How can I format my hard drive without deleting windows?

Question

I am having a problem on my laptop where I can't seem to open anything. No my computer, no control panel, no internet explorer. I get the hourglass and then it just goes away and nothing opens.

I have run a virus checker, spyware checker and registry cleaner. no luck.

For a while, I could get firefox to open and i tried downloading a couple programs to wipe my hard drive and start over. There is nothing on the laptop I need, i just use it as an alternate place to surf the web.

Now firefox wont work. Netscape is working and i can access some files by typing C:\\ in the address bar, but who knows how long this will last.

Here is my problem. I don't have the discs anymore to boot from the CD. I am running windows ME (i think, can't varify this as i cant open anything.)

So, my question is, is there a program i can download that will wipe the hard drive but keep the windows files? Everything i have is on drive C. no partitions.

thanks.

Ok, rebooted and I am running XP after all.

I have always been interested in running linux, but don't really know the first thing about it. I don't think it would be a good idea to just jump in with a computer that is already having problems.

Answer 1

Well, a specialized drive-repair utiltity like SpinRite might be able to perform a non-destructive format (read each sector from the hard disk and rewrite it, re-routing around any physically bad sectors) but that doesn't appear to be your problem- if the windows install was ok but the drive needed fromatting you'd be getting disk read errors and such, not having programs fail to launch.

It looks like your windows is corrupted, in which case you need to fix it or replace it, not leave it in the current state. If you're running xp, you can try booting from the XP installation CD and choosing to do a repair install (not the recovery console) - the repair install checks your existing xp installation for any system files that appear to be missing, and replaces those. If that fails, you probably do need to reformat and wipe it clean.

To find out what version you're running, reboot the machine & hit the F8 key key just after the beep. Or simply pay attention to what the splash screen says- it shows what operating system is loading. If it's ME or 98, you're outta luck. When those get screwed up, you need to wipe & reinstall- or reinstall to a new hard drive and copy stuff from the old one.

Answer 2

Actually when you format, all files are being deleted even your windows OS, unless you can boot to DOS mode and delete certain files using Norton Commander then you can re-install you WIndows Me. Or try this first right clicking your desktop then click properties then click web then uncheck the "View my active desktop as web page" if not go to the first option.

Answer 3

To format a drive means to wipe it clean and start from scratch, i.e. Windows included. Sorry mate, try and get a hold of a Windwos disc from a friend.

Answer 4

Formating the hard dirve means deleting everything. If you have 2 partitions on the hard drive, you can re-format the one where windows was not loaded (normally windows will be loaded on C: drive). However, I don't think how that will help you.

Answer 5

Its impossible to format the hard drive and leave your O/S on it
if you have lost your O/s disk get in touch with microsoft and they will supply a new one if you give them your product key number

Answer 6

You need to reinstall windows by the sounds of it. Shame you lost the discs :(

Answer 7

Use Linux. It's free. There is a learning curve...but once you understand it...it equals productivity x2

Answer 8

i dont think that's possible..

just borrow OS from someone

Answer 9

Not possible.