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Reformat Hard Drive


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Posted

I have been given a Dell desktop running ME which I want to clean up and

donate to a charity or needy person. It is apparent that the hard drive

should be reformatted and Windows ME reinstalled. I have the original

Microsoft CDs for Windows ME and all the other programs that were factory

installed. What I need is detailed step-by-step instructions on how to

reformat the hard drive and reinstall ME. Can you please help me?

--

Don

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Guest Joan Archer
Posted

Re: Reformat Hard Drive

 

Have a look here to see if this helps you.

Joan

look here for instructions for a clean install

http://www.aumha.org/win4/a/clean.htm

 

--

Joan Archer

http://www.freewebs.com/crossstitcher

http://lachsoft.com/photogallery

 

"Don" <Don@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:C22E72A2-A14C-4782-AA49-3B9A4AD02431@microsoft.com...

> I have been given a Dell desktop running ME which I want to clean up and

> donate to a charity or needy person. It is apparent that the hard drive

> should be reformatted and Windows ME reinstalled. I have the original

> Microsoft CDs for Windows ME and all the other programs that were factory

> installed. What I need is detailed step-by-step instructions on how to

> reformat the hard drive and reinstall ME. Can you please help me?

> --

> Don

Posted

Re: Reformat Hard Drive

 

Besides Joan's reference, another couple of very useful documents are on

your WinMe CD (and probably on your C: drive too) called setup.txt file and

cleanhd.txt which are well worth reading. You should also and print out and

have handy a copy of the cleanhd.txt file - a copy of which you can also see

here :-

"Windows Millennium Edition Cleanhd.txt File Contents"

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/271673/en-us

 

Also, be sure that you've still got a copy of the 25 digit product key,

before you start and any 'machine specific' drivers (often on a separate CD)

which *may* have come with your PC. (Don't worry too much if you haven't any

drivers as there's usually some work-around available)

 

Mart

 

 

"Joan Archer" <archer_joan@nospam.com> wrote in message

news:eBcwoWbkIHA.3400@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> Have a look here to see if this helps you.

> Joan

> look here for instructions for a clean install

> http://www.aumha.org/win4/a/clean.htm

>

> --

> Joan Archer

> http://www.freewebs.com/crossstitcher

> http://lachsoft.com/photogallery

>

> "Don" <Don@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:C22E72A2-A14C-4782-AA49-3B9A4AD02431@microsoft.com...

>> I have been given a Dell desktop running ME which I want to clean up and

>> donate to a charity or needy person. It is apparent that the hard drive

>> should be reformatted and Windows ME reinstalled. I have the original

>> Microsoft CDs for Windows ME and all the other programs that were factory

>> installed. What I need is detailed step-by-step instructions on how to

>> reformat the hard drive and reinstall ME. Can you please help me?

>> --

>> Don

>

Guest squirlchatr@yahoo.com
Posted

Re: Reformat Hard Drive

 

 

 

Don wrote:

> I have been given a Dell desktop running ME which I want to clean up and

> donate to a charity or needy person. It is apparent that the hard drive

> should be reformatted and Windows ME reinstalled. I have the original

> Microsoft CDs for Windows ME and all the other programs that were factory

> installed. What I need is detailed step-by-step instructions on how to

> reformat the hard drive and reinstall ME. Can you please help me?

> --

> Don

 

I would first overwrite the entire HD, "zero it out"

 

Then maybe make the C: drive of about 2 gigs, or 3 gigs.

 

Then make a D: drive, for installing programs, downloads, etc.

 

The D: drive would be there for if and or when the system fails, the

DATA will be saved, while one can reinstall winme

on the C: drive, and have the data on the D: drive to remain.

  • 3 weeks later...
Guest Greegor
Posted

Re: Reformat Hard Drive

 

Mart wrote

>Also, be sure that you've still got a copy of the 25 digit product key,

 

Make sure to track the "Product Key" and not the resulting

"registration number".

And read it again to make sure you got every last letter/digit exactly

right.

I usually mark it very legibly on part of the chassis with a

"Sharpie" permanent marker pen.

> before you start and any 'machine specific' drivers (often on a separate CD)

> which *may* have come with your PC. (Don't worry too much if you haven't any

> drivers as there's usually some work-around available)

 

You might want to make a "recovery floppy" too because some

CD sets and some hardware could not directly boot

the CD set without a kick start from floppy.

 

Boot from floppy

FDISK

remove partitions, set up new partition(s)

and FORMAT C:

 

Then boot the CDROM set and it should be able to

walk you through it from there, asking you

for the product key, etc.

 

How did it go?


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