Another reformatting question

Kanwer · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 3:53 pm Post subject: Another reformatting question

I'm going to be reformatting my PC in a couple weeks while on break from school. I've never reformatted XP. Does anyone have any tips/tricks, do's/dont's or advice on how to get it done right?
I dread reloading all my software I have loaded for school...../sigh
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Shiloch Veneficus · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 5:12 pm Post subject:

I like reformatting with XP because of all the OS's I've formatted with, XP seems to load with the least hassle.

I don't even bother saving program files anymore. I just make sure I have all of my DATA files copied off to another computer, or a second hard drive (like the 4-gig EQ folder).

Any driver you're going to need to communicate with the internet make sure you have beforehand. XP is very good with drivers, but if you have some funky modem or an asshat Realtek Network Adaptor or some shit, make sure you have the driver before you format. (If all else fails, you need to be able to download.)

I like to stick with a few basic rules:
1. Use 2 disk partitions if you only have one physical disk, especially if your disk is more than big enough to be split (so you can copy crap you don't want to format to a second disk)
2. Use NTFS
3. Run Windows Update and install all critical updates before you do ANYTHING else (especially if you are a high-speed internet user. I formatted a PC once at a user's home, and started installing drivers. I rebooted after one of them asked me to, and the system had already been infected with Blaster). You aren't this vulnerable if you're running a hardware firewall, but for the love of all that is secure, run Windows Update.

Kanwer · Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 3:32 pm Post subject:

Thanks Shiloch. I'll let ya know what happens.
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Shiloch Veneficus · Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 5:22 pm Post subject:

I think formatting with XP is relatively fool-proof. So long as you get your disk layout correct the first time around, the rest is nearly automatic. I guess it goes without saying that for it to be as smooth as possible, you want all of your software disks, CD keys, and saved/backed up data files ready to go when your format is done.

The formatting process and reloading the operating system should take about an hour and a half, including the time you're going to need to install all the critical updates, SP1, IE 6 SP1, Media Player 9, DirectX, etc, etc.

There's also some nifty tools that I like to consider part of my 'default' installation when I do a format:

http://www.winzip.com
http://www.avantbrowser.com - Thanks Dane for this!
http://www.winamp.com
http://www.divx.com - You're going to need it eventually (just get the Codec, not the player)
http://www.adobe.com - Acrobat Reader
http://www.quicktime.com - Quicktime Player
http://www.miranda-im.org - Thanks Dane for this one, too!

Gryfndor · Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 5:24 pm Post subject:

when trying to find annoying pop adds I found that the free version of DIVX installs some rather ugly spyware on your system beware.
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Shiloch Veneficus · Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 5:26 pm Post subject:

That's because you need to MAKE SURE you get JUST THE CODEC, not the player.

The hard link:
http://download.divx.com/divx/DivX511.exe

Kanwer · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 11:24 am Post subject:

Well. I reformatted my puter. Now I have a problem. I now have two drives instead of one. They're called "C" and "F". One is the updated XP Pro, and the other is my original. /SIGH.......I wanted to get rid of the old stuff on my puter and start all over. Anyone have any suggestions on how to delete both and install XP Pro on the one drive?
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Shiloch Veneficus · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 11:34 am Post subject:

I'm assuming you're using a bootable CD?

If so, in the graphical system setup, you're going to want to make sure you delete all of your existing partitions before you format. I'll see if I can't find some screenshots.

-Shane

Kanwer · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 11:39 am Post subject:

Yea, it's a bootable CD. When I was reformatting it wouldn't let me delete the "C" drive so I went ahead with the install. I just went back in to try again to delete them and the only option is to delete the new drive that was created. There is only one drive listed.
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Shiloch Veneficus · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 11:58 am Post subject:

What? That sounds rediculous. Are you using a system restore CD?

Kanwer · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 12:03 pm Post subject:

Nope. It's a Win Xp Pro bootable CD. Now when I go into the graphical setup there is only one drive to delete. I deleted that and redid the reformat and it's still the same as before with a "C" and "F" drive. I only have a 60g hard drive so no real need to partition.
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Shiloch Veneficus · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 12:34 pm Post subject:

It almost sounds like your hard drive isn't being properly detected by Windows Setup. Check and make sure all 60 GB are showing on the setup screen.

I'm having trouble finding any info on why setup would not let you delete a partition, that's something like... well I won't go into that. Razz

I still want to make sure you're following the screens correctly, so here's the process you should follow just in case:

The first screen it asks for user input should be this:

--------------------------------------

After you hit ENTER, you'll get the EULA that you accept, then you get a listing of all current partitions:

Here, you'll want to hit D on the partition you want to delete.
--------------------------------------

Setup will warn you it is a system partition, like this:

You hit ENTER.

--------------------------------------

Then setup will take you to the confirmation page:

You need to hit the L key on this screen to finally delete the partition.
--------------------------------------

If all of that goes well, you should end up back at the partition screen with unpartitioned space:

You can just hit ENTER here and start on with the installation, or you can create partitions. You may want to try creating the partition first.

A note on this: You might want to use multiple partitions. With a 60-GB drive, I highly recommend making a small partition at the end of the disk to copy data to when you want to format again. Not only that, having two disk partitions helps use more of the space on the disk (there's a block-percentage loss when you format a large disk with one partition).

If you're getting errors or something like that, you'll have to tell me what they are. Sad

Kanwer · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 12:51 pm Post subject:

Now I'm getting the option to delete my "C" and "F" drives, but it won't let me delete the "C" drive. Says "Setup is unable to perform the requested operation on the selected partition. This partition contains Setup files that are required to complete the installation.
To continue, press ENTER."
When I press ENTER, it takes me back to the screen to delete partions.
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Kanwer · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 1:50 pm Post subject:

Oh, and I now have 3 options on the delete screen.

* 7mb of unpartitioned space
* 4503mb of partitioned space (F drive)
* 52728mb of partitioned space (C drive)
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Shiloch Veneficus · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 2:34 pm Post subject: From Dane

This is from Dane:

That is normally the sort of message you get when you run the setup on the CD from within Windows. I'm guessing you tried that once in the past? It copies some of it's installation files to the local drive before the reboot, and then uses those files to reinstall. Obviously, since those files are in-use, it won't let you delete or format them.

I would suggest using a boot disk (floppy) to boot to a DOS prompt, and then use the FDISK command to delete the partitions manually. THEN boot from the CD (IE: put the cd in, power machine down, power machine back up, hit any key to boot from CD...) and see if that helps.

Be SURE you have your data all backed up, I sure hate to give advice like this and then have people upset later because their favorite uncle's email address was lost, or whatnot.

-Dane