Format c:\ drive

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H

hash

Hello

I'd like to (clean) fresh install vista on c:\ drive.
What utilities (software) can I use to first format my c:\ and possibly d:\
drives ? Thank you.

Regards
hash
 
Hi,

Boot your Vista disk and start setup. At the point where you choose the
installation location, simply delete and recreate the system volume. This
will prompt for a fresh format before you proceed with the clean install.

Note that you must have a full version key to install cleanly like this, and
that you will need to reactivate once completed (which frequently requires a
phone call).

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
Rick said:
Hi,

Boot your Vista disk and start setup. At the point where you choose the
installation location, simply delete and recreate the system volume.
This will prompt for a fresh format before you proceed with the clean
install.

Note that you must have a full version key to install cleanly like this,
and that you will need to reactivate once completed (which frequently
requires a phone call).
Click to expand...
And to answer the last part of the OP's question...once Vista is
installed, use the Disk Management tool (found in Computer Management)
to re-format your d: drive.

Lastly...I'm fairly certain (although I have not tried it personally
since I haven't yet had the need to re-install Vista) that you can
re-install from an upgrade (versus full) version. Unless I'm not
understanding your comment about needing a "full version key."

Tim
 
I was thinking about getting an independent formatting software for hard
disks. Can you suggest a satandard and more popular freeware that also
allows me to partiton the hard disks. Thank you.

hash
 
Hi,

Not free, but I use BootIT NG from terabyteunlimited for my systems. For a
normal install with partitioning, I don't really see the need for a third
party tool, the ones included with Vista are sufficient if you plan
correctly. A third party tool is most useful when you want to make
non-destructive changes after the fact.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
Rick said:
Hi Tim,

To install by booting the DVD requires a full version Product Key. The
upgrade key only works when installation is initiated from within a
running OS.
Click to expand...
True...it's not supported by MS. But I've read from several resources
that there is a workaround of sorts. As I said, I have not personally
tried it but it is well documented that you can perform a clean update
using an upgrade Vista disk. Here's just one site as an example:
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_upgrade_clean.asp

Tim
 
Tim said:
True...it's not supported by MS. But I've read from several resources that
there is a workaround of sorts. As I said, I have not personally tried it
but it is well documented that you can perform a clean update using an
upgrade Vista disk. Here's just one site as an example:
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_upgrade_clean.asp

Tim
Click to expand...


I rebuilt my system last night, long story LOL you know what it is like when
you cannot leave things alone. Anyway, basically I decided to format it,
which I did. Then flew into a panic as I only have those crappy recovery
disks and I have already killed the recovery partition.

Luckily I remembered reading it can be done, so I decided to give it a go.
I do not wish to go into details, but this was done using an XP to Home
Premium update disk that Dell sent me, but it worked anyway. I have heard
other people saying it did not work so do your research.
 
To some of you it may come as a surprise that I actually used Gateway Computers Universal Boot Disk which came with my Gateway computer way back in 1995 when we had Windows 95 to format my hard disk.

Well it helped me to format my hard disk, write zeros and then it was simply a matter of installing vista from the dvd. The famous Gateway Windows 95 boot disks. Anyone remember Windows 95 which brings memories of Blue Death screens and .... performed an illegal operation .... !!!. We've moved a long way since then. Anyone knows what is next round the corner ?

hash

PS We still do have Gateway Computers in USA but sadly they have closed down their UK and European markets long
time ago. I miss them in UK. Robust hardware in their pcs.
 
greetings.

is this disk management tool native to vista 32 home premium? where do I
find documentation about it because I cannot understand why a user needs to
manually invoke it: formatting of my vacant d:\500GB was invoked
automatically, as I recall. so what exactly is the purview of native disk
management tool?
 
Hi,

Yes, it's diskmgmt.msc and can be used to work on a drive's volumes, and has
existed on NT systems for many years. One can format directly from Windows
Explorer as well, whether or not you use the drive management tool depends
on the degree of work involved.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
Hi,

If you format C: and it is the active volume (and it likely is), then you
will lose access to the XP partition as well. If this was an upgrade, you
can restore the original installation from the windows.old folder by
following the procedure here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933168

If you truly just want to start over, boot the system with the XP disk. At
the point where you choose the installation location, simply delete the
existing C: and create a new volume from the resulting free space. Format it
(quick is fine), and proceed with setup. Be aware that any data currently on
that volume will be lost.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
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