What are the steps to reformat my hardrive and reinstall windows?

Answer 1

Backup all your data. Insert your XP disk in the CD drive. Reboot. Enter your BIOS and make sure that boot to CD first is set. When the message press key to boot to CD, press any key. It will come up to a screen that says press F6 you should not have to do anything at this point. Allow it to continue. The next thing that will come up is do you want to repair or install new. Select install new. Agree to the EULA by pressing F8. At the next screen, select the partition you want to install Windows on this will be the largest drive. Press D to delete the partition, and read the screen to complete the deletion. At the next screen select the unpartitioned drive and hit enter. Perform a Quick format NTFS. From here the installation is in autopilot. You will have to set time zone, network and one other setting. Then you will have a clean installation of Windows. The next thing is updating your Windows and installing all your software and recovering your data.

Answer 2

To have a real good fresh reinstall windows without any hassle, is to reformat your HD to 0 write.

You could easily get the software from your HD maker website support and download section. For an example: Western Digital is Disk Manager.

Even better if you could visit the ultimate Boot CD site download the software and burn it into CD. Then adjust you CMOS to bootdisk 1 to CD (make sure your CD-rom jumper is master or calbe adjust). The ultimateBootCD is basically an easy to run self boot linuxOS on CD work like windows DOS. In layman term, a CD based OS equips with PC utilities tools. Simply follow instructions, you will get your HD clean, partition, repair etc...

Once you done, and you enjoy it, just make sure remember to donate whatever you think is proper to help keep the project continue.:)

Answer 3

you need to reinsert the operating system disc into the cd-rom drive. Reboot the computer and select install windows when the option appears. After that selection the system will ask if you want to delete the exitsting partition and reformat the drive. Select that opiton. DONE...

Answer 4

Please know that when you format your hard drive you will lose all data and all software programs on it. I go back to Radio Shack TRS80 and have never had to format a C: drive - it's a very drastic step. I don't know what your situation is, but there may be other things you can do to resolve your problem - such as System Restore.

Answer 5

Save all the things you want to retain to disc or save them to the web, http://www.badongo.com ... after this just pop your recovery disc in and follow instructions on screen. make sure you have your product key to hand, this will be on little hologram sticker somewhere about your computer.