Server Help :: View topic - Formatting my computer

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Trash Talk - Formatting my computer

Anonymous - Sun Oct 19, 2003 6:24 pm
Post subject: Formatting my computer

hey i go into command prompt to type in "format c:" and it comes up with a message saying:

"Format cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Format may run if this volume is desmounted first. ALL OPENED HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD THEN BE INVALID. Would you like to force a dismount on this volume? <Y/N>"

i then press "Y' (for yes) and it says:

"Cannot lock the drive. The volume is still in use."

Whats going on here. and if someone could put down steps on how to format a computer id appreciate it....i was just gonna go with the flow.....not really knowing what to do. am i an idiot or what? anyways. some help here guys? thanks

Anonymous - Sun Oct 19, 2003 6:24 pm
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i have XP home btw

ExplodyThingy - Sun Oct 19, 2003 7:10 pm
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Your in windows doing this. You cannot be in windows, because you are still using the drive and information on it. You must boot into DOS.

You ought to do more reading on formating before formatting if you even get this far.

Helicon - Sun Oct 19, 2003 8:07 pm
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describe what you are wanting to do or fix... we'll be able to help you

NOTE: WAIT for an agreeing/correcting opinion to be posted to any directions posted before you try them!!!

Anonymous - Mon Oct 20, 2003 6:34 pm
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sigh....well i know that i have to boot from disk...but when i start my computer it dont gimme a chance to....it does the little xp load thng(which is sweet i think) and then straight to the login screen.

Mine GO BOOM - Mon Oct 20, 2003 6:51 pm
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Moved to Trash Talk forums, as it has nothing to do with SubSpace servers.

To format your computer, you'll have to tell your system's BIOS to boot from CD instead of from the hard drive. To enter bios, when you first turn your computer on, hopefully it should show a screen within like 10 seconds that you can press the DEL key to enter setup. So for the first 10 seconds or so, when you see that message, hit DEL on your keyboard.

If you do not see that message, just keep hitting DEL every second or so. You'd either enter the BIOS menu (usually blue background) or it will boot into XP. If it goes into XP, your computer system is gay and doesn't like to follow standards. You'll need to contact your computer company for how to format your computer.

Once you are in your BIOS, somewhere in the submenus (usually the second option) you can change the order of your boot sequence. Change the first boot device to be CD-ROM. Change the second to be HDD-0 or Hard Drive. Now you'll need to save and exit the BIOS menu. Usually, you can press F10, then choose save. Each one is a bit different, so check the bottom of your screen for help on how to save and exit.

When your computer restarts, if you have the XP Home CD in your drive, you should get to a message on the screen that will probably say "Press any key to boot from CD...". Press any key, and then follow the directions on the screen/XP manual.

Helicon - Mon Oct 20, 2003 8:14 pm
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note---- on some coputer models which i have messed with, the BIOS menu is mapped to a function key (most often F4 on the machines ive touched)

Dr Brain - Mon Oct 20, 2003 9:57 pm
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Really? I've never seen an F4. Its always Delete, F1 or F2.

Gravitron - Mon Oct 20, 2003 10:41 pm
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Haha, xp users.
Win98 beats you.

Dr Brain - Mon Oct 20, 2003 11:36 pm
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Gravitron wrote:

Haha, xp users.
Win98 beats you.

Haha, windows users.
Gentoo beats you.

Anonymous - Mon Oct 20, 2003 11:44 pm
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hey guys thanks for ur help all went well...format sucsessful! S-U-C-C-E-S-S- THATS THE WAY U SPELL SUCSESS! comp faster now

thanks!!

Helicon - Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:41 pm
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thank you so much confirming the logical end of this post... now we can use it to propagate our operating system allegiances...

METHODZ - Sat Nov 01, 2003 12:49 pm
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Dont Format your computer unless you know exactly how to do it, because youll fuck up