Format C:/ Drive - Printable Version
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Format C:/ Drive by Purity on 03-07-2006 at 01:32 PM
Hey this has to be a super simple thing, but I've never done it before, I'm considering formatting my hardrive, to get rid of everything on my computer. Does this delete Windows also? Would I easily be able to install windows again?
Anything I should know about formatting?
RE: Format C:/ Drive by Reaper on 03-07-2006 at 01:34 PM
as long as you have a windows cd, then you can format and reinstall windows easily. you pretty much jusyt follow whats on the screen
there are not many major concerns when formatting using a windows cd
RE: Format C:/ Drive by Kryptonate on 03-07-2006 at 01:35 PM
If you format a hard disk you lose everything on it yes, including Windows if that was placed on that same hard disk. You can reinstall Windows easily by just inserting the Windows cd-rom and booting from it.
RE: Format C:/ Drive by Purity on 03-07-2006 at 01:45 PM
Alright, I thought I would be able to do that, thanks very much.
RE: Format C:/ Drive by Purity on 03-07-2006 at 01:50 PM
About how long does it take to format and reinstall windows?
RE: Format C:/ Drive by RaceProUK on 03-07-2006 at 02:11 PM
Probably a few hours.
RE: Format C:/ Drive by [MR] on 03-07-2006 at 05:59 PM
If you are reinstalling windows xp make sure to call microsoft to get it re activated when you are done or you will not be able to log in windows after 30 days.
RE: Format C:/ Drive by Kryptonate on 03-07-2006 at 06:15 PM
quote:not necesarilly, depends on how many times the key has been used before. And if nothing gets changed in the pc the key should already work.
Originally posted by [MR
]If you are reinstalling windows xp make sure to call microsoft to get it re activated when you are done or you will not be able to log in windows after 30 days.
RE: Format C:/ Drive by [MR] on 03-07-2006 at 06:20 PM
quote:well yes that is true but not always is the case.
Originally posted by Kryptonate
quote:not necesarilly, depends on how many times the key has been used before. And if nothing gets changed in the pc the key should already work.
Originally posted by [MR
]If you are reinstalling windows xp make sure to call microsoft to get it re activated when you are done or you will not be able to log in windows after 30 days.
RE: Format C:/ Drive by Nathan on 03-07-2006 at 06:22 PM
I do advise that you back up your important software 
and files so u can stick them back on once reformated.
RE: Format C:/ Drive by Purity on 03-07-2006 at 08:41 PM
Haha, Yes I already have backed up everything I want. My pictures, my chatlogs and some other text files.
Is there any other way to delete everything without deleting windows XP. fast simple way?
Just wondering. I don't feel like calling Microsoft. 
RE: Format C:/ Drive by Ezra on 03-07-2006 at 08:44 PM
Selecting everything you want to delete and press Delete
Other than that, there's no way to delete everything from your hard drive without losing windows.
Unless your windows is installed on another partition than your files.
RE: Format C:/ Drive by Adeptus on 03-07-2006 at 09:01 PM
If you are not having any problems with your Windows installation, you might want to just clean it up instead of formatting -- uninstall programs and delete files you don't want.
A format and fresh Windows install is not a bad idea, but could end up more involved than you've been led to believe.
RE: Format C:/ Drive by RaceProUK on 03-07-2006 at 09:01 PM
quote:Then, once reinstalled, install network card drivers, and register over the 'Net.
Originally posted by Purity
I don't feel like calling Microsoft
RE: Format C:/ Drive by Kryptonate on 03-07-2006 at 09:03 PM
quote:this won't remove everything as registry keys and such can remain that way and you can remove programs or maps you shouldn't delete.
Originally posted by Ezra
Selecting everything you want to delete and press Delete
RE: Format C:/ Drive by rav0 on 03-08-2006 at 05:38 AM
The format should be quick (as long as you choose quick format 
.
Installing Windows will take less than an hour, but a few times during the installation, it will stop and need feedback from you, so you can't start it and then go out.
Windows will need to be activated, but this can be done over the internet. There is also aa phone service, you call the free number that the computer tells you, you type the challenge code into your phone, and then type the response from the phone service into your computer. If there is a problem (never happened to me, though it should have 
), you will have to speak to a person. The automated service will ask you whether it worked, if it didn't, you can be transferred to a person. Alternatively, just crack Windows 
.
RE: Format C:/ Drive by Curtis on 03-08-2006 at 05:59 AM
When you reformat partition your harddrive into multiple drives (eg. C:\ , D:\ , E:\ , etc.) My dad says your computer will run faster if you do that for some reason.
RE: RE: Format C:/ Drive by rav0 on 03-08-2006 at 07:44 AM
quote:Not necessarily, and only if you know what your doing.
Originally posted by Curtis
When you reformat partition your harddrive into multiple drives (eg. C:\ , D:\ , E:\ , etc.) My dad says your computer will run faster if you do that for some reason.
Purity was (is?) uncertain about formatting, so she shouldn't bother with it, and you both are using incorrect terminology.
You dad is certainly correct, multiple partitions can be engineered to boost PC performance, but if you know what you're doing
.
RE: Format C:/ Drive by RaceProUK on 03-08-2006 at 03:29 PM
Multiple partitions are more useful when you want to separate data from programs. That way, you can reformat without losing work.
RE: RE: RE: Format C:/ Drive by CookieRevised on 03-09-2006 at 01:18 AM
quote:Though it is not because you make multiple (and thus smaller) partitions that your PC will run "faster"...
Originally posted by rav0
You dad is certainly correct, multiple partitions can be engineered to boost PC performance, but if you know what you're doing
Aka: it is not the act and result of making partitions that will (slightly!) boost Windows performance. It is the manner in how you use the partitions that's important. Just dividing your 200GB big harddrive into some partitions will not make Windows run any faster at all.
----------
The reason behind partitionating is so indexing tools, backup tools, etc will need less time to perform their task (on 1 partition)... They will still take the same amount of time when you do a full backup of all partitions of course. Though, such tasks are executed so seldom that performance increase is neglectable, and even then the performance increase would be small compared to everyday use.
The reason that some people might tell you: "because then you can have the windows swapfile on a different partition and thus will make Windows run faster" is mostly BS also. This would only be true when those "partitions" are actually physically different drives, so both the harddisks can work at the same time. When you simply have 1 physical HD, there are only 1 set of HD's heads which can only do 1 thing at a time, partitions or not.
The only valid reason (IMO) to give is because of the file system fragmenting problem. When you divide a HD into several partitions (and you use those partitions of course) fragmenting on 1 specific partition will be relativly less compared to the whole drive when you didn't partitionate. Fragmenting can cause Windows performance decrease big enough to notice, hence why you should regulary defragment your HD (or partition).
RE: RE: Format C:/ Drive by Snake on 03-09-2006 at 03:14 AM
quote:
Originally posted by raceprouk
Multiple partitions are more useful when you want to separate data from programs. That way, you can reformat without losing work.
I got a old computer acting as a server for all my files. I would recomend this to anyone with a old computer lieng around. Works well if you have two diffrent operating systems (I run Ubuntu Linux & WIndows XP home)