Solve : Reformat Windows XP without any disks?

1.	Solve : Reformat Windows XP without any disks?
Answer» I have windows xp and may need to reformat it soon. However the computer never came with any disks for me to do that. How can I either make my own disk or reformat another way? thanksIs the OS and other restore material on one of the partitions? The manual that comes with the computer usually tells exactly how to make restore disks. ...Have you tried that? "Is the OS and other restore material on one of the partitions?" by this do you mean i find it on the C:/ drive or something? if so, what file name am i looking for exactly?Well,your C:\ drive should have a hidden partition perhaps it is called D:\ but it is still only the one drive unless you have added a hard drive...Manufacturers are to cheap to do it right to start with.You should have somewhere in your owners manual that tells you how to make a one time copy of restore disks.[Off topic] street1, there is no C:\ drive... There is only the c:\ partition. [/Off topic] You may use knoppix or another LINUX free live cd to see what partitions do you have on your computer (for example you may use Knoppix with gparted or qtparted). Why do you say you have to reformat the c: partition? (attention: I said partition and not all the partitions; and I mean only the windows partition in my affirmation).You can also go to Control Panel->Adminstartive Tools->Computer Management->Disk Management. It will tell you all partition on your hd. B.Some brand name systems come with that 'hidden' partition with on it. Another way to tell is when the system boots you'll see a notice something like..." Hit F2 to restore"... Alan <>< Quote from: viking on March 26, 2007, 03:24:44 AM [Off topic] street1, there is no C:\ drive... There is only the c:\ partition. [/Off topic] You may use knoppix or another Linux free live cd to see what partitions do you have on your computer (for example you may use Knoppix with gparted or qtparted). Why do you say you have to reformat the c: partition? (attention: I said partition and not all the partitions; and I mean only the windows partition in my affirmation). Well,thank you viking.We will use perfect English from now on. What is C:\ drive? Folks round here refer to it as the hard drive. We know it is a hard disk but, why elaborate? You got me chortling again. COLOthers call it the "hard disk drive". C: is the drive designation given to WHATEVER you have windows on. Traditionally, floppies are A:, CD-Roms D: E: F:, etc... some (not all) PC's have a hidden drive that pre-built machines use in case of hard-drive failure. You said it didn't come with a formatting disk. Did it come with a Restore disk or an XP install? I'm surprised, nobody asked what kind of PC you use (Dell, Gateway, etc.)Looks like the lights are getting dimmer..... Hey All, long time... Back to the main , alot of systems do not have the recovery partition however if you computer is a name brand that came with xp installed ie. Dell, HP, Gateway ect... you can contact them online and get recovery disks that are the original to your system and will clean install windows from a new or FORMATTED HD... it costs normaly about 20 bucks to have them shipped to your house... $20?? That's an OUTRAGE! I'd demand it free, S&H included. But then, this kind of corporate crap is why I MOVED to OEM and self-assembled machines, and never looked back.

Answer»

I have windows xp and may need to reformat it soon. However the computer never came with any disks for me to do that. How can I either make my own disk or reformat another way? thanksIs the OS and other restore material on one of the partitions?

The manual that comes with the computer usually tells exactly
how to make restore disks. ...Have you tried that?
"Is the OS and other restore material on one of the partitions?"

by this do you mean i find it on the C:/ drive or something? if so, what file name am i looking for exactly?Well,your C:\ drive should have a hidden partition perhaps
it is called D:\ but it is still only the one drive unless you
have added a hard drive...Manufacturers are to cheap to
do it right to start with.You should have somewhere in
your owners manual that tells you how to make a one time
copy of restore disks.[Off topic]
street1, there is no C:\ drive... There is only the c:\ partition.
[/Off topic]

You may use knoppix or another LINUX free live cd to see what partitions do you have on your computer (for example you may use Knoppix with gparted or qtparted).

Why do you say you have to reformat the c: partition? (attention: I said partition and not all the partitions; and I mean only the windows partition in my affirmation).You can also go to Control Panel->Adminstartive Tools->Computer Management->Disk Management. It will tell you all partition on your hd.

B.Some brand name systems come with that 'hidden' partition with on it. Another way to tell is when the system boots you'll see a notice something like..." Hit F2 to restore"...

Alan <>< Quote from: viking on March 26, 2007, 03:24:44 AM

[Off topic]
street1, there is no C:\ drive... There is only the c:\ partition.
[/Off topic]

You may use knoppix or another Linux free live cd to see what partitions do you have on your computer (for example you may use Knoppix with gparted or qtparted).

Why do you say you have to reformat the c: partition? (attention: I said partition and not all the partitions; and I mean only the windows partition in my affirmation).

Well,thank you viking.We will use perfect English from now on.

What is C:\ drive? Folks round here refer to it as the hard drive.

We know it is a hard disk but, why elaborate?

You got me chortling again. COLOthers call it the "hard disk drive".

C: is the drive designation given to WHATEVER you have windows on. Traditionally, floppies are A:, CD-Roms D: E: F:, etc... some (not all) PC's have a hidden drive that pre-built machines use in case of hard-drive failure.

You said it didn't come with a formatting disk. Did it come with a Restore disk or an XP install? I'm surprised, nobody asked what kind of PC you use (Dell, Gateway, etc.)Looks like the lights are getting dimmer..... Hey All, long time... Back to the main , alot of systems do not have the recovery partition however if you computer is a name brand that came with xp installed ie. Dell, HP, Gateway ect... you can contact them online and get recovery disks that are the original to your system and will clean install windows from a new or FORMATTED HD... it costs normaly about 20 bucks to have them shipped to your house... $20?? That's an OUTRAGE! I'd demand it free, S&H included. But then, this kind of corporate crap is why I MOVED to OEM and self-assembled machines, and never looked back.

Solve : Reformat Windows XP without any disks?

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