Reformat with Partitions

[jlshaw]

hi all, I need some help reformatting my desktop with windows xp home. It's got an 80 gig hard drive with 3 partitions. How do I start over clean on this computer? i think, for a single partition hdd, you do it through right clicking the drive on the My Comp window, then clicking 'format', but how do you go about it with the partitions?

Many thanks in advance,
-Jon

 

[Trashman]

you can't delete the partition windows is on, you "could" try combining the partitions with 3rd. party software like partition magic....but your best bet is to delete all partitions and re-install xp on 1...can't do it without re-installing windows.

 

[jlshaw]

Would I need to download partition magic to mess with the partitions? I've never messed with them before; my buddy created the partitions for me when we built the rig together.

 

[Trashman]

yeah, more info here link
i would take a look at all your options before you consider using software such as partition magic, if you do, back everything up, some people have had success doing this others have had nothing but problems, and realized it was a waste of money.
I, personally, would recommend formatting your hard drive and re-installing windows, if you can.
also why the need to remove partitions?

 

[corkyg]

Boot to DOS, use FDISK - delete the partitions, then create a new single partition using the whole disk, make it active and then format it.

Or, use Partition Magic 8 - and do it in several operations. Delete the virtual drive partition, then change the size of the active partition, and then reformat.

 

[jlshaw]

Good point trashman about keeping the partitions; Is it possible to just format each partition one by one, then do the partition that has windows on it last? I think i'm going to do this, if I can get confirmation that it will work

 

[Trashman]

you can't remove the partition windows is on. at best you could combine the other 2 partitions but thats it.
thats keeping your installation of xp intact.

 

[jlshaw]

It wouldn't hurt to reinstall windows would it? I don't mind doing that, I just want a clean hard drive without my stupid dial-up connection program that installs stuff by itself.

 

[jlshaw]

hmm..how do I format my partitions outside of windows? It doesn't seem to let me do it because the programs on the drives are running or something..

 

[Trashman]

Do you or your buddy have a spare hard drive to use as a backup? a temporary backup?
It wouldn't hurt at all, just could be time comsuning, especially if your on dial-up and ya gotta download all those freaking updates again.
Then to reconfigure all your settings, not that big a deal, just don't wanna tell you to do something and ya have more problems.
Thats why i mentioned to think this all out....is it worth it.

But if you had a spare hard drive, you could transfer windows, temporary, to that drive, format and partition your 80gb drive drive to the way ya want, then transfer windows back to that 80gb drive.

 

[Trashman]

Originally posted by: jlshaw
hmm..how do I format my partitions outside of windows? It doesn't seem to let me do it because the programs on the drives are running or something..

read above what corkyg posted.

but "again' thats only for blasting windows away, you can use disk managment in windows enviroment to delete the "other" 2 partitions.

 

[jlshaw]

good point; I'm on my laptop here, which is picking up a wireless connection. (*shh*!) If I can reformat everything to nothing, I wouldn't mind updating it all by creating a network that connects it to my laptop. I still don't know how to delete EVERYTHING.
Do i restart the comp, set bootup order to CD drive, then have xp disk do the job?

 

[Trashman]

Boot to DOS, use FDISK - delete the partitions, then create a new single partition using the whole disk, make it active and then format it.

or boot with xp cd, yes make sure cd-rom or dvd-rom is set to first in boot order

here's a link to read before doing this, maybe print Link.
scroll about mid-way down and read:
How to partition and format your hard disk by using the Windows XP Setup program

and make sure you back-up what ya want to save, no looking back after that.

 

[Laputa]

You can delete the all partitions and then recreate whatever partition size you want when you boot up and install with the XP CD. Just delete all the existing partitions and then create a new partition size or select the whole drive if you just want one partition.

 

[jlshaw]

Edit: Blah...I tried booting up with the XP cd, but it didn't detect a hard drive, so that didn't do anything. Now I force-formatted my two partitions which I decided to keep, but I'd like to start new, as if I'm giving the computer to someone (which I might to my GF [good friend ] ). How?

Thanks again

-jon

 

[jlshaw]

okay nevermind..I got it to work I believe through using a custom boot up disk we used when we first booted up the comp. Dang OEM hard drives...

All is well, goodnight!

ANANDTECH FTW