Reformat and install XP

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H

Happy

How do I reformat & re-install XP? I can't seem to get past the sys
configuration files at the beginning, after experiencing some problems. I
don't mind losing existing data, it's all backed up.
 
In
Happy said:
How do I reformat & re-install XP? I can't seem to get past the
sys
configuration files at the beginning, after experiencing some
problems. I don't mind losing existing data, it's all backed
up.
Click to expand...


You can't format the Windows drive from within Windows, since
that would leave Windows without a leg to stand on.

Just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS boot order if
necessary to accomplish this) and follow the prompts for a clean
installation (delete the existing partition by pressing "D" when
prompted, then create a new one).

You can find detailed instructions here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

or here http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

or here http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

However why do you want to reformat and reinstall? In my view,
it's almost always a mistake. With a modicum of care, it should
never be necessary to reinstall Windows (XP or any other
version). I've run Windows 3.0, 3.1, WFWG 3.11, Windows 95,
Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows XP, each for the period of
time before the next version came out, and each on two machines
here. I never reinstalled any of them, and I have never had
anything more than an occasional minor problem.

It's my belief that this mistaken notion stems from the technical
support people at many of the larger OEMs. Their solution to
almost any problem they don't quickly know the answer to is
"reformat and reinstall." That's the perfect solution for them.
It gets you off the phone quickly, it almost always works, and it
doesn't require them to do any real troubleshooting (a skill that
most of them obviously don't possess in any great degree).

But it leaves you with all the work and all the problems. You
have to restore all your data backups, you have to reinstall all
your programs, you have to reinstall all the Windows and
application updates,you have to locate and install all the needed
drivers for your system, you have to recustomize Windows and all
your apps to work the way you're comfortable with.

Besides all those things being time-consuming and troublesome,
you may have trouble with some of them: can you find all your
application CDs? Can you find all the needed installation codes?
Do you have data backups to restore? Do you even remember all the
customizations and tweaks you may have installed to make
everything work the way you like?

Occasionally there are problems that are so difficult to solve
that Windows should be reinstalled cleanly. But they are few and
far between; reinstallation should not be a substitute for
troubleshooting; it should be a last resort, to be done only
after all other attempts at troubleshooting by a qualified person
have failed.

If you have problems, post them here; it's likely that someone
can help you and a reinstallation won't be required.
 
Ken -
QUOTE from yr reply -
It's my belief that this mistaken notion stems from the technical support
people at many of the larger OEMs. Their solution to almost any problem
they don't quickly know the answer to is "reformat and reinstall." That's
the perfect solution for them. It gets you off the phone quickly, it almost
always works...etc. UNQUOTE
Click to expand...

Totally agree! Had XP(OEM) system 3 years now. Within a week had a prob with
CDRW, OEM helpdesk advice was "re-install XP from recovery disk". Was a real
novice then, so did that, prob solved. Since which, have lost my OEM disk,
but XP still works despite the many changes made since.
Bog-standard routines and protection (AV, Firewall, Spybot, disk hygiene,
defrag and automatic updates) has kept my system virtually trouble-free. And
I'm a Silver Surfer, no expert, but still with enough savvy to learn (you
CAN teach an old dog new tricks).
Reading these NG postings should be compulsory. Funny how most posters blame
XP when it's actually user error, often of the most basic kind!
 
It's my belief that this mistaken notion stems from the technical
support people at many of the larger OEMs. Their solution to
almost any problem they don't quickly know the answer to is
"reformat and reinstall." That's the perfect solution for them.
It gets you off the phone quickly, it almost always works, and it
doesn't require them to do any real troubleshooting (a skill that
most of them obviously don't possess in any great degree).
Click to expand...

<SNIP>

had a friend that worked at gateway tech support a couple of years ago.

he told me that at that time, there was a 10 minute rule....if you can't
get the customer back up and running in 10 minutes, tell them the only
thing to do then is a restore.

it's pretty sad, since while it might take more than 10 minutes, with 5 of
those spent re-booting multiple times, i've found it usually takes under 30
minutes to get someone back up.
 
In
DanS said:
<SNIP>

had a friend that worked at gateway tech support a couple of
years
ago.

he told me that at that time, there was a 10 minute rule....if
you
can't get the customer back up and running in 10 minutes, tell
them
the only thing to do then is a restore.
Click to expand...


Thanks. I'd never heard of the "ten-minute rule" before, but it
doesn't surprise me that they have one.
 
Happy said:
How do I reformat & re-install XP? I can't seem to get past the sys
configuration files at the beginning, after experiencing some problems. I
don't mind losing existing data, it's all backed up.
Click to expand...

You do it as part of a reinstall of the system after booting the XP CD
direct. Enter Setup, and after the license agreement take New Install.
When it asks you to confirm where, hit ESC; select and delete the
current partition and make a new RAW one to be formatted at the next
stage

The important point is the delete. Without that it will just go ahead
and make a new install over the top of the old one
 
In
Happy said:
Won't boot from CD,
Click to expand...


Have you set the BIOS boot order for the CD drive to be first?

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup


and the message I get is "load needed DLLs for
 
Are you using a Microsoft Cd or a copy?

--
Colin Barnhorst [MVP Windows - Virtual Machine]
(Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)
Happy said:
Yes, I did. It says "cannot boot from Cd, error 5,' or something to that
effect.
Click to expand...
 
In
Happy said:
Yes, I did. It says "cannot boot from Cd, error 5,' or
something to
that effect.
Click to expand...

That sounds like there's something wrong with the CD you're
trying to boot from. Have you tried other bootable CDs?
 
Happy said:
How do I reformat & re-install XP? I can't seem to get past the sys
configuration files at the beginning, after experiencing some problems. I
don't mind losing existing data, it's all backed up.
Click to expand...



Simply boot from the WinXP installation CD. You'll be offered the
opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as part of the
installation process. (You may need to re-arrange the order of boot
devices in the PC's BIOS to boot from the CD.)

HOW TO Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;316941

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

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH
 
It would appear to be a copy, but the person I got it from (the computer)
said it was his back up copy of XP.
Colin Barnhorst said:
Are you using a Microsoft Cd or a copy?

--
Colin Barnhorst [MVP Windows - Virtual Machine]
(Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)
Happy said:
Yes, I did. It says "cannot boot from Cd, error 5,' or something to that
effect.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I don't think I have other boot Cd's
Ken Blake said:
In

That sounds like there's something wrong with the CD you're trying to boot
from. Have you tried other bootable CDs?
Click to expand...
 
In
Happy said:
I don't think I have other boot Cd's
Click to expand...


If I were you, I'd try to borrow one from a friend. That will let
you find out if the problem is with the CD or the drive.
 
ok, i'll give it a try. --thanks
Ken Blake said:
In


If I were you, I'd try to borrow one from a friend. That will let you find
out if the problem is with the CD or the drive.
Click to expand...
 
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