formatting in xp

[AngSephirX]

Im trying to format my hard drive that xp is on but I cant find a way to get to a ms-dos prompt.  Does anyone know a way i can rid my computer of this awful os?

[Maniaman]

Run>cmd.exe

[AngSephirX]

I cant format the drive in windows because its the drive with windows on it.  I need to be able to get to a dos prompt outside of windows and i cant figure out how to.

[LocNar]

This is handy info in general. Go to hard drive manufacturer's website (Maxtor, Western Digital, etc.) and download their drive software. Virtually all manufacturers will have some type of (free) program for mainaining/diagnosing/formatting their drive. Execute the program within windows, and it will make a boot floppy. Then boot and format. These programs are great! Good luck!

[devlkore]

Get a Windows 98 boot disc, I think there is a website like www.bootdisc.org or something, either do that or have a friend with Win98 make one for you.

Then boot up with that and do what the other guy said and format the drive like that.

[mattymanx]

Yes, use the Win98 bootdisk...ect

When it comes time to format, use the following command:

format c:/u

[Stryker]

When you go to install another operating system, it should have an option to delete other partitions (well, any good installer). The only reason I think it would be necessary would be to reinstall windows, in which case i'm sorry, but I won't support that. Just curious, but what is your overall goal?

[jtpenrod]

quote:Im trying to format my hard drive that xp is on but I cant find a way to get to a ms-dos prompt. Does anyone know a way i can rid my computer of this awful os?

With XP, there's no DOS prompt as His Gatesness ditched MS-DOS when this thing came out. As for formatting the HD, I'm guessing you want to replace XP? In that case, just boot up from the new OS's install CD, and ditch the XP parts from its own installer. That's how I got rid of XP on a new system I bought over a year ago: just let Mandrake's installer take care of it. No more XP  
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[Refalm]

[Off-topic]Kunnen jullie dan helemaal niks alleen? Stelletje hufters![/Off-topic]

Hey Refalm, how do I create a MS-DOS bootdisk in Windows XP?

It's easy (when it doesn't crash or being annoying). Insert an empty floppy in your diskdrive. Go to "My computer". Now click with your right mouse button on the floppy icon. Select "Format". Now select "Create MS-DOS bootdisk".

[theangelofdeath69]

You wont be able to use format c: /u if you made NTFS partition, you'll have to run FDISK first, and you will NEED to run fdisk /mbr to destroy the XP boot loader, and run sys to make the drive bootable