How do I get into the XP recovery console to format my drive? It is ntfs,
so I can't get to it through dos, and I am assuming the only way is to do it
through the recovery console. Is there a quicker way into this, other than
going through the 6 boot disks? I have AMI bios, if that makes any
difference, there may be a shortcut key or something, I don't know.

If this is a 2nd drive you wish to format, right click on it in my computer
and select format.
Or
If it is the primary drive or only drive, boot up using the windows setup
cd, run setup and when asked select format. You can proceed to re-install
windows or cancel setup.

I would also expect that the recovery console has a list of commands and
their functions. Try using this if you wish not to use the setup format.


Ray Taylor



"Phil Meehan" wrote in message
...
How do I get into the XP recovery console to format my drive? It is ntfs,
so I can't get to it through dos, and I am assuming the only way is to do
it
through the recovery console. Is there a quicker way into this, other
than
going through the 6 boot disks? I have AMI bios, if that makes any
difference, there may be a shortcut key or something, I don't know.

You can reformat it from the Administrative Tools section.

Click Start, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Computer Management, =
Disk Management, Right click on the partition you wish to remformat, and =
click Format.

Joe

"Phil Meehan" wrote in message =
...
How do I get into the XP recovery console to format my drive? It is =
ntfs,
so I can't get to it through dos, and I am assuming the only way is to =
do it
through the recovery console. Is there a quicker way into this, other =
than
going through the 6 boot disks? I have AMI bios, if that makes any
difference, there may be a shortcut key or something, I don't know.
=20

"Joe727" wrote in message
...
You can reformat it from the Administrative Tools section.

Click Start, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Computer Management, Disk
Management, Right click on the partition you wish to remformat, and click
Format.

Joe

Wrong, you cannot format the drive with the operating system from the admin.
tools. XP will not self destruct.. Just boot to the XP cd and format from
there. You will not need the six floppies, just the cd. Just follow the
prompts for installing an operating system and make sure you choose to
format.

Another option would be to boot from a Partition Magic 8 CD.
http://www.powerquest.com/partitionmagic/

"You can run a DOS version of PartitionMagic or the
BootMagic configuration program
from the PartitionMagic CD if your computer has the ability
to boot from a CD. If your

computer cannot boot from a CD, PowerQuest recommends that
you create rescue

diskettes at the end of the PartitionMagic installation. If
you do not create rescue disks

during the product installation, you can create them later
by running the installation

program from the PartitionMagic CD."




"Ray Taylor" wrote in message
...
| If this is a 2nd drive you wish to format, right click on
it in my computer
| and select format.
| Or
| If it is the primary drive or only drive, boot up using
the windows setup
| cd, run setup and when asked select format. You can
proceed to re-install
| windows or cancel setup.
|
| I would also expect that the recovery console has a list
of commands and
| their functions. Try using this if you wish not to use the
setup format.
|
|
| Ray Taylor
|
|
|
| "Phil Meehan" wrote in
message
| ...
| How do I get into the XP recovery console to format my
drive? It is ntfs,
| so I can't get to it through dos, and I am assuming the
only way is to do
| it
| through the recovery console. Is there a quicker way
into this, other
| than
| going through the 6 boot disks? I have AMI bios, if
that makes any
| difference, there may be a shortcut key or something, I
don't know.
|
|
|
|

Check the info here on Accessing the Recovery Console and How to Format
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm

--

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


"Phil Meehan" wrote in message
...
How do I get into the XP recovery console to format my drive? It is ntfs,
so I can't get to it through dos, and I am assuming the only way is to do
it
through the recovery console. Is there a quicker way into this, other
than
going through the 6 boot disks? I have AMI bios, if that makes any
difference, there may be a shortcut key or something, I don't know.

"Ray Taylor" wrote in message
...
If this is a 2nd drive you wish to format, right click on it in my
computer
and select format.
Or
If it is the primary drive or only drive, boot up using the windows setup
cd, run setup and when asked select format. You can proceed to re-install
windows or cancel setup.


Erm... For some reason, my XP cd isn't bootable...

Use a Win98/Me boot disk to boot the machine. At the A: prompt, enter FDISK
Remove the NTFS (non-DOS partition) and recreate it. Reboot with the 98/Me
boot disk and at the A: prompt enter FORMAT C:

This assumes that you're trying to format the C: drive.

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Associate Expert
ExpertZone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

"Phil Meehan" wrote in message
...

"Ray Taylor" wrote in message
...
If this is a 2nd drive you wish to format, right click on it in my
computer
and select format.
Or
If it is the primary drive or only drive, boot up using the windows
setup
cd, run setup and when asked select format. You can proceed to
re-install
windows or cancel setup.


Erm... For some reason, my XP cd isn't bootable...

Phil Meehan wrote:

How do I get into the XP recovery console to format my drive? It is ntfs,
so I can't get to it through dos, and I am assuming the only way is to do it
through the recovery console. Is there a quicker way into this, other than
going through the 6 boot disks?

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

--
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows - File Systems)
Bournemouth, U.K.

In , Phil Meehan wrote:

"Ray Taylor" wrote in message
...
If this is a 2nd drive you wish to format, right click on it
in my
computer and select format.
Or
If it is the primary drive or only drive, boot up using the
windows
setup cd, run setup and when asked select format. You can
proceed to
re-install windows or cancel setup.


