[Solved] How To:Re-Installing Windows ( Clean Install )

[pajamahead]

How To:Re-Installing Windows ( Clean Install ) Re-Installing Windows ( clean install )Windows XP has become a real mess & unrepairablemy XP version is an upgrade from Windows 98I can install Windows 98 from CD & then Windows XP from CD, straightforward enoughBUT i want my Hard Drive to be emptyshould i format it first from the desktop? ( right click Local Disc [C] ) and what is the difference between Quick Format and Compressionpuzzled, Pajamahead

[ufaryl]

to get a clean h/d you need to go into the BIOS and navigate to BOOT and change the boot up sequence from h/d to cd rom press f10 to save & exit now place your xp disc into the cd rom & start the computer & follow the onscreen instructions , windows will now perform a format & a clean installation, hope this is of some help to you. Regards Alan (ufaryl)

[KenB]

Hi and welcome to ExTS

 

should i format it first from the desktop?

You will not be able to do this.

You cannot format a hard drive with Windows running.

 

If my memory serves me correctly, Win 98 has a Start-up Floppy Disk.

You would need to format the drive using this.

 

what is the difference between Quick Format ....

A quick format removes all files from the Hard Drive.

 

A regular format removes the files and also checks the disk for bad sectors.

 

If you are going to go to the trouble of installing 98 then upgrading to XP I suggest that you take the extra time to run the regular format.

 

You will need to check in the BIOS to make sure that the floppy drive is the first boot device.

[RandyL]

Since this is an upgrade installation you're going to have a problem reinstalling 98 before installing XP. You should just run the XP installation again to format the drive.

 

The reason is that XP is NT and 98 is DOS. In order to install 98 you do have to use a 98 boot floppy then run format c: at the a:> (Personally I always ran fdisk too) The problem is that the boot floppy works on the 98 DOS based system. Since you have now installed XP your system is NT based and not DOS. NT does not need boot disks.

 

A 98 boot disk will work on a blank hard drive though so it might work. However since your XP is probably NTSF the disk might not work to format since it was designed to work on FAT systems.

 

Best bet: Just reinstall XP

 

Next best bet: Slave the drive to another computer and run a full format. Use a 98 boot disk to begin the 98 installation.

 

Make sure you have your product key.

[pajamahead]

dear Mate ... in the interim i reinstalled Windows XP in a separate Windows folder ie Windows0 and not Windows

( in other word i have 2 Windows Xp on my system)!

There is a good improvement & I didnt have to reinstall all my programs or my Data

.. a bit weird i know

[pajamahead]

cheers thanks for for that ...one learns a bit @ a time

[pajamahead]

Dear KenB cheers for info i was a bit slow in saying thanks this week

[KenB]

Dear KenB cheers for info i was a bit slow in saying thanks this week

You are welcome - thanks for the feedback.

 

in other word i have 2 Windows Xp on my system

Strange solution - but if it works for you :)

[nickfrost]

to get a clean h/d you need to go into the BIOS and navigate to BOOT and change the boot up sequence from h/d to cd rom press f10 to save & exit now place your xp disc into the cd rom & start the computer & follow the onscreen instructions , windows will now perform a format & a clean installation, hope this is of some help to you. Regards Alan (ufaryl)

 

Thankssss for this post.