Can't format C

  • Thread starter Thread starter Aardvark
  • Start date Start date
A

Aardvark

Dear all,

I have my pc hard drives partitioned. The OS is on C and I am trying to
format it.

Going into dos by going run cmd

from the C:\ directory I typed format C: all well and good except that a
message pops up telling me that the drive is in use and cannot be formated
......true enough in task manager there are some processes but closing them
also shuts down the pc. Trying to forcibly dismount the drive does not
work. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Danny
 
Aardvark said:
Dear all,

I have my pc hard drives partitioned. The OS is on C and I am trying to
format it.

Going into dos by going run cmd

from the C:\ directory I typed format C: all well and good except that a
message pops up telling me that the drive is in use and cannot be formated
.....true enough in task manager there are some processes but closing them
also shuts down the pc. Trying to forcibly dismount the drive does not
work. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Danny
Click to expand...

you will need to either boot from the windows xp cdrom or from a windows
98/95 boot disk
 
try using a boot disk. like windows 98.

what i do, although some might find it repetative is

boot off floppy

at comand prompt type in : fdisk
delete all partitions if you have any.
the create a new " C:" drive

restart.

boot up using the floppy again and type

format c:

should work
 
Aardvark said:
Dear all,

I have my pc hard drives partitioned. The OS is on C and I am trying to
format it.

Going into dos by going run cmd

from the C:\ directory I typed format C: all well and good except that a
message pops up telling me that the drive is in use and cannot be formated
.....true enough in task manager there are some processes but closing them
also shuts down the pc. Trying to forcibly dismount the drive does not
work. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Danny
Click to expand...

You can't format a drive that has the OS on that you are using the "Format"
command from! Doh!

Boot up from the XP CD and follow the instructions.
 
The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except for the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

1. Open your BIOS and set your CD Drive as the first bootable device.

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

7. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| Dear all,
|
| I have my pc hard drives partitioned. The OS is on C and I am trying to
| format it.
|
| Going into dos by going run cmd
|
| from the C:\ directory I typed format C: all well and good except that a
| message pops up telling me that the drive is in use and cannot be formated
| .....true enough in task manager there are some processes but closing them
| also shuts down the pc. Trying to forcibly dismount the drive does not
| work. Any ideas?
|
| Thanks,
|
| Danny
|
|
 
You can't format the C drive from the C drive. That's like a brain surgeon
performing a lobotomy on himself. Instead, use a boot floppy or a boot CD
containing the format command to bootup from. Then do the format from there.
 
you can't format it whilst you are "on it" Change to a
different drive a:
or d:
best to have a system disk in A and then do it
 
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