RE: Format Hard Disk - XP

You have 120GB HDD with only 1 Partition that is C Drive and by default you
can not Format or Repartition a Boot and System Partition that is why the
both options are grey out in Disk Management. Even you can not do this using
a Dos utility while working in Windows.

If you want to repartition, format and reinstall Windows then the best way
will be Windows XP Setup itself. You can use the Windows XP Setup for
partitioning your hard drive. But it seems that the CD you have is not
bootable and the floppy disks are also not working properly.

You can recreate a Bootable Windows XP CD. See the article below to know how
you can write a new bootable cd using your current non-bootable cd.

http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=297

Just don't forget to backup your data. Because, keep in mind that if you
are about to repartition or format your drive then all the data will lost.

Hope this help, let us know!

"Ignorant but Grateful" wrote:

I've tried searches (as you'll see). Forgive me if I've missed the answer
that will work for me.

I want to format my C: drive (120GB hard disk).

I tried the Windows XP Pro Computer Management Facility. For my C:, both
"partition" and "format" are grayed out...even though I AM logged in as
administrator. At this point, the disk isn't partitioned - or, I suppose
it's one, big partition.

I tried the DOS prompt (I'm old-school), but of course it didn't work
because a program was running. (Windows)

I tried booting up from the CD-ROM, both by interrupting the boot-up with an
F12 and by redirecting the BIOS (F2) to boot directly from CD-ROM. The
boot-up process fails. ("F1 to retry boot, F2 for setup") This is an
original, bought-paid-for and-registered CD-ROM.

I downloaded the 6-floppy version of the start-up disk and, again,
interrupting the boot-up process (F12) or redirectinhg the BIOS (F2), have
been unable to successfully boot up. ("no boot device available Strike F1 to
retry F2 for setup")

Both the floppy drive and the CD-ROM drive function fine for other purposes.
The computer works fine too, though the hard disk has gotten so 'dirty' that
even Zone Alarm + AdAware + Registry cleaner + Defrag + DiskCleanup + + +
won't get the computer (an old Dell Dimension) running even half-fast.

Thanks sincerely for any assistance.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Can someone else help? Was changing partition size.
    ... with one hard drive, that Windows 98 does not list. ... My Computer still does not list the partition that has ... two hard drives. ... This should fix the boot sector on the C: drive and allow you to boot ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Can someone else help? Was changing partition size.
    ... Windows 98 to boot up. ... My Computer still does not list the partition that has ... This should fix the boot sector on the C: drive and allow you to boot ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • fixing grub : mbr fix when windows install after linux
    ... "There is not a boot manager screen at all, ... windows but GRUB boot window does not appear. ... "I forgot to install GRUB, I didn't install GRUB in the MBR, I chose ... Fedora but that was not an active primary partition". ...
    (comp.os.linux.misc)
  • Re: Can someone else help? Was changing partition size.
    ... partition and the files, but not now. ... Windows 98 to boot up. ... This should fix the boot sector on the C: drive and allow you to boot ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Windows 98 Upgrade to XP Home Issue
    ... If you can't see anything on the monitor at boot, ... Procedure to Reinstall Windows XP! ... Use UP and DOWN ARROW Keys to Highlight Partition. ... Type of Format you want to perform. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)