PLEASE HELP! How To Delete Hard Drive At Computer Start Up?

Aunt_Harriet

What do i do please?

I need to re install XP, the disc itself seems unable to delete the old version on the hard drive.

So i want to delete whats there, then load the disc.

Please help.


I want to delete XP and reinstall it - But disc Wont Delete existing installation.

How do i get into the menu at computer switch on - to delete existing XP?

When thats deleting the XP disc should work and i can start again.

I can't download anything to disc now, i'm using puppy linux live disc to type this - but theres only 119m of memory free!!

Ive done it before at computer start up........

but i dont know how to access dOS Promt

ms - dos promt

then i type format c: /s

then type fdisk/mbr


I can't remember and the notes ive written above make No Sense to me.

what do i do please?

marrittm

i have used this in past
http://www.dban.org/download

this is also 1 i have used
http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm

closed

Use the restore partition if you have one, much easier.

You dont need to use dban and the like to reinstall xp, just format it.

Need more information what is happening.

Lil306

Aunt_Harriet wrote: »

What do i do please?

I need to re install XP, the disc itself seems unable to delete the old version on the hard drive.

So i want to delete whats there, then load the disc.

Please help.

If you can get to the state where you boot up and logon to Windows, then insert the CD so it starts the setup wizard. If you click on Install XP I believe it gives you an option to carry out a clean install

I am curious however because if you have the boot order specified correctly in the BIOS (Optical Drives first) and boot from a Windows CD-Rom you should get the option to delete partitions. I have no problems doing it myself and I've done it plenty times. If I remember right it's the following
- set BIOS to boot from CD first
- insert setup CD
- let windows delete old installations
- highlight the current installation no longer wanted
- press the appropriate key to delete parition (I think it's D)
- you then get a submenu to confirm you press letter L
- when that is deleted, you get "unpartitioned space", you simply choose this then press enter and choose "Format to NTFS" (don't choose quick).....


Alternatively (before you do anything back up any data first) you can download a simple BootCD (Hiren, Linux, WinPE, etc) that has it's own boot loader. Then format the hard drive with format c:/ or whatever your drive is.

Then when you put your Windows CD back in it will detect no installation and allow you to carry out a clean install

Aunt_Harriet

Lil306 wrote: »

If you can get to the state where you boot up and logon to Windows, then insert the CD so it starts the setup wizard. If you click on Install XP I believe it gives you an option to carry out a clean install

I am curious however because if you have the boot order specified correctly in the BIOS (Optical Drives first) and boot from a Windows CD-Rom you should get the option to delete partitions. I have no problems doing it myself and I've done it plenty times. If I remember right it's the following
- set BIOS to boot from CD first
- insert setup CD
- let windows delete old installations
- highlight the current installation no longer wanted
- press the appropriate key to delete parition (I think it's D)
- you then get a submenu to confirm you press letter L
- when that is deleted, you get "unpartitioned space", you simply choose this then press enter and choose "Format to NTFS" (don't choose quick).....


Alternatively (before you do anything back up any data first) you can download a simple BootCD (Hiren, Linux, WinPE, etc) that has it's own boot loader. Then format the hard drive with format c:/ or whatever your drive is.

Then when you put your Windows CD back in it will detect no installation and allow you to carry out a clean install

I want to delete XP and reinstall it - But disc Wont Delete existing installation.

How do i get into the menu at computer switch on - to delete existing XP?

When thats deleting the XP disc should work and i can start again.

I can't download anything to disc now, i'm using puppy linux live disc to type this - but theres only 119m of memory free!!

basmic

Sounds like it needs chipset drivers in order for it pickup your harddrive.

Download and run System Information for Windows (link). Firstly, look under Hardware > IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers and tell us what's listed there - I'm looking for something like Intel, so ignore the Primary/Secondary IDE Channels.

Secondly, look under Hardware > Motherboard and tell us the Manufacturer and Model.

ddoris

You don't delete xp at startup.There isn't a menu to delete xp at startup. The old install is deleted when the installation disc offers the options to delete existing partitions and format them.
The new install will run for 5 or 10 mins. before you get this option

Aunt_Harriet

basmic wrote: »

Sounds like it needs chipset drivers in order for it pickup your harddrive.

Download and run System Information for Windows (link). Firstly, look under Hardware > IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers and tell us what's listed there - I'm looking for something like Intel, so ignore the Primary/Secondary IDE Channels.

Secondly, look under Hardware > Motherboard and tell us the Manufacturer and Model.

I Can't download or install with this linux..... no space.

Aunt_Harriet

ddoris wrote: »

You don't delete xp at startup.There isn't a menu to delete xp at startup. The old install is deleted when the installation disc offers the options to delete existing partitions and format them.
The new install will run for 5 or 10 mins. before you get this option

The installation disc Can't delete it - ive tried lots of times. There's a problem.

Aunt_Harriet

Ive done it before at computer start up........

but i dont know how to access dOS Promt

ms - dos promt

then i type format c: /s

then type fdisk/mbr

I can't remember and the note ive written above make No Sense to me.

what do i do please?

bat999

Has your Puppy linux disc got a program on it called 'gParted'?