formating hard drive in xp

Guys
About going nuts over this. I have xp on my computer and want to format hard drive and do a reinstall, file system is NTFS. Have tried everything I know and have been searching for info for days. I remember when I first installed it there was an option for formating the hard drive but am going nuts trying to find it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

Boot up to the install CD and it should be one of the first options.

 

The XP install cd is bootable. You may need to enter CMOS setup and change the order that is listed so that the CD-ROM drive is either first or second on the list.

Then place the XP install cd in the bay and boot to it. When you select to install XP, it will give you the option of formatting the drive. It will impose certain restraints that you must accept if you do the format in this manner. e.g., If your partition is > 32 Gigs, it will insist on formatting it with the NTFS system. If it is < 32 Gigs, you will have the option of either NTFS or FAT32.

If you don't want to be subjected to those restrictions, get a good Win98 boot disk and boot to it. Run the FDISK command from there and you'll have more freedom of selection as to file system types.

The point is, if you want to go with what XP recommends, boot to the install cd and follow the screen directions regarding Format and install. You'll be all set.

If you want to do something different, run FDISK and format to your own choosing, then boot to the install cd and install without formatting, leaving it as you prefer.

Cheers.

 

The problem is that there is no option for formating the drive with the xp cd. I have one with SP-1 on it and it has no option to format the drive. The only options is repair, complete reinstall or repair consol. What now?????

 

Complete reinstall will have that option after you click it.

 

Complete reinstall does not have that option. I have tried all the options and non of them give you the option of formating the drive. I know it is there someplace but can;t find it.

 

Thanks guys. Just kept missing the format screen. All done and working again. Again thanks for all the help.

 

That's the way it happens sometimes. Now, keep in mind that if you ever want to create and format partitions without being subjected to the limitations that the XP install format imposes, use the good old fashioned FDISK and then Format command from a boot disk. That is useful when you want to format a partition >32Gigs using the FAT32 format rather than NTFS. XP install disk formatting won't allow that.

Glad you got it sorted.