Format Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter alanb
  • Start date Start date
A

alanb

I have pc on XP with dual drives: c and e: The e: drive was added later.
Since I am thinking of formatting c: drive. Is it possible to copy all files
on c: drive to e: drive and wipe c: drive clean while using e: drive. I know
that I have xp operating system on c: drive but I am not sure about the e:
does it share operating system with c:. In this case of wiping c drive, the
d drive becomes useless unless e: drive has its own separate operating
system. Info on this is helpful.
 
The only way to do this would be to install another copy of XP on the E: drive, in a dual boot scenario. You wouldn't be able to format the C: drive, as the BOOT.INI, NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM and PAGEFILE.SYS will be in use/or needed by the E: installation.

However, you can use the E: installation to copy the required files and folders (See Help and Support and search for "take ownership"

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308421
)

and then delete everything but the above referenced files.
 
This is what i would do..... backup my files... Photos,
Saved emails, term papers ..... important documents that i
may have saved on the C: drive To E:..... Take my windows
Xp disk boot from that and do a clean install.. It will
prompt u to format your drive.... U have now formatted ur
drive and reinstalled Xp and u can then take ur saved
documents back to C: or leave them in E:
 
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