Reinstalling windows xp

**mxmad32** · #1 14th Sep 2007, 03:57

Is there anyway to wipe the hard drive on my pc other than inserting the windows cd on startup and deleting the partitions? I need to know because my computer doesnt want to boot from the cd for some reason and that is the only way i know how to wipe it and reinstall windows. Is there another way to wipe everything, and then install windows after?

Help!!!

**SocialWarfare** · #2 14th Sep 2007, 06:12

If you have a secondary HDD with an OS on it you can format it within windows

**mxmad32** · #3 14th Sep 2007, 06:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by SocialWarfare

If you have a secondary HDD with an OS on it you can format it within windows

I dont have a hard drive as such but i have a mp3 player which has a 20gig hard drive in it which i can use to put files on, would that work? And how can i format the one on the pc? Also how would i run windows on my pc from the external hard drive?

**Contagious** · #4 14th Sep 2007, 06:37

ok all you do is press del when booting up dos should appear then select boot options and make it boot from cd/dvd drive first. then insert the windows cd and restart.

or the other option is downloading linux that you can burn to a cd and it boots from it (popcorn linux is one) then you should be able to reformat your hard drive with out a windows cd...

**mxmad32** · #5 14th Sep 2007, 06:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by SocialWarfare

If you have a secondary HDD with an OS on it you can format it within windows

I tryed installing windows onto my 20gig hard drive(mp3 player) but it said it cannot gain access to the drive to install windows on it? Why not? Do i need to format it?

**Krlll** · #6 14th Sep 2007, 07:05

You need to pay attention to the answers people are giving you.
Have you read what Contagious wrote?
Just forget about that MP3 player.lol

**mxmad32** · #7 14th Sep 2007, 07:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krlll

You need to pay attention to the answers people are giving you.
Have you read what Contagious wrote?
Just forget about that MP3 player.lol

Yes i am payin attention, ive already tryed making the computer try and boot from the cd first and it still doesnt work, and downloading linux would take ages. So if i can get windows to install on my mp3 player and boot it from that is that not the easiest option?

**Contagious** · #8 14th Sep 2007, 07:35

Linux is tiny you get 700mb version to i think when i last checked wast 128mb and can boot from a 128mb flash drive.

but like i said in my last post press del on the start up then dos should appear and just change boot from hard drive it to boot cd/dvd pretty straight forward... i asume thats what is wrong.. what are you using ribbens or sata?

**mxmad32** · #9 14th Sep 2007, 07:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Contagious

Linux is tiny you get 700mb version to i think when i last checked wast 128mb and can boot from a 128mb flash drive.

but like i said in my last post press del on the start up then dos should appear and just change boot from hard drive it to boot cd/dvd pretty straight forward... i asume thats what is wrong.. what are you using ribbens or sata?

I have changed it to cd/dvd and still no joy, and i googled popcorn linux and i got a thing called SLAX, so i downloaded the popcorn addition and burned all the files to a disc and it still wont boot from that disc either, but it wont boot from the disc on my laptop either so i think i have done somthing wrong.

**Contagious** · #10 14th Sep 2007, 14:54

did you burn the iso to a disc? if so you should download a program called daemon tools its a fake cd/dvd emulation. when installed mount the iso and copy the cd with nero or any burning software... then it should boot...

So then like in the other post do u have sata or ribbons you can check by opening your pc and looking at how your hard drive is connected if its it connected with a thin cable its sata if with a wide cable that connects with ur cd/dvd drive and hard drive its ribbon. if so that could be your problem...

If its a ribbon then unblug it from just your hard drive and start up with the windows cd in the cd drive does it boot now? if so the ribbon is connected wrong to boot from cd/dvd drive. To fix this just connect the first out let from the ribbon to your cd/dvd drive then the last one to your hard drive. If you have two ribbons plug the cd/dvd drive into the first outlet should be labled next to your ribbon outlet on your motherboard and the hard drive in tthe second one..

If its sata it should be working thats if you have config it to boot from cd/dvd first. Or else it might be that you have a sata cd/dvd drive? i donno i have never had one but could be the problem just unblug it from the motherboard and change it with the hard drive cable and start up with the wndows cd in. well thats what i would guess....