Old aRO Forums

The 'Other' Section => AnesisRO Archive => Archive => General Questions => Topic started by: Bomber Will on January 18, 2008, 01:32:49 pm

Title: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Bomber Will on January 18, 2008, 01:32:49 pm

I right clicked on my C drive by mistake and noticed that it can be formatted. Does that delete everything from the computer or just stuff installed thats not windows related?

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: NeoMagus on January 18, 2008, 01:34:31 pm

If its the format Im thinking of, it should wipe the drive clean, leaving nothing remaining.

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: AceJay on January 18, 2008, 02:29:28 pm

Will, how much space did your HD have originally?

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Bomber Will on January 18, 2008, 02:30:47 pm

My new laptop: it was supposed to be 250GB, only came with 220GB and its at 180GB now

I want to do it on my old laptop though since its near garbage anyways atm.

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: AceJay on January 18, 2008, 02:33:26 pm

Backup data, save stuff, reformat, reinstall suff, TURN OFF UAC AND AUTOMATIC BACKUP.

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Bomber Will on January 18, 2008, 02:35:34 pm

I don't need anything in my old laptop so no need to save but how do you "TURN OFF UAC AND AUTOMATIC BACKUP"?

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: AceJay on January 18, 2008, 02:40:04 pm

On Vista. Look in the Users section for UAC, and for Auto Backups, I forgot, but just type it into the StartSeach box.

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Bomber Will on January 18, 2008, 02:52:56 pm

Thanks, I just turned off making restore points and I'm turning off the UAC now.

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Mirandu on January 18, 2008, 03:01:33 pm

Well, if you format your system drive while running Windows.. uh.. Windows will stop you, because it can't delete itself. If you mean another drive or partition, yeah. Formatting wipes everything clean.

If you want to format the system drive, it depends:
If you're using Win 98, go to the full MS-DOS mode and type in "format c:"
If you're using 2000 or XP, insert the installation disk, and while choosing a partition to install the system, choose "format partition with NTFS...".

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Bomber Will on January 18, 2008, 03:03:10 pm

D: Damn, I really dont want to do it that way. Nothing really gets deleted completed that way.

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Mirandu on January 18, 2008, 03:04:10 pm

Quote from: Bomber Will on January 18, 2008, 03:03:10 pm

D: Damn, I really dont want to do it that way. Nothing really gets deleted completed that way.

How do you mean? Format c: -> instant death for every bit on your HD.


I mean, if you re-install an operating system, the setup formats your HD at first, and after everything is clean and new, the OS is installed. So really EVERYTHING gets deleted that way.

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Bomber Will on January 18, 2008, 03:08:16 pm

Quote from: Mirandu on January 18, 2008, 03:01:33 pm

If you're using 2000 or XP, insert the installation disk, and while choosing a partition to install the system, choose "format partition with NTFS...".

I tried that like 6 times over the years on various computers/laptops and I always find stuff that shouldn't be coming back in the c drive.

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: AceJay on January 18, 2008, 03:08:56 pm

Then you didn't delete the original partition >_>

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Mirandu on January 18, 2008, 03:12:58 pm

Take a magnet, and put it onto your HD. ??? I hope you don't do it, since it was a joke.. kinda..

But really, I think Windows asks you, if you want to overwrite your old installation, or if you want to format everything. Never had any problems with that.

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Bomber Will on January 18, 2008, 03:40:53 pm

I get a message saying something like warning this will override the current windows info loss blah blah blah and some stuff still doesnt delete completely.

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: AceJay on January 18, 2008, 03:53:55 pm

AH WHAT.

Dude no, you're gonna fuck up your computer.

Quote from: AceJay on January 18, 2008, 02:33:26 pm

Backup data, save stuff, reformat, reinstall stuff, TURN OFF UAC AND AUTOMATIC BACKUP.

Emphasis on the first 4 things.

Find your OS disc.

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Mirandu on January 18, 2008, 05:00:19 pm

Nah, he doesn't want to format his new notebook, but his old one, and there's no stuff to backup.

Quote from: Bomber Will on January 18, 2008, 02:35:34 pm

I don't need anything in my old laptop so no need to save.

But tell me, do you want to reinstall XP on the old notebook? If so, there WILL be a screen where you have to choose a partition to install Windows. Press the key to delete the partition (for us Germans it's the "L" key I think (L -> Löschen: delete, erase)), then choose it, and take the "Format with NTFS file system" option.

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Bomber Will on January 18, 2008, 05:37:43 pm

Yea I want to reinstall XP on old notebook. I do get that screen, gives me 2 options but one cant be touched or something

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Mirandu on January 18, 2008, 05:44:23 pm

Hmm.. I would test it on my other PC for you, but since I don't have an english copy of Windows XP, I can't really help you with the texts and keys to press.

Well, what are the two options?

Title: Re: Question on formatting a computer
Post by: Bomber Will on January 18, 2008, 06:16:07 pm

I don't rember offhand, I'd have to do the actual reformat to check