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PROBLEM REFORMATTING COMPUTER

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engeland
I have an HP COMPAQ nx6120 notebook which was free dos when i bought it. A few weeks ago, i got hit by virus, so i had to reformat my computer. I had problems ever since. I can't seem to make my comp reboot from CD. I've enabled it in my BIOS, but when it prompts to Optical Device Drive, it doesn't read from CD and goes straight into windows.

I wanna know what may be the problem and how can i fix it. Note, i do not have a floppy drive.

Also, i've attempted reformatting 3 times already. I installed windows xp from windows itself, so the WINDOWS folder gets overwritten. This caused more probs, coz somehow the memory does not erase. I dont know how to put this. um, its like, i've used 10GB, but there's nothing there when i've reformatted. It's like, the files from my previous format has not been erased.

How do i fix this?
Rocky3478
Try doing a complete format, not just a quick format, if that is what you've been doing. It sounds like you've never fully erased the operating system. You need that HD to have absolutly nothing on it....
corey
If you don't have any luck from your Windows CD, you might want to try formatting the hard drive with another operating system, like one of the later Windows 98 cds or a Linux CD. No need to install the operating system at the time. Just format. Then, reinstall Windows XP.

This is, of course, dependent on you getting the CD rom drive to be recognized. I had the same problem with my old IBM desktop (really old). The optical drive wouldn't read newer CDs reliably. Remember that CDs used to be 650mb. Perhaps you'd have better luck with an external drive. Can you borrow one from someone?
mOrpheuS
Rocky3478 wrote:
Try doing a complete format, not just a quick format, if that is what you've been doing. It sounds like you've never fully erased the operating system. You need that HD to have absolutly nothing on it....

A quick format is sufficient to erase the OS.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=302686

An Upgrade, however, is different. An upgrade will preserve your old files.
engeland
corey wrote:
If you don't have any luck from your Windows CD, you might want to try formatting the hard drive with another operating system, like one of the later Windows 98 cds or a Linux CD. No need to install the operating system at the time. Just format. Then, reinstall Windows XP.

This is, of course, dependent on you getting the CD rom drive to be recognized. I had the same problem with my old IBM desktop (really old). The optical drive wouldn't read newer CDs reliably. Remember that CDs used to be 650mb. Perhaps you'd have better luck with an external drive. Can you borrow one from someone?


your saying that the older version of windows will allow formatting? how do i do this exactly? do i boot from CD?

what's the difference between installing and formatting?

i'm a little lost here. so be patient with me Razz
cheeta
Well it can also happen is that the Bootable CD has some problem in Boot sector... or may be the optical drive in unable to read from the CDs...

Try with another bootable CD to format the HDD....
engeland
i have tried that already. i have 2 cds to try from. it seems that my optical drive can't read the cd.

but i'd like to know how i can do this alternatively with the installation of an old version of windows Confused
{name here}
Rocky3478 wrote:
Try doing a complete format, not just a quick format, if that is what you've been doing. It sounds like you've never fully erased the operating system. You need that HD to have absolutly nothing on it....

The only way to completely erase your disk is to pass the drive with zeros, which is impractical unless you have to get rid of the drive and have your private information on it.

Quote:
i have tried that already. i have 2 cds to try from. it seems that my optical drive can't read the cd.

but i'd like to know how i can do this alternatively with the installation of an old version of windows

It's not your drive its your motherboard that could be causing your problem. Your BIOS may be incompatible to the type of boot loader used in the CD. I know this is true for Hiren's Boot CD.

Are you even sure it is a boot CD? Some Windows upgrade CDs aren't bootable, and their setups must be launched through windows(Windows 2000) or use floppy diskettes to boot off of before the CD can be read(this is the case for OS/2 Warp 4, 3, and some Win9x versions).
msjcomp
I think, if u want to install but u don't have a floppy drive and ur cdrom/dvdrom optic not good enaugh to read the cd/dvd. there is two alternative for u.
1. If ur board support booting from USB, u can use external cd/dvdrom drive with operating system/windows cd on it.
2. U can unplug ur notebook harddrive and install it with adapter to ide port so u can install from pc,but if u finish install with ur pc don't forget to setting in ur device manager to default one (such as IDE ATA/ATAPI controller).

I hope it can help u.

Very Happy
engeland
{name here} i guess your right, the two cds i have arent bootable cds. i got a new copy from a friend and the whole thing worked!
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