reformat a laptop and reinstall xp

Due to a virus on my lap top i reinstalled XP over the top of the existing XP. I now have two sets of XP on my hard drive. Thought i could live with it but it is getting very confusing as to where my files are stored as sometimes they get saved in the previous XP and sometimes in the new XP.
My question is? ? ?
Is reformatting a lap top the same as reformatting a desktop. My desktop runs 98 not xp.
Will i need a boot up floppy (6disk) or will i be able to do it with just my XP system disk that came with my lap top. It is an origional genuine XP disk.
I have a separate disk which is the drivers for the Lap top

 

Hello stitch,

"Is reformatting a lap top the same as reformatting a desktop. "

As far I know it is. But its not formatting that you need to do. Disks need to be formated only once. Its fdisk that you need to do, that wipes the partition/drive.

"or will i be able to do it with just my XP system disk that came with my lap top. "

The install disk will do.

Regards - Charles

 

Hi Charles

How do i do an fdisk to wipe ther drive clean then.

Stitch

 

Hi PeteC

Re installing XP is not the problem
I actualy have already re reinstalled the program except it didnt install over the top of the xp already on the computer it put it alongside it for some reason (reason only known to those little gremlins that live inside your computers that is) I have two sets of XP and it gets confusing as to where my files are being saved. One time it will put them in the old on and sometimes in the new.
What i would like to do is wipe them off and reinstall one only.
I knowi sait in a previous thread on win98 that i wouldnt do this and would pay someone else to do it for me but he what harm can i do . If it doesnt work then i'l pay some one to do it for me.
What i want to know is ? is wiping a laptop winXp drive clean the same as wiping a desktop Win98 drive clean. I did that one fine once i got your's and firedancers instructions clear in my head.
Stitch

 

Thanks Pete
I will give it a go. As i now have the old desk top up and running i can at least keep an eye on this thread if i need help at all.
Stitch

 

Help PeteC

Pete I tried to get into the Fdisk menu on starting up my lap top but i cant find it
I first pressed ctr alt and s to get into the system config but could'nt find anything in there, except the order of drive boot up
this is........
1 HDD drive C,
2 CD Rom Drive
3 Disket A Drive
tried booting with cd rom in drive nothing happened went to desk top
tried a boot floppy that i downloaded from that site you said(6 disks) tried this also by putting the disket A Drive before CD rom Drive. again straight to desktop

also tried pressing F8 as in my book this is the menu i received
1 safe mode
2 safe mode with networking
3 safe mode with command prompt
4 enable boot logging
5 enable VGA mode
6 last know good configeration
7 directory services retore point
8 debugging mode
9 normaly
10 reboot
11 return to OS choices menu

though some of these items are on the menu of a win98 menu the others are not.
not sure which to choose can you help.

 

stitch - fdisk isn't a part of the NT systems. You'll need a Win9x/ME boot disk that has fdisk on it. Google search for boot disk downloads and you'll find tons of places that offer boot disk downloads for free. Get a 9X one (98 is best for you) and make sure the fdisk app is on there as well as CD support that will actually support your CD.

 

Newt
This might sound a bit daft but why would I need a 98 boot disk when im running XP.

I downloaded the XP boot disk already and that doesnt work.
I have a 98boot from my husbands computer which went belly up recently and i have already reformatted and it works like a dream now.
Now i have turned to my lap top to sort out its problems and i run XP.
I keep looking for menues that look similar to 98win??????
I am looking for the menu that lets me start computer with CD Rom suport or floppy support I know what to do from there. But i cant find this menu

 

Hi Christer,

I mixed in the "formating" of virgin disks with this thread. Just should have stuck to fdisk

There are references to the differences between the *formats* - have to track them down.

I'm going away for a few weeks so my repsonses are going to be slow, if I get a chance to respond at all.

Regards - Charles

 

Hi

All i want to do is wipe off any information on my computer and reinstall XP.
To do this i need to get into the menu that does this but i dont know how to get into it, or if its the list in my previous post which option do i chose.
I need to wipe the comp clean as i have two sets of XP due to a reinstall i tried to do right over the top of one that as already on. for some reason it put it side by side so now when i file a letter or something its very difficult to know which XP its filed in.
So wiping all off and making a clean start is what i want to do.
All my work is backed up on floppy, CD, and USB stick so no problem with loosing anything important.
Any help appreciated
thanx

 

stitch - what Christer wrote is exactly correct.

I simply put in about where and how to get fdisk since you had said you were looking for it and not finding it with XP. Reasonable since it isn't there. I wasn't suggesting you use it for an XP install. You could I suppose but you really don't need it.

Sorry for causing confusion. Some folks just don't feel right setting up a new OS load unless they can use fdisk to remove an existing partition and I've given up trying to convince them it isn't necessary. I just point them to a copy since it's an unneeded step but harmless.

 

Hi All
I managed to get my laptop cleaned up and windows installed again.
BUT!!!!!!!!!
now dont laugh
I went on to the internet and went to my email and up poped a box Remote Procedure Call, this computer will shut dow, please save all work. Then it counts down over 60 seconds and shuts down and reboots. (i can here you laughing) If this is what i think it is im gonna have to clean it all up again arnt i. Blast it

 

PeteC - nope. Has happend more than a few times. Most folks do the reinstall and get bit before they can get out to update their AV files.

stitch - major bummer. If you can, try to get a copy of the Microsoft MSBlast patch (036 I think) and have it handy. After you get things fixed, load the patch before you connect to the outside world. That way you may get an infection but it won't be able to do any damage and can be easily cleaned.

 

Does anyone know where i can et the patch from to download onto a floppy or cd. Is it possible to download it through a win98 computer on to a disk?
thanks