Erm... For some reason, my XP cd isn't bootable...


Are you sure the BIOS is set to have the CD the first boot
device? All XP CDs aren't bootable. If the BIOS is set correctly,
it should boot from it.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

In , Ken Blake wrote:

In , Phil Meehan wrote:

"Ray Taylor" wrote in message
...
If this is a 2nd drive you wish to format, right click on it
in my
computer and select format.
Or
If it is the primary drive or only drive, boot up using the
windows
setup cd, run setup and when asked select format. You can
proceed to
re-install windows or cancel setup.


Erm... For some reason, my XP cd isn't bootable...


Are you sure the BIOS is set to have the CD the first boot
device? All XP CDs aren't bootable.


Sorry, a typo. That was meant to read "All XP CDs *are*
bootable."

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup


If the BIOS is set correctly,
it should boot from it.

"Graham" wrote in message =
...
=20
"Joe727" wrote in message
...
You can reformat it from the Administrative Tools section.
=20
Click Start, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Computer Management, =
Disk
Management, Right click on the partition you wish to remformat, and =
click
Format.
=20
Joe
=20
Wrong, you cannot format the drive with the operating system from the =
admin.
tools. XP will not self destruct.. Just boot to the XP cd and format =
from
there. You will not need the six floppies, just the cd. Just follow =
the
prompts for installing an operating system and make sure you choose to
format.
=20

First off I never said you can reformat the XP partition. The Original =
Poster asked how to reformat an NTFS drive and I told him how to do it. =
It works. I've done it twice.

Secondly, I never mentioned anything about 6 floppies. Someone else =
did. You should respond to that person's thread instead of mine.

Joe

In , Joe727 wrote:

"Phil Meehan" wrote in message
...

"Ken Blake" wrote in
message
...
In , Ken Blake wrote:

In , Phil Meehan wrote:

"Ray Taylor" wrote in message
...
If this is a 2nd drive you wish to format, right click on
it
in my
computer and select format.
Or
If it is the primary drive or only drive, boot up using
the
windows
setup cd, run setup and when asked select format. You can
proceed to
re-install windows or cancel setup.


Erm... For some reason, my XP cd isn't bootable...


Are you sure the BIOS is set to have the CD the first boot
device? All XP CDs aren't bootable.


Sorry, a typo. That was meant to read "All XP CDs *are*
bootable."


Well I guess mine is the exception to the rule, because my
disc ain't
bootable. And I do have the boot sequence set correctly.

Please insert proper bootable media, that's the message I get.


What motherboard do you have? What BIOS version? Your mobo
may not
support bootable CDs, or you might need to flash the BIOS in
order to
get that function.



That doesn't sound like the problem. The message he's getting
seems to indicate that it's trying to boot from the CD, but
failing.

Phil, do you possibly have an OEM restore CD, rather than an
actual Windows installation CD? I'm not sure whether they are all
bootable.

The only other thing I can think of is that your CD is damaged in
some way.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

First off I never said you can reformat the XP partition.
Go back and read the OP, he asks how to foarmat his "drive" singular,
meaning his one and only. When you have one drive, what letter is it? C: in
almost everycase. When you have one drive, your OS must be installed in it,
therefore you cannot format C: from within the OS. This is what happens when
you read what is posted, not what you think was posted.
You should respond to that person's thread instead of mine.

When you reply to the OP it is the same thread, deal with it. I read what
you posted, I know YOU did not mention the floppies, but as this is one
thread and I was letting Phil know YOU are wrong I felt I should also let
him know the correct way. So go ahead and format D: to Z: all you want, but
Phil wanted to know about C:.

"Ken Blake" wrote in message =
...
In , Joe727 wrote:
=20
"Phil Meehan" wrote in message
...

"Ken Blake" wrote in
message
...
In , Ken Blake wrote:

In , Phil Meehan wrote:

"Ray Taylor" wrote in message
...
If this is a 2nd drive you wish to format, right click on
it
in my
computer and select format.
Or
If it is the primary drive or only drive, boot up using
the
windows
setup cd, run setup and when asked select format. You can
proceed to
re-install windows or cancel setup.


Erm... For some reason, my XP cd isn't bootable...


Are you sure the BIOS is set to have the CD the first boot
device? All XP CDs aren't bootable.


Sorry, a typo. That was meant to read "All XP CDs *are*
bootable."


Well I guess mine is the exception to the rule, because my
disc ain't
bootable. And I do have the boot sequence set correctly.

Please insert proper bootable media, that's the message I get.


What motherboard do you have? What BIOS version? Your mobo
may not
support bootable CDs, or you might need to flash the BIOS in
order to
get that function.
=20
=20
=20
That doesn't sound like the problem. The message he's getting
seems to indicate that it's trying to boot from the CD, but
failing.
=20
Phil, do you possibly have an OEM restore CD, rather than an
actual Windows installation CD? I'm not sure whether they are all
bootable.
=20
The only other thing I can think of is that your CD is damaged in
some way.
=20
--=20
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup
=20

I'm not Phil, but I have two Windows XP Professional Retail disks. Both =
boot from the CD, each on different PCs. One PC has an MSI made for =
Gateway motherboard with a 1.1 gig Athlon, the other is an MSI KT3 =
Ultra2 mobo with an Athlon XP 2000+ CPU.

Joe