Technology Need Help

[masta247]

If you really want to format your hard disk restart your pc, while it will boot press a key to show command list (different motherboards use different keys, for mine it's "f12"), the corresponding button you have to press is shown when you start your pc. Then type in "C:format" or "c: format c:" (considering C: is your hard drive) and it should be done. All you have to do is to follow the instructions.
Your hard drive will be clean after few minutes.

there is also the easier way if you have your booting diskette. Just insert it before your pc boots, it will show the command list and all you have to do is to type "C:format C:" and then when it asks are you sure just type "y"

 

[Preach]

^^
I tried that at a friend's house. I had to enter the Windows XP Recovery Console to be able to format, it was one of the options on the command list. As a rule of thumb, it's normally somewhere between F8-F12. When you start your computer there's a start screen where there's info about your CPU, RAM and IDE devices. At the bottom it normally says "Push Delete to enter BIOS" or something similar. Soon as it switches to the next screen you have to be pushing the right button. I normally just go from F8-F12 rapidly with my fingers if I'm not on my own computer. It's normally one of those.

When I entered the XP Recovery Console, all I did was type "format c:\" and it took about 10-15 minutes. My friend has an older computer though.

 

[Preach]

Oh, if you're not good with computers I would not advise that you format it without the company of a computer-friendly friend. Lol. Also, I hope you make sure to have a Windows XP install disc ready.

Imagine if you were left with no computer at all

 

[Bachaveli]

Well, I do have reinstalling CD of Windows.

But I tried to format it from My Computer. I right clicked C: drive and clicked ''format''.

 

[Preach]

^^
That won't work. Windows is installed to your C directory and is running off of that directory.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume that you do not hold great knowledge of how a computer works, so I'll explain the whole OS thing briefly. Every computer comes with a BiOS. If you think of windows as the core to your computer, where you run programs while inside Windows, the BiOS is the REAL core. Windows is booted by the BiOS. With no BiOS, there would be no way to start up windows. Once windows is started, the C directory is in use. You have to enter a mode where your Windows is not active, and THEN format.

So like I said, while the computer is starting up, just tap the F8 key. If you see the Windows loading screen, you'll know it didn't work. Hit the reboot button on your computer and try again with F9. Repeat all the way up to F12 until you get a boot menu. From this menu you are able to start Windows regularly, but also in safe mode, safe mode with networking, safe mode with the command prompt, etc. One of the options on the list should say "Windows XP Recovery Console". Select it an execute and you should be taken to what looks like MS Dos. When you are there, type "format c:\" and hit enter and it should work. Then insert the Windows install disc and reboot.

You said you have a Windows re-install disc so I have to ask, what type of computer are you on? Is it a Windows install disc or just a recovery-disc for your computer? If it's the latter, you shouldn't have to format.

 

[Bachaveli]

I have Windows XP Home Edition.

The disk is Operating System Reinstallation CD of Windows.

Ok i understand the steps you saying.

But one more question before I go and format it, I have two drives split. One main C: Drive which most of my stuff is held and also another smaller D: Drive. So when i reformat C Drive, the D won't get deleted right? Cause i got files there that i need.

Also, i did this reinstalling before and i came across with the internet problem, when i reinstalled the programs all over again, i couldn't get internet back working. So i don't wanna have same problem accuring this time. I don't have no CD for internet, i use optimum online and i might have a trouble getting connected back on Internet after i do formating. So what would you recommend?

 

[Preach]

Move as much of the files you don't want to lose to the D drive. Most importantly, find out what ethernet (network) card you have and pre-download the drivers for it. Once windows is installed, you need drivers for each individual component inside your computer. One for the graphic card, one for the sound card, one for the motherboard chipset, one for the USB inputs, one for the network card, etc. There are template-ish drivers for all of these included in windows, but some times it can be a bitch to get a network card to work without the correct drivers. If you don't know, right click your "My Computer" icon, choose "Properties", then a window appears with a bunch of tabs at the top. Flip through the tabs and find something called uh... I'm on Norwegian Windows, but something along the lines of "Hardware Management" or "Device Management" or something. It should open a list with all the different drivers and devices connected to your computer. Under "Network Cards" you should find the name of your card.

Download the drivers for it and put them on the D drive. And to answer your question, no, nothing on the D drive will be deleted when you format C.

 

[Preach]

Btw I'd be interested in more information on that re-installation disc. I'm unsure whether it's a recovery disc or a real installation disc. If the actual CD says "Re-installation" it sounds like it's a recovery CD, and then I'd wanna check out of there's a hidden system recovery partition on your computer's harddrive. It's common for new laptops and some new stationary computers.

 

[Bachaveli]

I think this is what you mean.

But where do i get these drivers from? I know for sure I don't have them in my computer. Where can I download them from?

I'll google it and see if i can find it.

