I have Windows XP and I am planning to format my Hard drive but I dont what would happen to my windows XP. Would I have to re-install it? (I dont not have the CD to re-install)
2006-11-04 23:46:04 · 15 answers · asked by Damien S 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Other - Hardware
Yes you will lose windows , unless you partition your drive and make a new space for a new version of windows. Partitioning splits your drive into separate segments so you can have 1,2,3 or 4 operating systems on one hard drive. Partition magic is a good tool for this. When you boot your system , you will have a choice of windows to use. Id advise you not to format your drive if you are unsure what to do , and dont have a genuine copy of windows to reinstall with.
2006-11-04 23:53:41 · answer #1 · answered by peter j 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you do not have any partitions in your drive, then you will lose all your data and will have to reinstall Windows.
If you have partitioned your disk into many drives, then formatting any drive except the C: drive will not be a problem. You will lose all the data in that drive, but you don't have to reinstall. If you format the C: drive too, then you will have to reinstall XP. This is because the C: drive contains the actual Windows XP as well as important files like the registry.
If you want to backup your data, you might want to use a Live CD.
2006-11-05 02:43:20 · answer #2 · answered by gingerjoos 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well It depends on which drive you are going to format. for e.g if you're windows directory is C:\Windows then formatting other drives other than C: won't affect your windows.
Well but if you're experiencing you're computer slow than format this drive also and reinstall the Windows.
Well you can borrow the XP disk from your friend also if and only if you've your own purchased and legal product key.
2006-11-04 23:56:26 · answer #3 · answered by Sanskar 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
depends on how your hard drive is set up. If it is all formatted into one drive then re-formatting will delete everything, and you would have to re-install windows. If it is seperated into multiple drives then you can re-format only select drives which would not make you re-install windows.
2006-11-04 23:49:20 · answer #4 · answered by Charles K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not having the CD means you cant reinstall windows which you would have to do if you reformatted your system drive (normally drive C)
if you have a branded PC (dell, HP, Compaw etc...) they may have given you a system restore CD which has windows on it in the form of an image, it will alo have all the drivers for your hardware but they will only be as up t date as you CD is. look for 1 of them, may be caled restore CD, system CD etc. if you put it into your comp and expolre the contents you should see a large directory for windows, failing that, put the CD into your drive and restart the computer, if it goes into setup, then is bootable and will have a system on there
2006-11-04 23:53:59 · answer #5 · answered by yoric h 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you dont have the cd, check to see if you can make back up discs from a partition (in my computer it reads as a d drive, in reality its a sectioned off part of the c drive with the backup info). make those discs, then you can reformat. otherwise, until you get another copy of xp, reformatting on only 1 drive means bye bye windows.
2006-11-04 23:55:09 · answer #6 · answered by FLirishfan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The act of formatting a drive means to erase all data on the drive. Yes, you would loose your windows OS and need to reinstall.
2006-11-04 23:54:46 · answer #7 · answered by blackpus88 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Either you have the disk or you have partition on harddrive for restore. My question to you is... "Why do you need to reformat" Reformatting is last resort. Its not like a pencil"sharpen when it gets dull" You must maintain your system like a child. You need to keep em fed and clean. A lil system cleaning and loving care, will keep you running. P.S. I still have and use system with windows 95. I never ever reformatted. Just took good care of it. The operating system has been running for over 15 years.
2016-05-22 00:46:03 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
why do you want to reformatt?if you cant live without doing it backup your os before the formatt you can then use the backup to re install if you dont have the disk for your pc you should definitly get a backup of your os.
2006-11-04 23:54:47 · answer #9 · answered by fearlessfegundez 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You would have to partition your hard drive then re-install windows,reload all drivers etc,,,,,,,,,
2006-11-05 01:10:35 · answer #10 · answered by taxed till i die,and then some. 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