Reinstall Windows, reformat, re partition hard drive

SpeedyCorky

SpeedyCorky

rides minibikes;U should2
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Mar 9, 2003
Location
East Bay Area
Moto(s)
are clearly addicting; so you see - it's really not my fault...
Name
key-tay
been soo many years since i've done this, forgot how

so Violets computer needs a refresh. we've got everything we care about off of it, onto a USB storage drive.


so her computer sits, it basically works.
I need to:
re partition
format
reinstall windows


IIRC, that is the order of things.

Step 2: I know how to format the silly thing "format c:" , hit "go" ;)


.... but step1: forgot how to partition. it is currently in 2 partitions, a 10 gig, and a 140 gig. they need to be merged.


HOW!?!??! helpz barferz
 
If you're using a Win7 install disc, it gives you an opportunity to repartition and format within the GUI screens if you choose custom installation.
 
SpeedyCorky said:
so Violets computer needs a refresh. we've got everything we care about off of it, onto a USB storage drive.
Click to expand...

What version of windows?

win7 said:
This version of Windows offers a number of recovery options that are less drastic and provide a better place to start fixing your computer problems. For more information, search Windows Help and Support for "recovery options." Reformatting and reinstalling should be considered as a last resort that's only performed after all other recovery or diagnostic options have failed.

source
Click to expand...
 
windows xp

hard drive partitioned into 2 parts. both NTFS (Healthy).
second partition is formatted
 
Yeah as insider said it should give you an option when you go through install.
 
Win7 is way better however if you're on older hardware with minimal RAM, you'll want to stay with XP.
 
Windows XP is no longer supported [There won't be anymore Security Updates released, or HotFixes for the .Net Framework etc.].

In addition the Current Window's Update/Hotfix count is at around 200 - Post Installation.

If you can upgrade to Windows 7, or Windows 8.1 - Preferably, do so.

Dependent on the hardware, you can get consumer grade DIMM's relatively inexpensive.

If you are only doing Word Processing/Browsing the Web etc. 4GB of ram is "enough" and the processor should also handle just fine.

If you do decide to install Windows XP over again, keep in mind that the 32-bit OS cannot support more than 4GB of RAM which may cause a limitation down the line dependent on your usage patterns.

If you want to post your Hardware Specs, or if you have anymore questions feel free to let me know.

Always happy to help when I can.

Or, you could go to the Dark side like Rodr suggested...:cool

But, I would personally suggest Scientific Linux instead... :teeth
 
dmaxAl said:
Hey Speedy - $20 says you cannot find your install disk :laughing
Click to expand...
i found my xp disk! it's actually some sort of disk that reinstalls missing files or some such, but when i put the disk in and booted the computer and chose the option to reinstall... it didn't do it. gave me some sort of error message.
Spike45 said:
You could make a PartedMagic disc and do the format/partition step with that.

http://partedmagic.com/
Click to expand...
thanks. i'm going to look into it.

BayRider408 said:
Windows XP is no longer supported [There won't be anymore Security Updates released, or HotFixes for the .Net Framework etc.].

In addition the Current Window's Update/Hotfix count is at around 200 - Post Installation.

If you can upgrade to Windows 7, or Windows 8.1 - Preferably, do so.

Dependent on the hardware, you can get consumer grade DIMM's relatively inexpensive.

If you are only doing Word Processing/Browsing the Web etc. 4GB of ram is "enough" and the processor should also handle just fine.

If you do decide to install Windows XP over again, keep in mind that the 32-bit OS cannot support more than 4GB of RAM which may cause a limitation down the line dependent on your usage patterns.

If you want to post your Hardware Specs, or if you have anymore questions feel free to let me know.

Always happy to help when I can.

Or, you could go to the Dark side like Rodr suggested...:cool

But, I would personally suggest Scientific Linux instead... :teeth
Click to expand...

i know it's no longer supported. i get the alert message bottom right the whole time it's on. this e-machine that i bought a long time ago served me well. even ran autocad 2007. if the hard dive was all one big drive, it would work for what i need it to do for school. simple word and net browsing. someone a long time ago partitioned the drive into 4 partitions. i was able to make 2 and when i went into dos to "extend" the drive into one section... memory being "unallocated" which is suppose to work ... with just a few simple instructions, it didn't allow me to do it. forgot the error message. supposedly if it's partitioned into 2 pars and .. c and d.. drive lets say... the computer is suppose to add the second drive automatically to the c drive and make it one big part again, if the memory was "unallocated". i tried to fix this by formatting the drive and trying to see if the regular things that when right clicking the c drive under computer management .. storage... right click c drive and choose "extend volume".. except for "extend volume" was not appearing as one of the options. very strange...

i'll post the specs to the comp .. not sure win 7 may run on such an old machine.
 
Update:

Specs: E-Machine T3265 XP Home Edition, AmD Athlon (tm) 3200 2.21 GHz, with a whooping 1.00 GB of RAM. 149.05 GB of hard disk memory available.


Tried to re-install Win XP with original CD that came with computer. .."Disk could not be read"...

Soo.... I downloaded EaseUS and merged partitions. :banana. Super easy!
internet was not working properly, I tried to access it and it would bring me to the "Options" tab.. so.. I somehow figured that other programs.. like the "Windows no longer being supported message had a link to the internet and it connected, so I opened up a new browser window from there, installed Mozilla, and now it works! Should have done this a long time ago.

Basically the "Extend Volume" option was not coming up because of this...

This Will. Not. Work. for system or boot volumes, or for a partition on which the system page file is located.
Furthermore, the GUI method (using Disk Management) only works with "simple" or "spanned" volumes, which are forms of "dynamic" volumes rather than the "basic" volumes that most people have configured. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314343
Given that the OP asked about increasing the size of his system partition (my NTFS Partition which contains Windows XP) which likely also is the boot partition as well as where the page file is located, the posted advice is not apposite.



I'm going to run this even though it's not supported and now that I have a ton of memory!! Well.. seems like a lot, I can maybe try installing a Anti_Virus to see if that will work to keep it from getting a virus later on. Not sure if it will work though.

I tried to install a later Version on Windows. 8.1 I think and it said it couldn't be done. =(


Next is to try and upgrade RAM.
 
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Are you guys living in 1997? Because these sound like 1997-era computer problems.


In relevant news, I miss Napster. I bet you guys can still use it.
 
What do you intend to use the computer for?

EDIT: Oh I see, word processing and web browsing. Linux Mint would work just fine for that. LibreOffice and Firefox or Chrome. And you can say goodbye to all that virus crap.
 
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TylerW said:
Are you guys living in 1997? Because these sound like 1997-era computer problems.


In relevant news, I miss Napster. I bet you guys can still use it.
Click to expand...

lol... it's a pretty old computer. 2002. but it works! :teeth well.. not for watching movies or gaming ... but plays youtube vids o.k.

don't have napster unfortunatley

rodr said:
What do you intend to use the computer for?

EDIT: Oh I see, word processing and web browsing. Linux Mint would work just fine for that. LibreOffice and Firefox or Chrome. And you can say goodbye to all that virus crap.
Click to expand...

Doesn't Linux and Unix use word commands to get around and is not a graphic interface? that's what i'm scared of. having to memorize all that directory changing commands and stuffs.. make a short vid of u using Linux so i can see how it works. :)
 
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Why not try to boot the XP CD from the BIOS and reformat/partition from there?
 
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