#How to reformat hard drive windows xp install#
#How to reformat hard drive windows xp update#

Now select the partition you’ve just created, and format it. Allot the maximum amount of space available, then press Enter. Select the unpartitioned space and press C to create a new partition. Okay, it's time to create and format a new partition. Now select the partition where Windows is installed, then press D to delete it. You don't, so press ESC to bypass the repair option. Next, you’ll see a message asking if you want to repair your existing installtion. If prompted to do so, press F8 to agree to the license.

#How to reformat hard drive windows xp install#

when the install disk boots up, press ENTER at the 'Welcome to Setup' screen. For help with that, see Backing Up Your Files and explore the various options for backing up your personal files. But first you'll probably want to back up your hard drive, or at least part of it. You'll have to reboot from the Windows XP installation CD, because you can't format the drive on which Windows is running. at least not while you're running Windows. If you really want to format your hard drive. It's my special recipe to clean gunk out of your computer's pipes, so Windows will start quicker, run more reliably, and go faster on the info-superhighway. But before you go all samurai on your hard drive, I recommend you follow all the steps in my Make Windows Run Faster! article. I'm guessing you're considering this move because your PC has been infested by a bunch of spyware and/or viruses, and is now acting sluggish and flaky.

#How to reformat hard drive windows xp update#

It could take many hours just to download the Windows Update files. After re-installing Windows XP, you will need to reapply all the patches and fixes from Microsoft, then reinstall all the software packages you previously had. that's exactly what you said you wanted to do. About the only thing you can do with a freshly formatted drive is install an operating system from CDROM.

The format will erase *everything* on the disk (the operating system, your programs and data files) and leave you unable to even boot up the PC. Do You Really Want To Format That Hard Drive?īe forewarned, formatting a hard drive is MUCH different than formatting a Word document.