Reinstalling XP Home- Partition format

[BP]

My hard drive is formatted into four partitions C,D,E,and F. I want to
reinstall XP and format drive C before installation, using the Installation
CD. Can I format C without affecting the other drives or deleting the data
on them?

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

My hard drive is formatted into four partitions C,D,E,and F. I want to
reinstall XP and format drive C before installation, using the
Installation CD. Can I format C without affecting the other drives or
deleting the data on them?

Yes, certainly.

 

[BP]

Yes, certainly.

Thanks Ken. Just checking. I was reading a how-to page and they mentioned
that a downside of choosing to format instead of overwriting is "possible
data loss". Seems it's pretty darned definite to me! So I got confused.

One more question if you don't mind:
My problems run deep. I need to do a true clean install. No XP settings can
survive. If you do the overwrite option (no format) do you accomplish the
same thing as a format and reinstall? Would you still need to reload the
applications anyway?
TIA

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thanks Ken.

You're welcome. Glad to help.

Just checking. I was reading a how-to page and they
mentioned that a downside of choosing to format instead of
overwriting is "possible data loss". Seems it's pretty darned
definite to me! So I got confused.

Most people have a single partition. They are probably referring to that
situation. If you format your only partition, you *will* lose everything
there, including your data. It's not "possible data loss," it's guaranteed
data loss.

Even with multiple partitions, be careful what you format. You can do it
wrong.

One more question if you don't mind:
My problems run deep. I need to do a true clean install.

If you say so, but in my view, the need to do that is very rare.

No XP
settings can survive. If you do the overwrite option (no format) do
you accomplish the same thing as a format and reinstall?

When you say "the overwrite option," I assume you're talking about what's
called a "repair installation." No, it's not at all the same.

Would you
still need to reload the applications anyway?

No, the applications survice a repair installation.

 

[BP]

You're welcome. Glad to help.




Most people have a single partition. They are probably referring to that
situation. If you format your only partition, you *will* lose everything
there, including your data. It's not "possible data loss," it's guaranteed
data loss.

Even with multiple partitions, be careful what you format. You can do it
wrong.





If you say so, but in my view, the need to do that is very rare.




When you say "the overwrite option," I assume you're talking about what's
called a "repair installation." No, it's not at all the same.




No, the applications survice a repair installation.


"If you say so, but in my view, the need to do that is very rare."

I had a mainboard failure. A repair install was done some months ago. I have
been tweaking and fixing since. Still ghosts in the machine, especially with
networking components. Tired of fighting it.

When you say "the overwrite option," I assume you're talking about what's
called a "repair installation." No, it's not at all the same.

No, this is the option during install setup where it asks you if you "want
to repair the selected XP installations: Press R" , or "to continue
installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without repairing, Press ESC". You
then get to choose the partition to install into on the next screen, Then it
warns you that there is an OS there already, Then it asks if you want to
format the drive. You can select "Leave the current file system intact" and
continue without formatting the drive. It warns that all windows files and
folders will be deleted.

So the question then becomes: Would you still need to reload the
applications anyway? (If you just overwrote the XP files.)

Thanks again for your time.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Your original question is whether you can format drive C: without disturbing
what is on the other drives. The answer is yes. Do a full format, NTFS, to
get rid of your ghosted files you refer to. You will then install the OS.
You will also need to install all applications and bring the OS up to date
at Microsoft Update.

 

[BP]

Your original question is whether you can format drive C: without
disturbing what is on the other drives. The answer is yes. Do a full
format, NTFS, to get rid of your ghosted files you refer to. You will
then install the OS. You will also need to install all applications and
bring the OS up to date at Microsoft Update.

Got it. That's the plan. Thanks.