As I understand I would need these two drivers:
Intel R PRO /100 VE Network Connection
Motorola Surfboard SB5120 USB Cable Modem#3

 

[Preach]

Yes sir. Do one last thing for me. Go to your connections menu. Best way to access is to go to the control panel, network & internet connections, the in the lower right corner of the window it should say "network connections". the logo is a globe with a wire and a plug on it. Figure out which one of the connections is the one you are using to get online. If there are any 1394-connections those are for FireWire. And I assume you don't use wireless so it should say "Local Connection" or something. Logo should be two computers with blue screens. Double click it, and in the window that appears, click "Properties". On the top of the new window there should be 2-4 tabs. Don't change tabs, but under the tabs the same logo as the one on the device list (basically looks like a typical pc card that you'd find inside a computer) and the name of the network device. Right now I'm just about to go to bed but snapshot that screen and post it up for me tomorrow and I'll see. If it does say " Motorola Surfboard SB5120 USB Cable Modem#3", go to google and search for " Motorola Surfboard SB5120 USB driver". If that doesn't work, just post the screenshot and I'll see what I can do tomorrow.

 

[Bachaveli]

Yea this is it.

I wanted to get it done by today lol. I'll search for this drive myself. Thanks anyway if you are sleep.

 

[Bachaveli]

Ok. I was able to get on the boot menu but I didn't find Windows Recovery Console.

I found these on boot menu

onboard or usb floppy drive
onboard SATA hard drive
onboard or usb cd drive
system setup
hard drive diagnostic
boot to utility partition

 

[dillaxx]

Oh, if you're not good with computers I would not advise that you format it without the company of a computer-friendly friend. Lol. Also, I hope you make sure to have a Windows XP install disc ready.

Imagine if you were left with no computer at all

on my HP laptop, they made a partition on my HDD with all my recovery shit on it.. they got something that will put it on a cd for me, but i know im gonna lose the cds somehow... it wont even let me explore the files on the partition.. is there i way i can transfer all the files on to my external?

 

[Preach]

those were the only options you found, or the only options excluding "start windows in safe mode" and "start windows regularly" and "start windows using the last working setup"? because if neither of those were on the boot menu, i'm thinking maybe you are in the wrong boot menu.

for the sake of fun i would try booting to the utility partition and see what happens. if some sort of installation starts, just cancel it, but to get an idea of what it is i would try that. system setup sounds like a short-cut to the bios or something.

also, can you tell me more about how your cable modem works? i'm not familiar with that standard. did you hook your pc to the modem using a USB cable? i'm only have experience with cat5 cables and normal ethernet standards, but uh.. if i'm getting this right, you have a cable modem hooked to an outlet in the wall, and then a usb cable from the cable modem to your computer, right?

anyway i dug up the only drivers i could find for that modem.
vista drivers (right-click and save as)
usb drivers (right-click and save as)

on my HP laptop, they made a partition on my HDD with all my recovery shit on it.. they got something that will put it on a cd for me, but i know im gonna lose the cds somehow... it wont even let me explore the files on the partition.. is there i way i can transfer all the files on to my external?

this is beyond my knowledge and experience. i know a lot of computers have hidden recovery partitions, but as far as i know they are too big to be put on cd, and once they're put on cd i'm not sure what type of bootable cd you have to make to make it work, if it even does work. the whole point of a hidden recovery partition is that it just sits there until your pc goes booooo, then you are able to recover your pc and re-install windows off of the boot partition without any hassle. but i don't really have an answer to your question. maybe someone else here knows?

 

[Prize Gotti]

Well, I do have reinstalling CD of Windows.

But I tried to format it from My Computer. I right clicked C: drive and clicked ''format''.

lol classic

 

[dillaxx]

LMFAO!!!^^^ i know..

and preach... i dunno if you have vista but vista does have a program that lets you actually make the copy of the backup cd.. actually, HP has made it in such a way that you can only do it from the HDD, there is no cd key given... i heard most computers do it this way...

 

[Bachaveli]

those were the only options you found, or the only options excluding "start windows in safe mode" and "start windows regularly" and "start windows using the last working setup"? because if neither of those were on the boot menu, i'm thinking maybe you are in the wrong boot menu.

for the sake of fun i would try booting to the utility partition and see what happens. if some sort of installation starts, just cancel it, but to get an idea of what it is i would try that. system setup sounds like a short-cut to the bios or something.

also, can you tell me more about how your cable modem works? i'm not familiar with that standard. did you hook your pc to the modem using a USB cable? i'm only have experience with cat5 cables and normal ethernet standards, but uh.. if i'm getting this right, you have a cable modem hooked to an outlet in the wall, and then a usb cable from the cable modem to your computer, right?

anyway i dug up the only drivers i could find for that modem.
vista drivers (right-click and save as)
usb drivers (right-click and save as)

Booting the utility thing didn't work.

I tried F8 and it took me to Windows Advanced Options Menu. But I didn't recovery sensole there neither.

This were the options there

safe mode
safe mode with networking
safe mode with command prompt
enable boot logging
enable vga mode
last known good configur
directing services restore mode
debugging mode
desable automatic restart on systerm feilure
start windows normally
reboot

 

[dillaxx]

google it

 

[Bachaveli]

Be careful taking shots at me you fagot.

 

[masta247]

Damn, guys.. calm down