Re-formatting A Single Partition

Hi,

I'm needing some info on how I can fix my friends HP Pavilion 761n computer. He's managed to download some viruses that keep returning after I find and delete them. He also has some spyware that keeps coming back after they've been found and deleted. I imagine it's something in the registry but I really don't know that for sure either. So...I'd like to wipe that whole partition out and start fresh again.

This computer didn't come with a Windows XP disk, but it's on the D: partition. The Window XP installation is on the C: partition. How can I totally re-format just the C: partitition and then install XP again from the D: partition? I do have a system recovery disk for it, but it wants to re-format the whole drive, not just a single partition. I'm sure that there's some way to do this, but I don't know, so I'm asking the experts here for some help.

Thank you,
Beard

 

There may not be any way with their 'recovery disk' although with a normal XP install CD it would be fairly simple. Even if you got it done (and there are a couple of things that might work) I can't say for sure how the recovery thing would respond about setting up a new C partition for you. Companies that give you a CD of that sort have done some interesting and often strange things with the load on that CD.

How about if we try to work with you to clean the system? We do good work with virus and spyware issues. If you want to go that route, I will move this to the virus/spyware removal section and we can dive in. It's not unusual for those critters to spring right back if they aren't completely removed and that is often a little tricky to do.

 

Hi Newt,

Thanks for your quick reply. I would really like to wipe out that whole partion. How about leaving it here for some more suggestions before we work on cleaning it up, as a last resort.

Thanks,
Beard

 

Are there other partitions on the drive or just C and D? HP was installing a *recovery* partition (hidden) and then allowing the user to make a recovery CD from that. If that D partition is the recovery program then it can't be deleted. I believe HP's have a System Recovery option during boot (F10). Maybe you can find some useful information here... HP .

B

 

This computer had been sent for repair when it was still under warranty. At that time, instead of of Windows being in a "hidden partition ", it came back with it on it's own partition, D: . That's why I can't format the whole drive.

Christer, I tried to "restore without formating which leaves all user data untouched" but my problem was still there, since the old data was left on there.

What do you think of this...I'm thinking about making a Windows 98 boot disk, with fdisk.exe and format.com on it. Then, while in DOS, I run the command "format c: ". That should wipe out all info on the C: drive but how would I go about installing Windows from the D: drive??

By the way, I've been all over that HP site and have'nt found any info about my problem there.

Thanks for your help,
Beard

 

You do not want to touch that D or hidden partition. That is your restore...your windows. What you want to do is to restore with a quick format and restore it to factory settings.

 

OK...Thanks guys. I'll try that "restore with a quick format" before I try anything else.

Thanks for all of your help,
Beard