Formatting-How to.

[Norbs]

I am planning on Formatting my computer. When I right
click on my C: drive and choose format I get this...

"Windows cannot format this drive. Quit any disk
utilities or other programs that are using this drive,
and make sure that no winddow is displaying the contents
of the drive. Then try formatting again."

I am not running any programs when this happens. How can
I format my computer?
Also, once formatted how do I install windows XP again?
When I got my computer everything was already installed
and the disks were provided with it. Other than Windows
XP I am not sure what is needed. I have a Microsoft
Intelli Type Pro 2.2 disk-Keyboard software...And an
Intel Express Installer CD-Desktop Board. Will I need
these aswell and if so, do I install them before or after
windows XP?
I have never formatted a computer before and any info
that might help me would be greatly appreciated. Thank
you.

[Harry Ohrn]

check here for doing a clean install of XP
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

--

Harry Ohrn - MS MVP (Windows Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/
www.webtree.ca/newlife/


"Norbs" > wrote in message
...
> I am planning on Formatting my computer. When I right
> click on my C: drive and choose format I get this...
>
> "Windows cannot format this drive. Quit any disk
> utilities or other programs that are using this drive,
> and make sure that no winddow is displaying the contents
> of the drive. Then try formatting again."
>
> I am not running any programs when this happens. How can
> I format my computer?
> Also, once formatted how do I install windows XP again?
> When I got my computer everything was already installed
> and the disks were provided with it. Other than Windows
> XP I am not sure what is needed. I have a Microsoft
> Intelli Type Pro 2.2 disk-Keyboard software...And an
> Intel Express Installer CD-Desktop Board. Will I need
> these aswell and if so, do I install them before or after
> windows XP?
> I have never formatted a computer before and any info
> that might help me would be greatly appreciated. Thank
> you.

[harold bishop]

when you turn the computer on hold the Delete button till the BIOS control
screen appears.
choose the option thats called Primary BIOS functions or something like it.
select Primary Boot Device and choose CDROM.
press Esc to return to main bios page then choose Save and Exit, which will
restart the computer.
as the computer restarts it will show Boot from cdrom, then prompt you to
boot from cdrom by pressing enter or spacebar..
this boots from the xp cd instead of your HD and will ask several questions
on what you want to do.
to reinstall windows its easiest to delete the existing partion then create
a new partition to install xp onto.
beware as this will erase all data on your hard drive.
once xp is installed restart, go back into the bios and choose HHD-0 as
primary boot device, save and exit

hope thats what you needed.


--
~~~~Few~Things~Eternal~~~~
ICQ: 6228437

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Norbs" > wrote in message
...
> I am planning on Formatting my computer. When I right
> click on my C: drive and choose format I get this...
>
> "Windows cannot format this drive. Quit any disk
> utilities or other programs that are using this drive,
> and make sure that no winddow is displaying the contents
> of the drive. Then try formatting again."
>
> I am not running any programs when this happens. How can
> I format my computer?
> Also, once formatted how do I install windows XP again?
> When I got my computer everything was already installed
> and the disks were provided with it. Other than Windows
> XP I am not sure what is needed. I have a Microsoft
> Intelli Type Pro 2.2 disk-Keyboard software...And an
> Intel Express Installer CD-Desktop Board. Will I need
> these aswell and if so, do I install them before or after
> windows XP?
> I have never formatted a computer before and any info
> that might help me would be greatly appreciated. Thank
> you.