Formatting hd in XP?

Hi:
I was wondering, is there a recommended procedure for wiping a hard drive clean and reinstalling everything in XP? I'm still stuck in the days when that meant going to DOS and typing format.

Thanks,

 

Just start the installation of XP, during the install, you will be prompted to format or keep existing partition. Choose to format it.

 

Thanks for the response. Is that the standard/preferred way of formatting a hardrive in XP? I ask about formatting because I'm trying to resolve an elusive problem with the mouse freezing sometimes and getting a "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL" error when performing a certain task, and thought it might just be easier to start from scatch.

Thanks,

 

Found some info on your "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL "...

Here's a couple links on "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL "...

• http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWS2000/techinfo/reskit/en/ProRK/prhd_exe_igcc.htm
• http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000365.htm
• http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q311564&

What's your OS and what were you doing ( "Certain Task ") when you got the error?

All these all seem to point to the same thing "incompatible hardware or an incompatible device driver on your computer ".

 

Thanks for the links dobhar. I've actually looked at similar resources already.

My problem basically started off with the mouse freezing for 1 second every now and then (letting off the "device disconnect" then reconnect sound), with increasing severity. Two days ago, I also noticed that using Norton Anti Virus to scan disk will always return the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL" screen of death midway through (apparently when it reaches the 386 drivers directory).

The problem should either be a device conflict or hardware problem, though which one? I don't see how all devices that have been working for 7 months now would suddenly conflict...

Thanks,

 

george_c - could easily be a hardware issue. I'd suspect cooling I think. Maybe a bad fan or clogged filter. Maybe a marginal CPU cooling system to begin with and it is causing problems when the system is under load.

I also seem to remember that a marginal power supply could do this sort of thing but am not sure. Hardware ain't my thing and I try to avoid all parts of a PC that you can physically touch unless they are buttons on the outside.

At the very least, take the cover off. Remove and reseat your vid and any other cards and start up again with the cover still off. If you see anything obvious, take a closer look. If you don't see anything but the problem vanishes, it is heat-related for sure.

If you (or anyone else looking on here) is an old-timer like I am, you should know that some PCs have thermostatically controlled fans so if one isn't running, it may not be bad. Just not hot enough to make it start.