Quickest way to reformat laptop?

foxyuk

Hi guys had enough....


how do i clear everything then restart everything from scratch???

thanks

Debt_Free_Chick

What OS are you using?

Is there absolutely nothing on the laptop you want to keep? Files? passwords? Settings e.g. for email?

netdumdum

As a rule the quickest way is to normally insert your Windows CD, make sure you are booting from CD, normally a bios setting.

Restart the pc, press enter when it asks you if you want to start the CD.

Follow the onscreen prompts.

foxyuk

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

What OS are you using?

Is there absolutely nothing on the laptop you want to keep? Files? passwords? Settings e.g. for email?

windows 98 se ............ the whole system files can go to ....getting constant errors so ..start again...

i have tried reinstalling the windows 98 cd.. but still saves all the old stuff and 30 mins later same problems

foxyuk

netdumdum wrote: »

As a rule the quickest way is to normally insert your Windows CD, make sure you are booting from CD, normally a bios setting.

Restart the pc, press enter when it asks you if you want to start the CD.

Follow the onscreen prompts.

tried resetting from cd to see ifwould sort probs and not fixed...

im in the bios set up what do i change?

Debt_Free_Chick

foxyuk wrote: »

tried resetting from cd to see ifwould sort probs and not fixed...

im in the bios set up what do i change?

Something like "Boot Order" .... you want it to boot from the CD first, so that it loads the Windows CD and gives you options from the CD. Once you're sorted, you can/should change this back so that it boots from the primary disk.

foxyuk

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Something like "Boot Order" .... you want it to boot from the CD first, so that it loads the Windows CD and gives you options from the CD. Once you're sorted, you can/should change this back so that it boots from the primary disk.

dont worry problem solved just threw it out the window!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


honestly..... time is money totally hacked off

Little_John

The windows 98se disk will boot, as you have already tried to reinstall over the top and it didnt work then the you need to format and reinstall windows.

the windows 98 disk will bring up a boot menu install windows command promt with cd rom support and command prompt without cd rom support

either of the 2 command prompt options will allow you to format the hard drive in prep for the install of windows. but chose the one with cdrom support as format.com in on the cd. Windows 98 doesnt have a format option as part of setup so this is the way to do it.

boot to the windows cd
select the command prompt with cd rom support
as the cd drivers are installed you will see it flash up what drive letter the cd rom drive has been given try to keep an eye out for it. its normally but it can change if you have multiple hard drives installed.

once you get a c:\>
type
d:
hit enter
type
cd\win98
hit enter
type
format c:
hit enter
there are a few options with the format command a /q after a space at the end will do a quick format and takes a few seconds but if you suspect you may have drive problems a slow format would be better it will pick up any errors on the drive but on large drives can take a while.

once the format is complete it you will get a sumary of the drive and return to c:\> reboot the pc and this time again boot to the cd but choose the start windows setup option.

good luck.

Asus_Mobo

Or if you had made a windows start up disk that would of worked aswell, boot form floppy and at the prompt type. A:\format c/s and then after that reeboot again from floppy and typed cd \ then setup.exe

superscaper

foxyuk wrote: »

dont worry problem solved just threw it out the window!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


honestly..... time is money totally hacked off

Wow, about 80 minutes? I set aside a lot longer than that for a complete reinstall even if things are going well!!

foxyuk

Little_John wrote: »

The windows 98se disk will boot, as you have already tried to reinstall over the top and it didnt work then the you need to format and reinstall windows.

the windows 98 disk will bring up a boot menu install windows command promt with cd rom support and command prompt without cd rom support

either of the 2 command prompt options will allow you to format the hard drive in prep for the install of windows. but chose the one with cdrom support as format.com in on the cd. Windows 98 doesnt have a format option as part of setup so this is the way to do it.

boot to the windows cd
select the command prompt with cd rom support
as the cd drivers are installed you will see it flash up what drive letter the cd rom drive has been given try to keep an eye out for it. its normally but it can change if you have multiple hard drives installed.

once you get a c:\>
type
d:
hit enter
type
cd\win98
hit enter
type
format c:
hit enter
there are a few options with the format command a /q after a space at the end will do a quick format and takes a few seconds but if you suspect you may have drive problems a slow format would be better it will pick up any errors on the drive but on large drives can take a while.

once the format is complete it you will get a sumary of the drive and return to c:\> reboot the pc and this time again boot to the cd but choose the start windows setup option.

good luck.

sorry mate its being thrown out window....as i look its 40 ft below mangled.. i got to the stage i have spent 4 hours yesterday and 4 hours today and previous to that setting up the wireless was hours


dont laugh !!! there were 3 options i chose the 1st option to install it.... the other 2 were the ones you are telling me about..

anyway i think based on a p2 and 64mb all i was going to get was probs .and i would be errors daily ...now need to get daughter one from ebay..

your opinion on this??

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250125071403&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:UK:12