Formatting my hard drive

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Guest

I need to format my hard drive and re-install windows, but I am unsure about
how to go about. Any help would be real appreciated.

Crystal
 
Why do you need to reformat your hard drive? Reformatting may be too
drastic and there may be another way around the problem

Please read my info sheet "Re-formatting a hard disk drive" at
www.1001solutions.co.uk before you start.

If you really must reformat your hard disk -
Put your Windows CD in the CD tray
Start up your computer
Go into CMOS settings
Change the boot up order so that the CD is first
Boot up and follow the prompts.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
Why do you need to reformat your hard drive? Reformatting may be too
drastic and there may be another way around the problem

Please read my info sheet "Re-formatting a hard disk drive" at
www.1001solutions.co.uk before you start.

If you really must reformat your hard disk -
Put your Windows CD in the CD tray
Start up your computer
Go into CMOS settings
Change the boot up order so that the CD is first
Boot up and follow the prompts.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
Actually, to make a long story short, I unknowingly bought a used computer
and the person who had it previously, tried to install XP Pro and installed
it on the wrong partition. I was told that I need to completely remove
everything off my hard drive and re-install windows. I am concerned about
finding the correct drivers and getting them installed correctly also.

Crystal
 
Crystal said:
Actually, to make a long story short, I unknowingly bought a used computer
Click to expand...

Wait, What? How is it that you didn't know the computer was used?

and the person who had it previously, tried to install XP Pro and installed
it on the wrong partition. I was told that I need to completely remove
everything off my hard drive and re-install windows. I am concerned about
finding the correct drivers and getting them installed correctly also.
Click to expand...


Well, before you nuke it make note of all the hardware on the computer,
and download everything in advance.

Make double sure that you have a dirver for the Network Card, Or modem.
If nothing else.
 
Ok, so not to sound too stupid, but, this is where I'm starting to get
confused. I went to belarc.com and downloaded their free tool to tell me
what hardware I have, but I'm not sure what to do with it. Oh, I need lots
of help.
 
Crystal said:
Ok, so not to sound too stupid, but, this is where I'm starting to get
confused. I went to belarc.com and downloaded their free tool to tell me
what hardware I have, but I'm not sure what to do with it. Oh, I need lots
of help.
Click to expand...

Belarc kinda sucks for IDing stuff that has no drivers installed.

A better tool is Aida32, or Everest.

Anyway. First start with the motherboard. If it doesn't tell you who
made it, you may still have a model number. Which you can google. Once
you find out who made it, you can access their support/downloads site,
and look up the model. Eventually you will find drivers for the
components of the motherboard.

Repeat the process for all the cards installed.
 
Crystal

Save anything you want to a CD, then use an XP CD or whatever recovery CD
was supplied with your system to reformat and re-install the operating
system.. for more on XP installation, go to this website..

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com
 
Hey, just wanted to say thanks and ask just one more question. Since I still
have access to my computer and all the files within, is it possible to do a
search on my computer for all the drivers on my hard drive and burn them to a
disk? That would save me a load of time online searcing for the correct
driver.

Thanks again,

Crystal Cliffton
 
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