Is there any way of formating a hard-drive? without.........?

Question

deleting all my information, so i can transfer them over and the format the other bit. Like formting half the hard-drive and installing windows then doing the other half and making it all one? as i do not have a cd burner.

Answer 1

Tricky one, I think you can use Partition-Magic (you have to pay for it) to create two partitions on your hard drive without formatting. Then you can back up the original partition while formatting the other. Alternatively, you could buy an external hard-drive to back up your original. Price these options out, it might be cheaper to buy a cd/dvd writer and back everything up to cd/dvd.

Answer 2

There are special programs you can buy (maybe even download for free, but I'm not certain) that you can use to repartition your hard drive.

Once your hard drive is repartitioned, install Windows in the unused partition of the hard drive.

Then copy the data over from the old windows partition to the new windows partition.

Then repartition the hard drive to include the entire hard drive.

OR - you could buy a second internal hard drive, copy the data over to the 2nd hard drive (after formatting it properly), then you can format the 1st hard drive, and all your data will be stored safely on the 2nd hard drive.

Good luck.

Answer 3

You wish!

If you have partitioned your hard drive previously into more that one drive then you would be able to do as you say, but you would still be taking a risk.
Copy all the data onto the second, or what ever partition.
Copy all your data onto CD(s). Then copy it onto another set of CD(s) as a backup before formatting your the C:\ drive portion of your hard drive.
Re-install Windows and then copy the data back.

Better still, buy a second hard drive and install Windows on that.

Answer 4

I think if you partitioned the drive, that might work. But I am not sure why you would want to format it like that. Formatting is for erasing a hard drive clean. I am not sure what your method would be accomplishing.

I am not really sure why think you need to format your drive. If you are trying to format it cause you are having stability issues. Your best bet is to find some kind of way of backing up your most critical files. Then format the entire drive and resinstall windows. That way it will insure a clean install and hopefully no problems.

Answer 5

Reformatting a hard drive WILL delete all information on it. You need to backup all of your data files to another location BEFORE reformatting.
If you are using Windows XP, you can use the File and Settings transfer wizard to backup all of your files to a single location. Then copy this file to a safe place like a CD ROM, DVD ROM, network drive, etc.
Don't forget your music, photos, and documents.
After you re-partitioned, reformatted, and reinstalled Windows XP, you can use the file and settings transfer wizard to copy your files back to you PC.

Answer 6

If you have to format the drive then at the same time you can split the drive into 2 so that next time you will be able to do what you described above.

Answer 7

Get partition magic application from internet & It makes possible to create added partition interior the annoying disk, strengthen the dimensions of a partition without formatting the triumphing rigidity.

Answer 8

Partition Magic makes it pretty easy.. you can just download the demo version to accomplish what you are trying to do.. http://www.symantec.com Just partition to boot the new empty space.. Load a fresh OS on that partition and start dumping all of your old files onto the new partition once you are set up!!

Good Luck!! (...and enjoy the fresh install!!)