how do u reformat disk C in your computer and what needs to be done first before reformatting?

Answer 1

more info...do you just want to clear an old drive and do a fresh or "clean" install?? if so, the easiest way is to create an emergency boot disk. Win 98 and SE had this as an option ...win XP you have to open the Backup option then go to the advanced tab and choose for system recovery...you also have to have a bootable device onthe computer...such as the floppy drive. When you do that the computer puts the system files onto the bootable floppy. I may miss something here but here are the general steps:
1. create the bootable floppy...and you will want it to have cd support
2. to make sure the floppy is working...leave it in the computer and reboot the system...if it's working you'll come to a screen with a C:\
from here you can either take to disk out and re-boot or continue with what you want to do. Make sure you have backed up on a separate medium the files you want to keep.
3. If you're going to continue then at the c:\ prompt all you have to do is type in format c: it'll look like this on the screen

c:\ format c:

let it go do its thing...when it's done you'll have a clean disk and can do the O/S install. which is why you need the EBD to have cd support...the O/S more than likely came on a cd....when the format gets done and says so just type in:

install(cd drive letter) c:

and you should be good to go. Follow the prompts on the new install.

Answer 2

Formatting your hard drive (C-drive) is not a big deal, although it takes quite a long time to restore all the programs and data files you will be erasing. So, do you really need to format the hard drive? Or are you just trying to fix some software problem that doesn't require a full hard drive format?

I assume you know that formatting totally erases everything from your hard drive. This includes the operating system, all programs and all data files. And to get your computer running again, you have to re-install an operating system and all the programs you will want or need.

Answer 3

Tell me which Operating System you are using ?
If you want to format your C drive then plz
1.backup your data
2Cllect your Operating system CD ( bootable )
3. All programs CD
4. All drivers like printer , scanner, Modem, Sound, Graphics....etc.

IF WINDOWS XP
insert bootable Win Xp it will guide you first format C then setup
IF YOU ARE USING WIN 98
Insert bootable 98 cd in your CD rom
then your ram drive will appear like
F://
then you just mension
F:// format C
then
F:// setup
it will load windows 98
If you are going to do it first time then please take some help from a computer hardware Engineer then you can do it next time alone.
Best of luck

Answer 4

First tell us what operating system you are using? Second back up all the data files you want to keep to CD. If you are using XP then got to here first :- http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e8fe6868-6e4f-471c-b455-bd5afee126d8&DisplayLang=en

For Windows XP Home Edition Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy Boot Install and format the drive while you continue with your operating system re-intall.
Note make sure you have all the driver disks for your PC hardware and your setup disc for your ISP provider etc.

Answer 5

1.First u should have a operating system CD.

2.For the purpose formatting alone u can use Windows XP CD......First boot from XP CD....


3.After booting it loads files in the RAM and then checks for previous versions of windows.

4.Then it shows drives in ur system.Using the instructions given there u can format the drive easily or create new partition.(Dont worry the whole process is user friendly...).

please specify your choice of operating system..

Answer 6

If you have to ask, then you probably shouldn't.
I have been in IT for 25 years, and wouldn't tackle it.
Reformatting your C: drive will get rid of everything, just as if you removed your brain - you would be left a cabbage

Answer 7

It needs to be done using an operating system whose files don't reside on your C: drive.

Answer 8

Let the new OS you're going to load do the reformatting.

Backup your data - standard practice.

Answer 9

Go ahead and do it, take some of these excellent answers advice,you only learn by doing it.

Answer 10

first copy ur data to CD then format with FDISK create partation then FORMAT C: /U