How do you format an entire computer?

[Captain Ted]

My computer is now running like a big bag of smelly poo!

How do I wipe absolutely everything and re-install the operating programmes?

I am on XP home and have all the discs legally.

I have saved all essential documents on disc so It is all ready to be blasted.

Please help!

Ted.

[andrew1810]

Put the XP cd in the drive, reboot the computer and when prompted, press a key to boot from the CD

Follow the menus doing a fresh installation, not a repair one

Delete all partitions, quick format the new unpartitioned space (NTFS) then install XP onto this

[Tommy Angelo]

You might have to go into BIOS, usually by pressing DEL on the boot screen and set it to boot from CD over the HDD.

[Singh400]

boot from xp cd, go into windows recovery console and type the following:

format c: /fs:ntfs

all done. you can add the /q to do a quick format, but I prefer the full format.

format c: /q /fs:ntfs

[andrew1810]

If the OP is re-installing XP, might as well use the graphical one rather than having to boot twice and run the installer twice

[Captain Ted]

When you say boot from the cd, do you mean reset the computer with the cd in the machine?

Ted.

[andrew1810]

Yes, providing the BIOS is set to boot from CD (as said above), it will prompt you to press any key to boot from the CD, you want to press a key when it says this

[Captain Ted]

Thanks for all this guys.

As you can probably tell, I know very little about computers!

What is BIOS and where do I find the boot screen?

Cheers, Ted.

[unique]

Originally Posted by Captain Ted

Thanks for all this guys.

As you can probably tell, I know very little about computers!

What is BIOS and where do I find the boot screen?

Cheers, Ted.

when you first turn on the pc and you see some b/w text on the screen that tells you how much memory you have etc, it appears for a few seconds before the windows startup screen

so when you turn on the pc, wait 1 second and then it's usually the "delete" key you press, sometimes it's "F8" or "F10" you press, the screen will usually say "Press F1 to enter setup" or something. when you press the right button (i usually just keep hitting it until the screen comes up) you should enter a menu on the motherboard that will let you change various settings, you want BOOT ORDER or something that will list your HD's and optical drives, change it so CDROM/DVD is first, then HD1/IDE1 etc. after you've reinstalled windows you might want to change the order back so if you leave a CDROM in the drive when you turn on the pc it doesn't try and boot from it

BIOS is Basic Input Output System - it controlls how information flows on the pc, it's what people refer to when they are talking about the motherboards settings menu

[Steve.J.Davies]

You could just try booting with the Windaz CDd in the drive to see if your machine is already configured that way.

[Captain Ted]

Thanks to all who replied. I will be trying this later today.

If I ever get it running again, I will let you know how it went.

Cheers again,
Ted.

[Steve.J.Davies]

As long as the hardware ain't fried you will get it running again.
Don't forget to get your anti-virus and firewall set up pretty quick - better yet before you connect it the 'net.

[Captain Ted]

SUCCESS!!

All done and no problems (as yet)

Thanks again to all who replied. I bow to your superior knowlege.

Ted.