Server Help

General Questions - Formating

Deadly - Wed Oct 15, 2003 3:59 pm
Post subject: Formating

Sorry to sound like a noob.. But my comp is being gay lately and i would like to format..

Never have formated before, wondering how..

Is there a program to do it? Help meh

-DeadlySoldier!!

k0zy - Wed Oct 15, 2003 4:39 pm
Post subject:

1. make sure you have a bootable cd or floppy
2. start pc in dos mode
3. enter the following: "format c:"
you could also use "format c: /q" which is quickformats the hd
4. reinstall your os

ExplodyThingy - Wed Oct 15, 2003 4:40 pm
Post subject:

Get your recovery CDs, most computers post 1993 come with one in some shape or form. Put it in the CD drive and boot from them. THere should be an option for total system restore or total system recovery. You should get a warning saying all disk information will be lost, and there will be no recovery. Itll restore facroty defaults. This is the safest way, especially for a first time try at this.
The recovery CDs should take care of the format c: stuff, and will give less oportunity for screw ups.

I dont recommend using any other method if this is your first time doing this, unless this one fails, or MGB says otherwise. If this does not succeed, post again and alternatives will be given.

k0zy - Wed Oct 15, 2003 4:57 pm
Post subject:

ExplodyThingy wrote:

The recovery CDs should take care of the format c: stuff, and will give less oportunity for screw ups.

true

But usually nothing can go wrong if you have a good old Win98-startdisk or at least a bootable windows cd.
Bad thing is when you want to reinstall windows from dosmode and you realize that you have no cd-driver installed

Happened to me once, with my second pc... stupid WinXP startdisk has no mscdex!

Bob Dole.. Bob Dole... Bob Dole...... bob dole.... bob... dole....

Cyan~Fire - Wed Oct 15, 2003 5:31 pm
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I'd say if someone has to ask how to format, they shouldn't try to do it manually.
No offense, deadly, just some are less geeky than others.

ExplodyThingy - Wed Oct 15, 2003 5:39 pm
Post subject:

Cyan~Fire wrote:

I'd say if someone has to ask how to format, they shouldn't try to do it manually.

As opposed to how else?

Deadly - Wed Oct 15, 2003 5:55 pm
Post subject:

EDITED

alright found my disc, it comes up with 4 options:

Install Windows XP
Install optional Windows components
Perform Additional Tasks
Check System Capability

----

I click Perform additional tasks, sounds like it would have "Format" or something alike it in there.. doesnt.. just stuff about setting up networks and stuff
---

Click Install Windows XP, gives me 2 options:

Upgrade
New Installation

..Im guess if i do New Installation it will just re install windows, deleting evertyhing, so format, in other words?

------

Before i do this is there a way to backup files?? Thx

ExplodyThingy - Wed Oct 15, 2003 6:32 pm
Post subject:

Backup files:
Like normal backups. Get what files you want to keep, zip them, put them on a disk. Maybe even get someone to put it on thier server for a few minutes if you dont have a disk with enough capacity.
Do not backup things like continuum, sim city, Java, or anything that required installation. backup just things like favorite maps, cities, programs. You could also backup the installers if you have them.
Dont worry about backing up anything for Continuum, except maybe your profile.dat and .bak, youll get it all back.

Install Windows XP is probably what you want. There should be an option for "fresh install" or something of the like. You do not want to save any old data from within the installer, as it very well may copy over the very programs making your system funky.

Deadly - Wed Oct 15, 2003 6:40 pm
Post subject:

gonna put the installer of C++ on the disk, and my maps, and the profile stuff and my bot src's and stuff like that

thx alot

Deadly - Wed Oct 15, 2003 8:03 pm
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Thanks ppl

Its all done

soo fast

bye bye thx alot

ExplodyThingy - Wed Oct 15, 2003 9:25 pm
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enjoy!

Helicon - Wed Oct 15, 2003 9:42 pm
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COMMENTARY: i read the first reply and freaked...
i was scared to death the poor guy was going to wipe clean and kill his records from the last 3 years...

i've been doing tech help too long...

Deadly - Thu Oct 16, 2003 7:29 am
Post subject:

well it actually didnt "Format" just re installed windows, and i still have all my songs on kazaa and all my program files and stuff

it seems a lil faster but formating would have been better

k0zy - Thu Oct 16, 2003 12:48 pm
Post subject:

Deadly wrote:

well it actually didnt "Format" just re installed windows, and i still have all my songs on kazaa and all my program files and stuff

it seems a lil faster but formating would have been better

In that case, creating a new user and defragging would have been much easier...

Bob Dole.. Bob Dole... Bob Dole...... bob dole.... bob... dole....

Dr Brain - Thu Oct 16, 2003 3:19 pm
Post subject:

I think reinstalling also clears the registry.

k0zy - Thu Oct 16, 2003 3:39 pm
Post subject:

Dr Brain wrote:

I think reinstalling also clears the registry.

same as creating a new user.
most programs use the HKEY_CURRENT_USER folder

Bob Dole.. Bob Dole... Bob Dole...... bob dole.... bob... dole....

Deadly - Thu Oct 16, 2003 8:33 pm
Post subject:

but um i thought it was going to dfelete program files..

oh well

Helicon - Fri Oct 17, 2003 4:50 pm
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don't trust windows...

Mine GO BOOM - Fri Oct 17, 2003 10:57 pm
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Helicon wrote:

don't trust lindows...

Fixed it for you.

Helicon - Sat Oct 18, 2003 12:25 am
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Mine GO BOOM wrote:

Helicon wrote:

don't trust lindows...

Fixed it for you.

tee hee hee, the doctor keeps doctoring,

but lets face it

(for purists)

Code: Show/Hide

#apt-get install continuum

(for the french, et al)

Code: Show/Hide

#urpmi continuum

would be super-sexy

Mine GO BOOM - Sat Oct 18, 2003 12:40 am
Post subject:

I like swaret myself. Though I'll probably do a gentoo box sometime in the future.

Dr Brain - Sat Oct 18, 2003 10:57 am
Post subject:

I use gentoo, and LFS myself. I also run a computer biz, and install LindowsOS on the computers for grandmas who only need to read email and browse the web.

Helicon - Sat Oct 18, 2003 3:23 pm
Post subject:

what happens when the grandkids come over with UT2K3 on win cd???

anyway, if i had to choose a *nix system for a stand-alone box, i'd definitely choose a BSD...

Dr Brain - Sat Oct 18, 2003 7:51 pm
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Think your grandmother could figure out how to login on bsd?

Deadly - Mon Oct 20, 2003 8:55 pm
Post subject:

I thought Lindows was a joke.. its real? rofl

Helicon - Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:41 pm
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Dr Brain wrote:

Think your grandmother could figure out how to login on bsd?

don't give her the option... login at startup...