you boot up using you XP disc and go through as if you are going to install you will get to where to install, at this point you can delete the partition you dont want (then quit, don't install anything). Once this is gone you should be able to get into you legit install and expand the partition using the disk manager.

I_luv_cats

I only get the option to install windows on

I want to put it on C: so I can get the rogue locked files off it!! When I had a dual boot (proff and home) I amended the Boot.ini

I now have
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=5
Default=C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
C:\$WIN_NT$.~BT\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows XP Setup"

fwor

One approach to this would be to download one of the Linux distros, burn it to a CD and boot the PC off that CD.

You should be able to delete any files you want to on the HDD. The mainstream distros such as Ubuntu auto-mount any Windows partitions that they find, but I can't recall offhand whether they mount them readonly. If so it's just a matter of one mount instruction at the command line.

Simpler, if you just want rid of all of the c: partition, GPARTED will just format it without any complaint, and it supports NTFS no problem.

~However~ one thing that you need to be certain about is that the XP home installation that you think is solely on the partition really is where you think it is. I've seen situations where some key system files are on the C: partition, even though the installation ~appears~ to be on another partition. If you format the C: partition in those circumstances, the PC will not boot.

Percy1983

If it was my own I would backup all files I want to keep, nuke the hard drive and do a clean install.

Dare a say its the best way in the fact it will work and a clean install every once in a while always helps.

I_luv_cats

Thanks Guys

I managed to install a fresh XP on C: and format

Lucky my mp3's/wma already on large mp3 player, photos on dvd/cdrom and could re-download Kaspersky from previous email. Have other back-up disks and rest can get from net.

Sometimes computers are a pain in the bum!!

John_Gray

The reinstall seems to have fixed the nasty problem where your post had the text in different colours and occasional larger sizes... Very glad about this! :beer: