# how to format drive



## shawnbowski (Aug 30, 2002)

My brother is running mandrake 7.0, how do you format the drive.


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2002)

Why do you want to format?


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## shawnbowski (Aug 30, 2002)

Cuz he told me linux is to hard and he wants windows 98 back..


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## benn (Sep 27, 2002)

check out PC Mech


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2002)

You should fdisk it first.

Boot to the Windows Startup Disk and select start computer without CD-Rom support.

At the A:> Prompt type fdisk /mbr

Then Enter

It will be quick enough that you probably won't even think it did anything.

Then type fdisk then hit enter, Follow the instructions.

When that is done reboot and select start computer without CD-Rom support.

At the A:> prompt type format c:/s


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## shawnbowski (Aug 30, 2002)

I tried that and it said Data error reading drive A Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail?


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## shawnbowski (Aug 30, 2002)

May be its my floppy boot disk. My friend told me one time, put
the floppy in and on windows go to start and click run. I can't
remember what he said, but he told me to type some thing. And
it will make a boot disk...


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2002)

Is your bios set to boot from floppy first?

You can get a Win 98 Boot Disk here.

Make sure you have a formatted floppy!


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## shawnbowski (Aug 30, 2002)

In the BIOS, should I Disable IDE Hard Drive yes or no.


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## shawnbowski (Aug 30, 2002)

What colored floppy disk should I download. And after I do that
what should I do after that.


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2002)

Red

After you download it put a blank floppy in the floppy drive and double click the file you downloaded, and it will create a boot disk.


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## shawnbowski (Aug 30, 2002)

I did what you said and it stoped at 54% I tried ten times.


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2002)

What stopped at 54%, The creation of a new boot disk?

Or formatting the hard drive?


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## shawnbowski (Aug 30, 2002)

The creation of the boot disk.


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2002)

Format the floppy first.


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## shawnbowski (Aug 30, 2002)

I have three floppy and there all bad. I have an idea, if I copy
the boot files onto a CD. If it where like a boot disk, you think that
would work.


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2002)

I never tried that and I don't really know if it would work.

But if you feel like wasting a CD go for it ............ 

It will have to be a CD-R Not a CD-RW


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## shawnbowski (Aug 30, 2002)

SPEEDO, I found a new boot disk my friend left over here. I put
it in on my brothers computer. When it boots up where it tells
you about your system, you know how much. RAM, HARDDRIVE
SPACE, PROCESSOR, You have it says Starting windows 98...
Microsoft(R) Windows 98
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1981-1998.

A:\> 



Ihave no idea what to do.


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## shawnbowski (Aug 30, 2002)

SPEEDO can you help me...


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## benn (Sep 27, 2002)

use the instructions at http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/step/21/

BTW speedo isnt the only one here


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## TheTechIsIn (May 7, 2002)

> BTW speedo isnt the only one here


 Sure he is.


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2002)

All alone am I ever since your goodbye................:singer: 

You can look back to the earlier instructions in this thread if you choose to do so.


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## shawnbowski (Aug 30, 2002)

I got it well half, this is what it says
Preparing to start your computer. This may take a few minutes.
Please wait...

The diagnostic tools were successfully loaded to drive D.
MSCDEX Version 2.25
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp. 1986-1995. All rights reserved.
Drive E: = Driver MSCD001 unit 0
To get help, type HELP and press ENTER

A:\>


What do I do know


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## TheTechIsIn (May 7, 2002)

now you enter fdisk, delete all partitions. Once their all deleted creat ea "primary dos partition" using all space available. (make sure to mark the partition as active) Reboot with the bootdisk and then format your c: drive. Once thats done install the Ms Os as normal.


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## shawnbowski (Aug 30, 2002)

How do I delete all partitions, and how do I creat ea "primary dos partition"


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## Guest (Sep 30, 2002)

If the version of Win.98 that you have is a full version you can do a complete install from the CD. 

But if it is an upgrade you will need an earlier version of Windows to show it when asked for a compliance check, Such as Win95 or 3.1 you get the idea. 

OK here is what you need to do. 

Boot to this new boot disk. 

Select boot with no CD Rom support. 

At the A prompt type fdisk, When the prompt comes up about large disk support select yes. 

Then select option 3 Enter 

Select option 1 Enter 

Select Yes 

Type in the Volume Label if there is one and hit enter. 

Are you sure Yes. 

Esc. 

Select 1 

Select Yes 

Esc 

Reboot 

Now you need to Format. 

Boot to the floppy without CD-Rom support. 

At the A prompt type format c:/s 

Select yes 

When it's finished you can enter a volume label such as hard drive or you can leave it blank. 

Now boot to the floppy one more time, This time select boot with CD-Rom support 

At the A prompt select E:\ enter. 

This is assuming you have one hard drive and one CD-Rom. The E could be an F or some other letter depending on the amount of IDE devices you have. 

With the Win98 CD in the drive type setup, Enter this should start loading the Operating System..... 

Have fun.....


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