Format windows xp

I want to format my drive window xp home edition I have the windows xp cd but when I put cd in and reboot won't do anything but go back to my desktop . I went into setup in bios and there isn't anywhere to make my cd rom my default to boot from cd room what do I do?

Thank you

 

Here are the instructions - step by step on how to change your boot sequence - but please beware that since I do not have the model info about your computer or BIOS, these are very general but a good point to start poking around anyhow.

a) Switch on your computer
b) Press Del key
c) You should be placed in CMOS or BIOS setup (both are one and the same thing) - I would be using xxxx to denote either CMOS or BIOS.
d) Look around for Advance xxxx SETUP or Boot Configuration
d) If you have Advance xxxx SETUP - goto this option by arrow keys and press enter - Look for Boot Sequence - Change sequence to CDROM->HDD->FDD. If you have first boot device kind of option, change it to CDROM.
or if you have Boot Configuration Change sequence to CDROM->HDD->FDD
e) Look for an option Save and Exit
f) Goto this option by using arrow keys and press Enter

The system would now reboot and if everything is correct, if you place your WinXP cd in cdrom, you would get a prompt 'Press any key to boot from CD-ROM'. Press any key when you see this prompt and you would be able to boot from CD.

Hope it helps.

 

I went into setup in Bios

Bios feature setup only thing i have there is Boot up Floppy seek (Enabel)

 

What brand and model is the computer? How old?

 

Operating System System Model
Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (build 2600) micronpc.com Millennia GS
Processor a Main Circuit Board b
800 megahertz Intel Pentium III
32 kilobyte primary memory cache
256 kilobyte secondary memory cache Board: 694X-596B-977
Bus Clock: 133 megahertz
BIOS: Award Software International, Inc. 4.51 PG 05/03/2000
Drives Memory Modules c,d
153.54 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
81.97 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

BENQ DVD DD DW1620 USB Device [CD-ROM drive]
DVD_fcs DVD-ROM_fcs7040 SCSI CdRom Device [CD-ROM drive]
SONY CD-RW CRX140E [CD-ROM drive]
3.5" format removeable media [Floppy drive]
MATSHITA LS-120 VER5 00 [Floppy drive]

Lexar Media Inc.CF USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 3
Lexar Media Inc.SD/MS USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 4
Lexar Media Inc.SM/xD USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 2
Maxtor 6Y120L0 [Hard drive] (122.94 GB) -- drive 0, s/n Y3HPA0DE, rev YAR41BW0, SMART Status: Healthy
SAMSUNG SV3064D [Hard drive] (30.61 GB) -- drive 1, s/n 0236J1FN715308, rev PD100-34, SMART Status: Healthy 256 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot 'BANK_0' is Empty
Slot 'BANK_1' has 128 MB
Slot 'BANK_2' has 128 MB
Slot 'BANK_3' is Empty
Local Drive Volumes

c: (on drive 0) 122.93 GB 78.11 GB free
f: (on drive 1) 30.61 GB 3.86 GB free

Network Drives
None detected Controllers Display
Standard floppy disk controller
Primary IDE Channel [Controller]
Secondary IDE Channel [Controller]
VIA Bus Master IDE Controller NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 Model 64 Pro [Display adapter]
EMC 15.7 [Monitor] (15.7 "vis, February 1998)

HSP56 Micromodem
CNet PRO200 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
RAS Async Adapter

 

I've got a computer here that has the same Award bios (Ver. 4.51PG). When you first get into the bios setup select "bios features setup" and then look in the list for "boot sequence ". It (mine) is capable of booting from the CDROM drive. My guess is that this computer is older than yours as mine has Pentium 2 processor.

 

In Bios Feature setup I can't change my boot sequence or I don't no how to.

I have no cd rom in there just boot up from Floppy seek

 

Boot up floppy seek doesn't have anything to do with the boot order. It's just a setting that tells it to check to see if there is a floppy drive each time you start the computer. You can disable it and you'll never no the difference.

The boot sequence should be on the same screen as you see "boot up floppy seek" on. It says just "boot sequence ". To change it you use the down arrow to select it (highlight it) and then use either the page up or page down key to change the order.

When you first get in the bios, use the down arrow to select "bios features setup" and press enter. Then use the down arrow to select "boot sequence" and then use the page up or page down arrow to change the order. Just keep pressing page up or down until you have it the way you want it. Then, press enter, then esc twice and choose to save the changes you made.

Other than that, I don't know what to tell you other than I know that bios is capable of booting from the cdrom drive. If it's not there it may be that the computer manufacturer has it hidden. You can look for something about advanced features if this is the case. If it isn't there you're only option is to use the floppy disks MS supplies or use a Win98 startup disk as Pete said.

 

the second boot device rarely matters if you are trying to boot from CD.

 

True, but setting the a: drive to the second position saves you having to go in and change it again if you should ever want to boot from a floppy disk. And, setting it to be second in the order adds almost no time to the boot up time (on mine I can't tell the difference if it's in there or not) so why not?

 

thank you all

it work I set the cd rom to boot at boot up went into Bios Features setup

and to Sequence and page up till it said cd rom .

 

Ok, glad to hear you got it done. Those bios things can be kind of tricky sometimes.