format hard drive
 

I want to strip off Windows XP and start over. My computer is just too much trouble but I cant remeber how to format the hard drive. I used to type something like c/format into "run" from the start menu but it has been to long to remember if thats correct. Anyone know how to do this I would appreciate the help.

Make a boot disk from a floppy or CD
Boot from it. You may have to tell the bios to boot from the device first
Type: format /mbr hit enter
Type: format c: hit enter

I just read that XP has an option to reformat during windows installation. Think that will work the same? I want to do this tonight I have had enough.

You can boot from the XP CD and do a NTFS format or just erase the disk entirely.

Then thats what I'm gonna do. Hope to see you later. thanks!

last post. :D

back! Thanks guys it worked

What does that mean? :confused:

If you want to be happy add as much memory, RAM, as possible. I have 2 gig and have not had a freeze up or any other annoying problem. I also use Firefox instead of IE.

Alex

More RAM is better, but I wouldn't add 2GB of RAM unless you have a decent processor to take advantage of it. I have 2GB of RAM and an AMD dual core and it runs like a scalded *****! :D

If we don't see him again, we know the WinXP installer has claimed another computer user's life.

Right now I have 512m ram. I think I'm gonna get another stick. Does it matter if I get a different brand? I have Mushkin right now.

I'm in the same boat as you with 512Mb and I just bought another stick of 512. The machine gives ongoing problems with speed and crashes........especially when many applications are running.

The core of the problem appears to be Firefox. It sucks up more than 150Mb of RAM when a bunch of tabs are open. Closing those tabs doesn't seem to reduce the consumption all that much. At times, the problems are so severe that printing is affected........can't get enough data to the printer fast enough.

I'm hoping that doubling of the memory will solve the problem. "Crucial" was a recommended source for high quality memory for the machine.

you might try what I did first. Just reformat and start over. It only took a couple of hours and the computer is running great. Free Zone Alarm firewall, AVG antivirus and all the microsoft updates including IE7. Before I refomated I backed up all my important stuff on a portable hard drive that I bought at Best Buy for $60.

I've got an aversion to spending what will amount to days getting all the programs back in the machine and all the software running the way it currently runs.

The machine is nearly four years old. If I get another year.......it's time for a new one...........