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

Aunt_Harriet

There isnt an option of unpartitioned space, on my screen.... just the original xp listed. Your photo is like i get to, but which ever letter i press ...it is unable to install.

I'm doing this because the XP can't load up.

closed

Is that the screen we are talking about? What does it say in the box?

XP wouldn't startup, what did it say on screen when it couldn't start up

Lil306

Aunt_Harriet wrote: »

There isnt an option of unpartitioned space, on my screen.... just the original xp listed. Your photo is like i get to, but which ever letter i press ...it is unable to install.

I'm doing this because the XP can't load up.

It varies if it says "partitioned or unpartitioned space" too as you can't install Windows without a partition, nor one on a partition that is too small..

If possible, I would like you to get to the setup screen, find the details listed against drive C: and write them down (whether they show as unpartitioned or partitioned).

It's this lock message what you were referring to I'm curious about,

HO87

Aunt_Harriet wrote: »

There isnt an option of unpartitioned space, on my screen.... just the original xp listed. Your photo is like i get to, but which ever letter i press ...it is unable to install.

I'm doing this because the XP can't load up.

You need to reformat the partition that the original XP is sitting on. A partition is a section of the hard drive formatted in ntfs (for XP) ready to accept an installation. This means that when you boot from the XP installation disc you need to select the option to install XP first - it doesn't give you "to delete" - and then move on to creating/formatting/reformatting the partition(s) that are currently set up.

Rather than trying to follow bit by bit advice (no reflection on the other posters - its only just become apparent that the OP does not have a great deal of knowledge). Why not follow a step-by-step set-up guide such as may be found here.

Lil306

HO87 wrote: »

You need to reformat the partition that the original XP is sitting on. A partition is a section of the hard drive formatted in ntfs (for XP) ready to accept an installation. This means that when you boot from the XP installation disc you need to select the option to install XP first - it doesn't give you "to delete" - and then move on to creating/formatting/reformatting the partition(s) that are currently set up.

Rather than trying to follow bit by bit advice (no reflection on the other posters - its only just become apparent that the OP does not have a great deal of knowledge). Why not follow a step-by-step set-up guide such as may be found here.

I think it's following an earlier post made by them that they had an error. When trying to delete the partition to reformat it they got an error.

To the OP, have a read through above guide to see if it helps and give us a shout if stuck or doesn't match up

closed

It would help if you could try and answer all the questions, as we don't know what screen you are on, what disc you have, or what you can see.

It sounds like you are using a standard XP dics, rather than an ibm recovery CD?

For now, what does it say inside the blue box, and what happens if you boot without any cd, ie what is the original problem (what came on screen)?

Where was this padlock you saw, in the bios screen?

Aunt_Harriet

Thankyou Closed, Lil306 and Ho87.

I don't know what i'm doing.



Lil the lock was when i was fiddling with the Linux live disc settings.

Closed your photo is like i get, on my screen.

Ho87 i will read that link now.


Then i have to go out.

This frustrating problem has been taking me hours (it started lastnight)

i will be back!

Thanks again to you all for our patience and help.

Lil306

Aunt_Harriet wrote: »

Thankyou Closed, Lil306 and Ho87.


Thanks again to you all for our patience and help.

It's no worries, it will be easy to sort will just take patience.

Ho87's link will help you with the installation, as long as you have those screens it will be straight forward to install. As you have already had Windows it's possible you may need help with clearing the partition and reformatting then Ho87 link after that for the procedure

spud17

Where was this padlock you saw, in the bios screen?

It's probably the one in Gpartd used to denote a mounted partition/drive.

Martin_Keller

Disk Repartitioning is what I think your thinking of.
Look up some guide in the internet, not an expert but when you start the windows installation there is a part where it gives you the option to do this.