How do i ReFormat my computer?(computer Junkies plz..)

ok, i have everything backed up that i need, but i just cant find the place that does all the reformatting, and delets everything...

please tell me where to go, thank you.

i kinda figured that i cant do it through windows, but i dont know how to reformat my harddrive.

1. Remove drive from computer bay.
2. Soak in mixture of water and hydrochloric acid for one minute
3. Strike repeatedly with a 20 pound sledgehammer.

Badaboom, badabing, completely formatted disk.

ok, but that dosent help me too much, i would like to keep my harddrive useable for after i reformat it.

Reformatting isn\'t really for the computer novice but isn\'t too hard.

I presume your running from Win9x (95, 98 etc). Therefore follow these steps.

1) In DOS (either create a boot disk, exit to DOS from Windows or press F8 on bootup and goto comand prompt only). Type the following.

Format c:/u - where c is the hard drive letter. /u bit wipes everything, this HARD DRIVE WON\'T BOOT AFTERWOODS UNTIL A OPERATING SYSTEM IS INSTALLED.

Say yes to format and you don\'t have to give the drive a name so just press enter once the format has been completed.

2) Now you need to be able to load the installer for your Operating System. This is a bit more tricky.

Either insert the CD and onboot up it should autoboot to a menu (you will need to set this in your BIOS, press DEL or F1, or whatever the key is to go to your system BIOS and set the boot order to A: / CD-ROM / Hard Drive).

or

Boot from a bootdisk. A bootdisk can be created BEFORE YOU FORMAT by going into start -> control pannel -> add/remove programs -> windows startup disk.

If your more computer literate, simply insert diskette, goto dos and type format a:/s

either way you need to make sure you CAN ACCESS YOUR CD ROM DRIVE OTHERWISE YOU WILL HAVE PROBLEMS.

SO TEST THIS BEFORE HAND.

Then its a simple case of running the setup program.

Need to know more about creating a boot disk for your CD-ROM drive just ask.

ok i know most of what u said, but how do i test if i can use my cd drive????

I had to do this like a 1/2 a year ago..... I think you open like ms-dos and type c:/format.... and then reload windows and set all of the crap up and your done..... but follow the other guy for all of that....... I\'M ONLY 15..... I forget a lot.... he he.

DO NOT USE  THE FORMAT COMMAND!!!!!

It is true that this is the best way, but unless you know EXACTLY what\'s going on I would not suggest it.  Some computers will refuse to boot with an active CD.  This makes things a lot harder than they have to be.

Instead, the CD should have a format option. . .  somewhere.

Explore the CD a bit, try restarting your computer with the CD in the tray, and see if anything comes up to help you out.

well my dad is a bigger computer nerd than me.... so I hear him mention F-disk....... That is like on the windows start up disk.... I think I used that instead of the c:/format thing.

hahahaha well i did it, and it works great. everything works really well, and i used dell support to guide me through the process..

their customer support kicks!!!

well thanks, kinda, although you didnt help me too much,  the friendly service people at dell did.

I learned using a computer on DOS..  Back before windows came out..  You had to know all these commands..  You kids got it easy now..  But you still need to learn the basics..  

I suggest you all open a dos window and learn to move, copy, delete files all by command...  

Windows just does way to much work for ya.  I guess thats why its easy for a lot of people my age (23) who learned on DOS to go over to using linux or Unix..  Now thats where it gets more complex, buts its also a lot more fun..

peace, Im glad you got it all figured out..  Now you just need to partition your harddrive in about 5 partitions and install LINUX and Windows...  Go do that, it will be fun...

Originally posted by kirath
peace, Im glad you got it all figured out..  Now you just need to partition your harddrive in about 5 partitions and install LINUX and Windows...  Go do that, it will be fun...

Thas right!  My PC is a dual boot Win98 & Win2K, and it has four partitions among two physical drives.  FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS.  It took a while to get that working correctly, let me tell you.

Originally posted by kirath
I learned using a computer on DOS..  Back before windows came out..  You had to know all these commands. . .

Windows just does way to much work for ya.  I guess thats why its easy for a lot of people my age (23) who learned on DOS to go over to using linux or Unix..  Now thats where it gets more complex, buts its also a lot more fun..

Just to set things straight.  I\'m 19 and I started on a dos computer.  Win 3.1 had just came out and was too expencive at the time.

Anybody younger than me that started on dos?

Originally posted by kirath
Back before windows came out..  You had to know all these commands..  You kids got it easy now..  But you still need to learn the basics..  

you sound like my grandpa! "Back in the day, we had to........" Your too much!