Reformat old computer hard drive

In the XP era, I would boot from the Windows install CD. Back then, almost every computer came with one, as well as a CD package of necessary drivers. The XP install program can choose any internal hard drive to partition, write a boot block, and install the OS. I set up a two-drive XP system with the XP OS on each drive, one for Flight Simulator, the other for any other use.

With XP, starting over tended to be easier than fixing. However, you may no longer be able to get all the updates and service packs. I don't know, moved on to Win 7 about 10 years ago.

The answer to this is to install the XP OS disk in the CD drive and reboot the computer. It will tell you to press a key to boot from the CD. The reason why booting from CD is important is because you want to delete the C: drive partition where Windows is installed and re-format it. You can't do this if Windows booted from C:, because it can't delete the partition from which it is running. Formatting the C drive from a command line is a mistake - boot the machine from the CD.

You'll then be asked if you want to repair your existing Windows XP installation. Press ESC to bypass the repair and install a fresh copy.

Follow the on screen directions - you want to delete the current partition where Windows is installed.

Format the drive as NTFS - will take some time.

Reinstall missing drivers and your other software. Do a windows update - if your lucky, you will get the most up to date patches but since XP is no longer supported, you may not get updates.

barth wrote:
I've used DBAN several times on several hard drives. It's free and it does the job. Nothing survive DBAN

That may be true but would be total overkill in this situation.

I've used DBAN several times on several hard drives. It's free and it does the job. Nothing survive DBAN

From Navegator's description of the problem he is having, I personally doubt he has a virus. It sounds more like some configuration file got altered somewhere.

I would run a virus scan to make sure but most likely a format of the drive is not necessary.

Maybe Navegator could post the exact text of the messages he is seeing saying that his monitor and mouse are not recognized.

The OP has a virus and mentions nothing about hard drive errors.

The best option would be to use a recovery disk if one came with the PC or one he created. This would put the PC back to the state it was in when it was new. It would include all needed drivers and all additional software (AKA Crapware) that came with the PC. If you don't have a recovery disk, check with the manufacturer to see if one is available.

If the disk mentioned is only a Windows disk, you will also have to round up all needed drivers after Windows is installed.

I don't know if this still works, but we always had a DOS bootable diskette hanging around that had debug.exe, format.exe and sys.exe on it just for this purpose - recovering a corrupted hard drive.

In debug we did something like G cc00:3 which would kick off the low level format in the driver. Then we'd format and sys the drive. Of course this was all before Windows and when computers still had diskette drives :) Yes I'm an old man...

I wouldn't bother trying to repair a 14 year old hard drive as they are typically the weak link in hardware. Yes, some drives can last a long time, however...
YC 1 has given the best suggestions and hard drives are not very expensive. You could probably buy 1 for the price that you are going to pay a tech to diagnose and you will still have an old hard drive.
If you can remove the hard drive and have another computer that you can slave it to, let us know as that is your best bet if you really want to try and fix it...

I have an acer monitor, it is an old computer granted working OK until wife inserted a USB chip with some videos of animals that a friend lent her, after that it started acting up, this computer is only used for the flight simulator, no internet coneccion, all downloaded planes, scenery,etc. is downloaded in another computer with McAfee protection an fire wallsand programs from acredited sources or purchased CD's or DVD's, we have 5 computers in the house, the one for the flight simlator has the big screen the monior handles the instument, I actually get people sick by flying the F-14 down the Grand Canyon, I have a barf bucket available!

I will try the XP CD and see if I can either fix this or really mess it up, can I throw the unit out the window?

Tanks ya all, I will let you know the outcome.

Go Navy!

navegator

The F keys will get you into the Computers BIOS (Basic Input/output system) and let you pick such things as what drive it looks to first for the OX.. Windows XP will not let you for mat the OS drive. You can get around it by using a LINUX boot disc or that understands re-formatting Windows, such as Acronis True Image (which can also make backups of Xp systems)

But as I said, some virus programs will survive a Re-format.. (Root kits) they too can be destroyed but it takes another command.

If you are planing on re-installing XP from CD.. The first CD should also have a re-format program that can do it.. But it's been a LONG time since I did that.