Re: XP reinstall - cannot delete c partition

To do a clean install, boot the Windows XP install CD-Rom. Setup inspects your computer's hardware configuration and then begins to install the setup and driver files. When the Windows XP Professional screen appears, press ENTER to set up Windows XP Professional.

(Note: If your drive controller is not natively supported then you'll want to boot the Windows XP CD-Rom. Then *F6* very early and very important (at setup is inspecting your system) in the setup to prevent drive controller detection, and select S to specify additional drivers. Then later you'll be prompted to insert the manufacturer supplied Windows XP driver for your drive controller in drive "A")

Read the license agreement, and then press the F8 key to accept the terms of the license agreement and continue the installation.

When the Windows XP Professional Setup screen appears, all the existing partitions and the unpartitioned spaces are listed for each physical hard disk. Use the ARROW keys to select the partitions Press D to delete an existing partition, If you press D to delete an existing partition, you must then press L (or press ENTER, and then press L if it is the System partition) to confirm that you want to delete the partition. Repeat this step for each of the existing partitions When all the partitions are deleted press F3 to exit setup, (to avoid unexpected drive letter assignments with your new install) then restart the pc then when you get to this point in setup again select the unpartitioned space, and then press C to create a new partition and specify the size (if required). Windows will by default use all available space.

Be sure to apply SP2 or at least these two below to your new install before connecting to any network. Internet included. (sasser, msblast)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=049c9dbe-3b8e-4f30-8245-9e368d3cdb5a&displaylang=en

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-043.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-049.mspx




--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

"macjohnson" wrote:
Hi - I've been surfing the internet for a solution but yet to find
one. I'm trying to reinstall Win XP (mainly because of the quantity
of files and software installed on my old machine). I've got a Win XP
CD, and tried booting from that - but I can't delete my C partition -
so when the installation is complete, all my old files and software
are still there - even though I've specified not to repair but to
reinstall.

I've tried creating a boot floppy - but I either get an IO error (when
I created it from the computer itself), or a non system disk error
when I downloaded DOS 6 boot disk from the internet.

I'd just carry on and reinstall into a new partition, but the
unpartitioned area is exactly half the size of the C area, which seems
like a ridiculous waste of space with files I want removed because
they are slowing the system down.

Arghh! it's frustrating. It's MY computer, why can't I format it from
scratch????? Help!


.

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