BleepingComputer.com: Format C under XP

Ok, I do not know about doing this, but the thought has been in my head ever since I read your post yesterday so thought I would throw it out.

What about, making it so that the only boot device is the cdrom drive?

The way I am thinking, this would make it so that it would be forced to stay at that drive, not moving on to the C drive before the cd can be read.

Like I said, I do not know if that would work but thought it might be worth a shot???????

That's exactly what I used to with much older motherboards and BIOSes...change all boot options to the optical drive.

Should not be necessary...but the World Of Computers is full of real-life "should-not" situations .

Louis

hamluis & Stang777:

I think I'll give it a shot. The more I think about it though it worries me because if the root of the delay problem is within XP, then why does it have the delay before XP boots? I'm no expert but doesn't that happen outside XP? Or is DOS so far removed from XP that XP still has control before it boots? Either way, as long as I can go back into the bios and reset the boot order I will give it a try. Thanks for the help.


Wow, gave it a try and no dice. The bios settings apply and are there when I go back in to check, but no matter what I try it still boots to the hard drive. To be more specific, I put the recover disc in the drive, restart the computer, then when the screen says to select the bios I go into the bios and make all the boot settings to be the drive where the CD is installed. Then I restart the computer, let it go past the motherboard screen where I can select bios or post, it goes to a black screen that displays "press any key to boot from the CD" I hear the drive spool up, push a key and in about 10 seconds it starts the boot cycle from the hard drive. I'm at a loss now, not sure where to go from here. Could it be the way the cables are run to the drives?

This post has been edited by bolterdog: 25 May 2009 - 11:16 PM

You could temporary disconnect either your CD Drive or your DVD Drive, in case there is a conflict between them, such as incorrect Jumper Settings or faulty Cables? That could cause it.

You now have stated two different things...

a. That you have a Microsoft XP install CD.

b. That you are trying to install from a recovery disk.

Louis

hamluis:

Sorry for the confusion. The CD I have is the one that came with the computer. The computer came with XP Home Edition installed and the CD is made by the vendor with the license number attached to the top of the computer case. Any suggestions appreciated.

This post has been edited by bolterdog: 26 May 2009 - 09:56 PM

Clarification appreciated .

That means that you are trying to install XP anew from a recovery CD...which does not necessarily follow any of the procedures which refer to a Micrsoft XP CD.

Recovery CDs/partitions play by the rules of the vendor as far as repairing, reinstalling, etc. I suggest you review those and that may explain the difficulties you are having...if you are not following the procedures for using the CD provided by the vendor/manufacturer.

Louis

Thanks for hanging in on this. I read all the readme files on the CD I have and there are no instructions for anything except a new install. When I click on the install icon it gives me a box that says it can't procede because the version currently installed is newer than the one on the CD. It then instructs me to boot from the CD and follow the instructions from there with all the standard disclaimers about loosing data etc. Then I'm back where I started, unable to boot from the CD.

I've asked if there is a way to wipe the drive and then use this CD (which says it is an install CD) and have not gotten a reply. I'm not sure if that is because it can't be done after XP is installed or if there is some other reason that doing that causes harm.

Obvioulsy I have a second computer that I am using to make these posts so perhaps I should make clear that I would like to sort out my troubled machine because it has specific hardware that I use for audio work and I would rather not transfer all that hardware unless I have to. I suppose I could go get another hard drive and start that way, but the one I would like to reformat fits all my requirements and seems to be working so until I can understand why it can't be used I will continue to gain knowledge.

If there is a more appropriate forum for this or some other source, let me know. Until then I hope to hear back. Thanks.

Since you have two computers...I suggest removing that drive and attaching it as a secondary drive on the second machine...then running a manufacturer's diagnostic on it.

Hard Drive Installation and Diagnostic Tools - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic28744.html

Run the long test, if short and long versions are offered.

That should help pinpoint the problem.

Louis

I have run the long test using Seatools allready (Seagate drive.) All tests pass. I see the listing for DiscWizard but it says its for installing a second drive and for copying and partitioning. Not sure if I can use that to wipe the drive and start again. Is there a reason Not to do that?

This post has been edited by bolterdog: 27 May 2009 - 10:07 PM

Not sure what you are asking...but I've never used the Disc Wizard application.

If you had the drive connected as a secondary...in a different system...you should have been able to just use Disk Management to delete all structures on the drive, assuming that you cannot do that with the XP CD.

If the drive passes the long test...I really don't have anything else to suggest. That kind of points the finger at your media you are attempting to use.

Louis

Firstly, the cd youre using, have you verified it works properly on your other pc? Youve mentioned you had a second from which youve made your relevant posts.

Secondly, following the same methodology have you tried to use the cd drive from the pc you are trying to fix on your second pc?

This would certainly isolate whatever problem you are having, whether it be hardware or your disc.

However the solution to your problem of formatting and installing said OS is quite simple if you have a home network.

It is quite easy to copy the windows xp home cd files to a folder on your secondary pc (Provided the CD works). Share said folder and use the boot floppies to install windows. Youve said that the pc is old, so im guessing windows would prob have support for your network card.

After youve used the floppies it would allow you to enter the recovery console, you simply need to use the format command (Format C:) to format, or use the installation to format. If you use the installation follow the instructions below to get you into the setup environment.

A simple how-to:

http://www.networkcert.net/xp/install.htm#network

Sunildev.

Sunildev & hamluis:
Unfortunately I do not have a home network. I have put the recovery XP media in the second working computer and it boots from the drive and enters the Window setup progam correctly. I have swapped the ribbon cables in the troubled PC and have the hard drive on one and the optical drive on another with only those 2 drives connected to the motherboard. I once again selected the optical drive as the only boot device and on boot it asks to press any key to boot from the CD but still goes straight to the hard drive after I push any key. Now my concern is that I have a hardware issue and if I take the drive and wipe it in the good computer as suggested by hamluis I will still have the same boot issue. Any help on where to go next will be appreciated.

Also uninstalled the optical drive using device manager, reinstalled on start up and no change.

This post has been edited by bolterdog: 31 May 2009 - 02:03 PM