If I Right click on "C" Drive, and click format, would i lose the operating system?

Question

Heya, I run windows xp professional, and i do still have a virus on it, i have done and tryed everything. My last result is to format... BUt now i am worried becaise i don't wanna lose the operating system. Please help me, if you could that would be appreciated.



OR anyother solutions i will take to.. LOL Or if i clicked any other drives would i lose it?


Thanks

TRABITS

Answer 1

It actually would not let you format the drive, because it is in use.

Answer 2

I'm honestly not sure if Windows is dumb enough to let you do that. I'm certainly not dumb enough or confident in Windows enough to try.

IMHO the best way to get rid of a virus is to take out the hard drive and install it as a secondary hard drive in a computer with a good updated antivirus software. I think Norton and Kaspersky usually test the best, although ClamAV is free and does almost as well. You can't delete a file (or virus) while it's in use or running, so that's why it's better to do this in another machine.

You can also start Windows in "safe mode" by pressing f8 when you first turn it on before Windows loads. This mode prevents most non Windows programs (like viruses) from loading. You might be able to run an antivirus scan in "safe mode", if so it should be removed quietly.

If the virus is preventing you from installing or updating your antivirus program, then you have a bigger problem here. You can try finding a bootable DOS based virus remover like F-PROT or McAfee but that's probably more trouble than you want to deal with. Just make sure you backup (to CD or flash drive) whatever you need from your machine and start fresh with a clean install of windows. Make sure you have your Windows CD/Key or restore disks before trying this. After you reinstall Windows, be sure to run Windows Update first thing and install/update an antivirus program. Then scan any files you backed up before moving them back to your system.

Also forget Yahoo Answers. Google has them all.

Answer 3

Please always search on Google if not Yahoo itself, but I do believe that if you have a virus that your program can detect (how I assume you KNOW you have a virus) but for whatever reason it cannot be deleted, you will need to format your drive yes.

But, you will lose everything, including Windows, so if you can't re-install it (can't find the CD) REALLY try to get rid of the virus.

And if you can reinstall, back up EVERYTHING that you want onto DVD or CD (don't know which burner you have) that way you can always rip it back onto your computer after the format.

I don't know how to format correctly so call your hard drive company or computer company for assistance.

Also, i'm pretty sure you should never do anything from software such as formatting. Whether it be a connected camera or hard drive. So lilke I said call your computer company.

Answer 4

Your virus may be embedded in your boot up log and executes each time you start up. I presume you have already started in safe mode and scanned each start up program before running them. You can unprotect your start up and run a virus scan to see if it is clear of problems. If this fails, you should have a restore in XP. Go back as far as you can and restore. You may lose some data but at least you won't lose your entire C Drive.
Years ago you could format C without to much trouble, but it was found that people were inadvertently wiping out their C drive and now it is difficult for the average end user to pull that stunt. lol Good luck!

Answer 5

If you format the c: drive you lose everything on it. You have to reinstall everything including the operating system. Are you sure you still have a virus?

You might not have a virus, you might have malware or spyware that a virus scanner isn't catching. Try other A/V software. Learn how to use hijackthis. Try adaware. Try spybot. Also try a registry cleaner.

The only sure way to get rid of the problem is to reformat. Then you spend hours/days getting your machine back to where it was.

Answer 6

The operating system is entirely on your C:\ drive. If you format it, then a major issue will arise because you will eventually try to format the program that is doing the formating (creating a paradox, thus, crashing your computer making things 10x worse) Try a different antivirus. Try AVG AntiVirus. It's free, easy to use, powerful, and it works great!

Download link:
http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10703202.html?tag=lst-0-1

Answer 7

umm.. the other people were pretty vague about what they wanted to get across, but what im saying 100% correct, since ive done this all before, and im not simply researching things on google.. ive experienced it.

ok, reformating is GOOD, even if you loose everything, wghen u reformat your drive it would be like having a bran new computer. (if u format ALL partitions/drives

if you format another drive without windows installed, it will NOT effect c drive with windows on it.

you CAN NOT format c drive with windows on it while windows is running. idk if theres more than one way to do it, but the way i did it was with the windows xp cd, when it asked to do a fresh install. (google how to format windows)

if the files/folders on your computer are that important to you, why not just bakup them up to a cd/dvd

the programs u have on there im presuming u have gotten for free, so theres NO harm in downloading them agian.


reformating should be a last solution to your problems id say u should download some adware spy ware progs

spybot:
http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10401314.html?tag=lst-0-1

adaware:
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-2007-Free/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5

avg:(virus software, not ad ware software)
http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10703202.html?tag=lst-0-1



those^ are all free.
:]

Answer 8

it depends, some computers have the OS on a partition drive ( part of the same hard drive but partitioned off from the storage part to keep it safe and neat, if this is the case then you could format any drive besides that partition and not lose the OS, if not then yes formating C/: would delete your OS, but you would have to format it from dos.
check the link for some general info on formating

Answer 9

Yes your operating system is located on the C: drive, do NOT format it!

Answer 10

you will lose EVERYTHING! only do this when a virus destroyes your computer. Never try to format. Even if you start it and close it right away, guaranteed something will be erased.