How do I format a Hard Drive?

Question

I need to know how to format a hard drive. My sister's computer messed up and I just bought a new Windows 98 Second Edition CD. I put the disk in and it told me that Windows is already updated, buy the upgrade. I wanna wipe out the C drive. How do I do that. Nothing on the computer works. If you have any questions, e-mail me at [e-mail] or message me to hmj_2003. Thanks for looking and helping.

Answer 1

Press start, shut down and then restart in MS-DOS mode. After that you should see a black screen and C:\ written on it. At the C:\ prompt, type format C: and then press enter (or type the letter of the hard rive your Windows is installed). An so the formatting begins. Save all important data before you format.

Answer 2

You should have a boot disk made first.
I can't give specific instructions but im sure it's in the control panel.
Once you make the disk, restart the computer with the disk inside.

It should boot to the disk instead of the hard drive, and if all works correctly, you should get a command prompt.

From here:
A:\> format C: /y

This is the command to format the C drive and to automatically confirm to do so. After it's done it should ask you to label it, and you're done. The system is completely wiped out of accessible data.

Next, you need to restart your computer and boot off of the CDROM. if you're lucky, you should be able to do this without configuring anything. If not, when you restart, the BIOS will give you a configuration button (like push DEL or F1 or something) to go into the bios, and from there you should be able to confiure the CDROM as a boot device.

Once you're able to start the computer off the CDROM, the windows instructions should take you the rest of the way through.

But before you do this, make sure everything is backed up, and make sure you have drivers ready to reinstall for things like the video card and sound card, otherwise, it's going to be a mess.

Answer 3

Well sounds like she already had upgrades beyond that of your new disk.

I would use, if it boots up, open my computer and right click the drive and click format. If it was installed seperatly, use the disk that it came with.
You can always put it into another PC to do the work.
Sounds like the hard drive failed though. Heat buildup or being too full are the major causes. You can always search for a new drive and install Windows nice and clean. Great deals online and around Christmas, and other holidays, at the office supply stores.
Also, check www.tigerdirect.com for parts. If her PC was hot they have extra fans that just plug into the power and hold in place with a slot like a modem does, though it doesn't "use" the spot. I got an adjustable speed fan that works great. Install closest to the graphics card, those4 can put out lot's of heat!

Good luck!!

Answer 4

I would start by looking to see who the manufacturer of your drive is. Then go to their website and they will have a utility program that you can download. Maxtor hard drives use a program called MaxBlast Plus, Western Digital, Seagate, and other manufacturers have their own programs also. The programs usually create a bootable floppy or CD that you can the use to boot into the program. The utility programs allow you to format the drive and prepare it for a fresh OS install. Unfortunately, Windows 98 cannot format a drive prior to install like XP does. And if you use the advice of going to the MS-DOS prompt from within Windows, it will not allow you to format the active partition that the OS is currently running on. Hope that this helps.

Answer 5

Are really sure you want to format the drive and install the old windows 98? when the computer boots off the CD-rom you will see something like booting from CD loading Windows 98
hit F8 this will give you a boot list. choose boot to command prompt with CD rom support. change to drive D: (your cd)
type format C:
that will format the drive
go back to drive d: and type setup
if setup doesn't run go to cd\i386 and try setup again

you will loose everything this way

Answer 6

Well u would need a operating system disk for that.
Insert the disk and restart ur comp. press any key when the following message appears-'press any key to boot from disk'.
you will be directed to the setup of the operating system.
just follow the steps and done! by the way win. 98 is too old try XP.

Answer 7

to format a hard drive do like this:
1.go to a working pc, insert a new floppy disk in floppy drive and follow this:1.click start 2.click setting 3.click control panel 4.click add/remove programms 5.click startup disk and 6.create.

2.as your startup disk is created, then insert it in the off pc you want to format a hard drive and switch it on.

3.then there is a long message after a moment
but you just type in the prompt command of DOS
A:>fdisk and press enter
continue and
4.press 3 to delete partition
5.press 1 to create partition
6.Restart pc with CTRL-ALT-Del
7.in prompt again tyep
A:>format C: /s and press enter
8.then wait and see formatting percenatge
9.if it is 100% then it is formatted
10.insert CD of OS and type
C:>D: and press enter
type again in D:>setup and press enter then you start loading your new OS.

Answer 8

Try using Windows XP and it gives you an option to format the C: Drive and install its files there. I hope there's an option like that in Win 98 SE too

Answer 9

it seems that the cd you bought is just an upgrade for 98 it not follow this. is your 98 cd bootable if not create a bootable 98 diskette. boot the bootable disc just select setup with disc support then it will ask you if you'd like format first before you setup select format if this fails boot in dos then do fdisk and then restart and format the hd.

Answer 10

You need DOS at least to format a hard drive. How do you know if you even have DOS? If you have a C: prompt type in the DOS format command. I forget exactly how it goes.