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cant format C on DOS

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by edwin, 2006/08/26.

  1. 2006/08/26
    edwin

    edwin Inactive Thread Starter

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    i got a Dell 8400, crashed many times, would like to format C drive and start fresh. but when i am in DOS, cant find C at all. tried to use Windows xp cd, utility cd, win98 boot disk, patition magic boot disk, i can all see the C drive patittioned and health, but once i go to install windows and format the c drive, window cant find it. DOS cant find it. pls help.
    edwin
     
    edwin,
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  2. 2006/08/26
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    edwin - Welcome to the Board :)



    I understand that when you boot from the XP CD you are unable to install Windows as the C:\ drive is not found?

    If the drive is formatted NTFS a Win 98 Startup disk will not see it as 98 cannot read that file system.

    You are not by any chance trying to format the drive from inside Windows?

    I have listed some instructions below for reinstalling XP on a drive where XP already exists - if these do not work check in the BIOS that the drive is recognised and I suggest you download and run the disk diagnostics supplied by the hard drive manufacturer.
     
    PeteC,
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  4. 2006/08/27
    edwin

    edwin Inactive Thread Starter

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    edwin said: i did!!!

    yes peter, thanks. that was what i did. but when i press enter, b4 f8, it said there were no hard drive connected to the computer, i actually have 2 of them. i went to bio set up, they were all there, i ran the hard disk diagnostic, they all pass. ha, i cant do nothing exept crying!!!
     
    Last edited: 2006/08/27
    edwin,
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  5. 2006/08/27
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Is the drive a SATA drive (Serial ATA) or a PATA drive (EIDE - parallel ATA) ?

    If it is a SATA drive you need to load the drivers from a floppy at F6 early in the process - before you get to the F8 point.
     
    PeteC,
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  6. 2006/08/27
    edwin

    edwin Inactive Thread Starter

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    peter, good day mate, that was quick! it is SATA, i did try F6 many many times but the computer keep ignoring it, and go to loading xp setup. what can i do? please save me! by the way, i dont have a flobby whith this computer package.

    i got this message this time from the windows setup:

    setup was unable to load support for the mass storage device you specified. Currently, setup will load support for the following mass storatge devices(s):
    <none>
    *to specify additional SCSI adapters, CD-ROMdrivers, or sepcial disk controllers for yse with windows, including those for whick you have a device support disk from a mass storage device manufacturer, press S
    *if you do not have any device support disks from a mass storage device manufacturer or do not want to specify additional mass storage devices for use with windows, press ENTER

    if i press S, it ask me for a flobby with i never have. if i press ENTER, it said that there were no hard disk connected to the computer.
     
    Last edited: 2006/08/27
    edwin,
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  7. 2006/08/27
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    The lack of a floppy drive is a PITA especially when trying to load SATA drivers and I do not know of a workround - especially when you probably do not have the SATA driver disk.

    However the (hopefully) good news is that according to Google the Dell 8400 comes with a Recovery partition containing a mirror of the drive as delivered. Check that out in Disk Management and check out the hits here .....

    http://www.google.com/search?source...GGLG,GGLG:2006-15,GGLG:en&q=Dell+8400+restore

    Good luck :)
     
    PeteC,
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  8. 2006/08/27
    edwin

    edwin Inactive Thread Starter

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    peter, what a good man u r. thank you very much for all this. i checked the pattition, there is no ghost image. i tried CTRL F11 as well, did not work. i am in Australia, the Dell 8400 in here was not the same somewhere else, what a discrimination!!!! especially they dont put it in the menu supplied. thanks again. i will follow your link and keep searching...
     
    Last edited: 2006/08/27
    edwin,
    #7
  9. 2006/08/27
    barrywazhere

    barrywazhere Inactive

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    your dell


    edwin

    good morning

    my name is barry

    my email is Removed by Moderator

    go into the bios and see what you drives are in eg master or slave

    f10 do not save setting

    switch off the computer and take out the drive that works

    leave in the other drive and only cdrom


    start computer
    use windows98 boot disk

    after windows has found cdrom goto a:drive

    fdisk check the drive information

    goto a:drive
    format c drive
    all data y
    after install windows 98
    reboot

    see if the windows 98 works
     
    barrywazhere,
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  10. 2006/08/27
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Barry - Welcome to the Board :)

    If you read the first post in this thread you will see that edwin has tried a Win 98 boot disk without success :) He also wants to reinstall XP, not Win 98.

    I have edited your post to remove your email address for your own security - invites spam and, as you will see in my signature all responses must be on the Board, for the benefit off all members.
     
    PeteC,
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  11. 2006/08/27
    barrywazhere

    barrywazhere Inactive

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    hello peter
    I have used a windows98 boot disk to format window xp back to fat 32 and then upgrade on windows 98 to xp on many times

    yours barry
    at help services
     
    barrywazhere,
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  12. 2006/08/27
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Barry

    I think you have missed the point - edwin has posted that a Win 98 startuo disk does not work on the PC, otherwise I agree with what you say.
     
    PeteC,
    #11
  13. 2006/08/28
    mattman

    mattman Inactive Alumni

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    Are you using the original Dell installation disk or a retail version of Windows? If you are using the original Dell installation disk then there may be a problem with the partition information.

    Check the Windows installation/reinstallation information for your system at the Dell website. (They did not supply a floppy drive...how do you reinstall Windows on a SATA drive?). They will supply the answer.

    Matt
    Edit: Sorry Edwin, I do not see it as Windows problem, but as a Dell problem. Dell probably have specialized systems for installing Windows.
    If it is because of it being an Aussie version, ask Dell Support -> Australia.
     
    Last edited: 2006/08/28
    mattman,
    #12
  14. 2006/08/28
    barrywazhere

    barrywazhere Inactive

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    hello i am using the hard disk restore information on a patition on one hard disk
     
    barrywazhere,
    #13
  15. 2006/08/28
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Barry - I think you are lost here - Matt is replying to edwin, NOT to you.

    Your post which I split to a new thread is here ....

    http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=57220
     
    PeteC,
    #14
  16. 2006/08/29
    mattman

    mattman Inactive Alumni

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    Edwin,
    I looked up the installation information at Dell if you have not seen it.

    General
    http://supportapj.dell.com/support/...g=&results=true&category=0&OperatingSystem=47

    Windows installation for the Dimension 8400
    http://supportapj.dell.com/support/...1A&journalid=78F6CF67372511DBB955294456221829

    http://supportapj.dell.com/support/...9665CD&docid=E49D50D7458ABD73E0301E0A551736EB

    Looks like you will need to borrow a floppy drive and data cable (you can just hook it up without bolting it in) until you install Windows.

    Matt
    Edit: I just found the Windows Installation link does not work. It is part of the "guide" and is probably run in Java script. You will need to navigate yourself. Also, I found you need to use Internet Explorer if you are running another browser.
     
    Last edited: 2006/08/29
    mattman,
    #15

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