Reformatting, Help please.

Hi all
I have a friend that needs to reformat , All he gets is the dreaded blue screen !
Someone told him he is probably missing some files.
Any way, When starting to format it asks him if he wants to reformat, He selects yes and then DOS comes up with this......
" C:\windows>format C:
Drive C: is currently in use by another process. Aborting format "

That's as far as it will let him go. Can someone tell me what he needs to do here.

I have had to reformat before and never had this come up with me. What process would be using DOS where it would not reformat?

Thanks
Geri

 

Is your friend doing the below things. I am a PC tech and do Wndows 98 reformats all the time. This is how they should be done:

Boot the machine from a win 98 boot floppy disk

Then type format c:

You shouldnt get a c:\ path of any kind when running format from the floppy drive. It is a:\.

If you are only missing files, you could also boot from a floppy disk and run windows 98 setup from the cd without a format. A admit though it is better in most cases to format and do it fresh.

Your friend probably has a hardware problem if getting the blue screen, so whatever that problem is may also make it hard. Try removing all non-essential hardware from the machine, like sounds cards, network cards etc. By non-essential i mean what you dont need to set up windows. You can add the hardware again later.

Anyway if still stuck please provide more info.

 

Hi Dez
I believe he is tring to reformat from his windows 98 CD.

He does have a new Computer with XP and is online with that.
I will try to get him here and registered. So he can post.

I will try to find out more info. But I think it would be better for him to be here.
Thanks
Geri

 

Wait one!

Hi

It's possiable your friend is getting blue screen because of hardware not software, try and post the problem 1st before reformat the PC.

 

It reads like he is not booting directly to a floppy or CD. It is reads like it is going to the HD first which should not be.

OR He is mistakingly typing C:\Windows which would make the error message true I believe.

IF He is booting from the Windows 98 Startup disk DIRECTLY FROM a power off state he should not get any messages at all about the C: drive as it is/should not even be in use.

Is that machine a home built or an OEM ( Dell, HP, Compaq or such ) Some/most of them take a special Recovery CD.

BillyBob

 

Hi All
Well he said that he tried to boot from his 98 CD and that it would not do anything, Just a blue screen.
I told him I would go to his house and try it, That's a maybe??

Could someone give me the steps (basicly) I should use to try a reformat from his CD.
He says he has a solution......His 12 gauge shotgun
He does not have a recovery CD because the tower was built for him, So I'm guessing that dumping everything and starting from scratch is out of the question??

BillyBob
Two differet machines, His old one is windows 98 His new one XP.

Thanks
Geri

 

A comprehensive guide to doing a clean install of Windows 98 is on this page.

 

If he does not have a recovery CD of some sort then the person that built it for him was not very knowledgable. If the machine was home built then there should be at a 3.5 inch Windows 98 Startup disk. With which the machine can be booted and use to format the Hard drive whether it contains an OS or not.

If if was built by Dell, HP or whoever there should be what is know as a Recovery CD.

I did not ask for the OS. I asked " Was the machine made by a company known as Dell, Hewlet Packard etc ? "

BillyBob