how do i reformat my computer (xp)?

Question

simple terms please, x

Answer 1

ok heres a step-by-step guide

Press F2 on the Start-up to go into Bios

Change the Boot Sequence to 'Boot from CD' first (if its not been done)

Put your Windows XP disc into your PC

Restart your PC

press any key to boot from CD

Press 'enter' setup XP now
Press 'F8' to agree
Press 'D' to delete that partition (your creating a fresh clean format)

You can now choose the NTFS format... 'Quick' ... you can choose the slower format (takes much longer) but does a better format'

Press 'F' to format.

Make a cup of Tea if you selected the long format optiion, otherwise wait a few minutes if you selected the quick format option.

Afterwards windows starts installing.

Set the keyboard to UK
Time to GMT
'Typical Network' settings'
Enter a password for adminstarter... (I just leave my blank as i don't have anyone else using my PC)
Enter your CD Key

When Windows Asks 'its setting your display' Click ok

Enter the names of the people on the ' who will use this computer' option (if its just you using the PC then just put your name in there'

Thats will give you a fresh install of Windows XP.

Some options you will get in different orders to the ones i have put down, and some options will only appear on XP Pro

Hope this helps
.

Answer 2

After you back up all of your files, restart your computer. At the boot screen in the beginning (far before the XP logo comes up) press 'Esc' or a similar key (F1-F12) to get into your boot menu.
Put a Windows installation CD in your CD drive, and boot from this device. After it loads, select the option for installing a 'new' or 'clean' copy of Windows. Pick your main hard drive; it will probably tell you that there is already a copy of Windows installed on it. Continue anyway, and you will soon get the option to 'format this hard drive using the NTFS file system'. You can probably choose either the Quick or Normal versions: the normal version can take up to 3 hours, but is a more secure choice.
Afterwards, just continue following the on-screen instructions. About 30 minutes in or so, you should be in the latter stages of your new Windows installation.
Once you start up Windows, there is only a little bit that you have left to do. Go to 'Device Manager', and check that all of your drivers (Video card, SM bus controller :) ) are properly installed (no question or exclamation marks). If you do need to download any drivers, just search for them online on Google and your computer manufacturer's website.

And you're done! You'll probably spend the next 4 hours installing programs/updates between computer restarts, but it's very much worth it.

Answer 3

Assuming that you have either the original Windows CD or a Restore CD that came with the computer, simply boot with the CD in the CD drive and it should start the Windows setup and do the rest for you.

Remember that formatting the hard drive will delete everything on it. So if you have any music, pictures, etc that you want to keep, be sure to copy them off the computer and on to a CD, DVD, etc before formatting the drive.

Answer 4

If you have your XP disc then place this in the CD / DVD drive and reboot your PC.

It will then give you an option to reinstall and will completely format your drive in the early part of the installation process.

If you don't have your XP disc then do not format your PC as this will remove everything and you will have no OS to start up with.

Alternatively, - wher C: is your hard drive. Not advisable unless you have the OS disc to reinstall Windows XP.

Answer 5

You cant reintstall xp without a cd and you wont be waiting to reformat your force without a xp cd, merely ask around, your friends at paintings or merely acquaintances any xp cd will paintings you will merely ought to apply the liecense code on the xp sticky label it is on your pc case.

Answer 6

Reset your computer then just pop in your windows CD and it will ask you multiple options about your computer. You can reformat default setting and saved information excluding your drivers. You can reformat a clean wipe of all drivers and all saved information. I'm pretty sure those are the two options they give you.

Answer 7

You do not need to format a computer hard drive that has already been formatted.

Was that simple enough?

Answer 8

Easy instructions here
http://www.jackiestewart.co.uk/files/installing%20windows%20xp%20and%20formatting.htm

Answer 9

click start then run then type in cmd, a black screen will pop up with a word like cursor, here type in cd\, you will now be at c:\ , here type in format c: then press y