Re: Low level re-format and partionning of a disk drive under Wind

Daave,

Thank you for the speedy and thorough response, which was extremely helpful.

I had forgotten that there is only one disk in the XP install, something I
just used several times in the last six months, but on a different machine. I
was not sure things would apply this time since I am working on different
hardware.

I am also aware of repair installs and parallel installs both of which I
have also performed, sometimes inadvertently, on other machines. As far as
booting, I did configure the BIOS correctly. Thank you for the reminder.

In any case, the disks that I have are an image of what was on the computer
the time it was purchased. So, no it does not look like I have the base
Windows XP CD that would be required for a fresh installation.

I have just copied the manufacturer with your response to see if perhaps
they can send me that in a zip file, but I think that is a tall order.

As far as repairs, I am done with that. This machine seems to be
compromised. Sound drivers disappear at will for example, and I have
re-installed them over half a dozen times. I really want to reformat and
start from scratch.

Data is not the problem. I have backups of that. I need a stable system. I
have spent more time fixing equipment than using it for what I need it. In
any case, if you really think I should post the manufacturer and model, let
me know.

Many thanks for your help.

Regards,

Jean-Pierre

"Daave" wrote:

Something doesn't seem right.

By definition, when you perform a clean install of XP, you are
formatting your drive. Perhaps you are performing a repair install? Or
inadvertently a parallel install?

Please describe these "original manufacturer installation disks." If you
are installing XP Home, there is only *one* installation CD! What is the
make and model of your PC? Perhaps these other disks contain
installation files for programs as well as hardware device drivers. Once
you post with complete information, people here will be better able to
assist you.

If you have a Windows XP *installation* CD -- this is not the same thing
as what Mick was describing (i.e., a "recovery" or "restore" disk, which
contains an image of the hard drive the way it initially was when it
first left the factory) -- you should be able to perform a clean
install. Use the directions here:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

And if this is what you have been doing, please let us know at which
step you run into the problem. My guess is that you are booting off the
hard drive rather than the CD-ROM drive. But you need to tell us! If my
guess is correct, all you need to do is enter the BIOS to configure your
PC to boot off the CD-ROM drive. The method to enter the BIOS depends on
your motherboard. See:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

Keep in mind that a clean install deletes *everything* -- all your data,
settings, and programs. You will need to back up all your data and
settings first. You will need to have all your program installation
files and drivers for your hardware. Clean installations, although
effective, can be time-consuming. They are generally not recommended for
addressing problems (unless your system has been severely compromised).
It's usually better to deal with the problem at hand. If you would
prefer to do that, this newsgroup is a good place start. Another option
is to perform a repair install, which repairs your Windows installation
without deleting your files, settings, and programs.


"dareys" <dareys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:CE3F62B9-CDA2-4439-B7EE-2D1863EAD9A8@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mick,

Thank you for the response. Yes, I just received the original
manufacturer
installation disks. However, the re-installation process does not
allow me to
partition or format anything. It just does it. I might just have to
try again.

Jean-Pierre

P.S. You are right about the process. I have been through it a number
of
times this
year.

"Mick Murphy" wrote:

Is it the proper XP disk, or the manufacturer's disk, with an image?
If Proper Microsoft XP disk, you delete existing partition, make a
new
partirion, format it, and install XP, all from the XP disk.
--
Mad Mike


"dareys" wrote:

Greetings,

I have been experiencing a number of problems with Windows XP Home
Edition
(SP2) on my machine.

At this point, I have re-installed the operating system half a
dozen times
with the same suspect behaviour, in spite of getting new install
disks from
the hardware vendor.

So, now I am considering a low level format of the machine, but I
am having
a very hard time locating a boot disk containing the format or
fdisk
commands. Can anyone point me to where I could find these files, on
this
site, hopefully?

Thank you.

Jean-Pierre




.

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