How Do You Reformat...?

[InNeedOfHelp]

How do you reformat a Dell Dimension 2400 computer with windows xp? It got hit hard and I've tried almost everything to clean it and I'm tired of working on it. I just want to start over and not worry about it anymore. It's my moms computer so I don't have any other info about it.

[IanG]

Caution: Save any needed data or settings before doing this! Also, make sure you have driver disks for your components!

 

If you want to look at a webpage for more detailed info with pics...

http://www.blackviper.com/Articles/OS/Inst...tallxphome1.htm

 

 

This should be in the User to User section, but I'll help.

 

Do you have the WindowsXP CD and its License key to enter? If so, continue

 

When you reboot, press the Del key, or F1, or whatever the computer specifies to get into settings/bios. Once you get into BIOS, look under General system settings or something near it, and you should see a boot order that looks somewhat like this:

 

First boot: HDD0

Second boot: CD-ROM

Third boot: Floppy

 

You have to change those around so the CD-ROM boots first, and your Harddrive boots second. Once your done with that, save and exit out of the BIOS. Insert your WindowsXP CD. When its booting up (you might have to reboot again after the WinXP cd is in to get it to recgonize), It will ask you to press any key to continue. Press any key, and you will go into the setup.

 

It will start loading windows things, and you will get to a setup screen. You will see your current harddrive listed. You must delete that partition. I think you have to Press D on the main partition, and you keep following its steps to delete. Then it should bring you back to a main screen that has Unpartitioned space. Install WindowsXP on that Unpartitioned space by pressing Enter. Continue with the setup, and it will start reformatting your harddrive, and install a fresh copy of WinXP

Edited March 12, 2005 by IanG

[InNeedOfHelp]

I'm sorry. I thought I was in user to user. Thank you for the help.