Comments for How do I reformat my machine if I don't have a Windows CD?

Comment from jerome mccarthy on 2011-03-23

2011-03-24T06:43:47Z

Leo, Why would one need to reformat a HD anyway -- unless it had stopped functioning?

A true reformat is a useful way to erase everything as well as "touch" every sector on the hard drive refreshing the magnetic image of the data.

24-Mar-2011

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Comment from Gordon on 2010-07-13

2010-07-13T14:33:33Z

Hi Leo, I have bought a new lap top with Windows 7 installed so I have promised a friend my desktop, so I wish to format the hard drive, before I give him it. I will then reinstall as I have a Vista installation disc. As I am a pensioner and I hear people saying to reboot from disc, the problem is I do not know how to do it, as I only have a basic knowledge in computing. Thank you.

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Comment from Sanna on 2010-06-15

2010-06-15T19:35:44Z

Hello Leo and thanks for a great article, however it did not address my needs. The problem I have is that I wanted to perform a clean install of Windows 7, upgrading from my Vista. So I use the custom install option as I should, but after having gone through the installation process, it comes to my awareness that somehow, this custom install in fact SPLIT MY HARD DRIVE SPACE TO HALF THE ACTUAL CAPACITY. I assumed that this custom install would format my hard drive, but as seems to be the case instead, is that it must have created enough space on the hard drive to perform a quick format instead. I am therefore trying to find a way to properly format the hard drive, as I do not believe the hard drive itself is damaged or corrupt, merely that Windows 7 used half of the hard drive space to dump information from Vista. So what I did was that I of course tried to run the set up program again, believing that Win 7 merely created a faulty partition I did not notice and deleting this partition would solve my problem, but when prompted where I want to install Win 7, it turns out that the limit of my hard drive remains the same. Win 7 does not recognize the rest of my hard drive capacity, and I am at loss as to why.

I tried to run the SpinRite program because it seems to be what I were after, but as with all other programs I've unfortunately encountered, it will not function as bootable from a CD. I burned the .iso file but it just says that there is no proper media drive in my CD drive. Yes, I have set my motherboard to boot from CD since I had to do this to install WIn 7 in the first place.

Does this problem with my hard drive relate to what Win 7 calls Windows.old? What I noticed after my first install was that it indeed was not a clean install at all, as I in fact had several folders lying around that were left from Vista, yet other information such as installed programs were lost.

I would love to hear your response to this problem.

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Comment from Igoma D N on 2010-04-19

2010-04-19T12:28:40Z

I want to format my laptop that have windon vista to window xp or window 7. My laptop model is HP compaq NC6220. Processor 0.98GB, HD 40GB. The cd/dvd drive is fault but it only recognised dvd drive software installations pack but cd it would not. Can i cope the window software into a flash drive then used it to format the system. Ple advice me on it because the window vista is giving a lot of problem.
Ple send me reply on: [email address removed]
Thanks hoping to hear from u.

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Comment from raymund on 2010-02-15

2010-02-16T05:54:03Z

hi sir leo how can i fix my hp 110 mini laptop it is stuck on the desktop reboot it..i am able to move the cursor but it is not functioning.

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Comment from Gerald Beckr on 2010-02-02

2010-02-02T17:57:04Z

Leo,I have a HP Presario SR1215CL that a friend gave me, it has many problens and conflicts, this computer was purchased in 2005 it was never updated and the Norton trial was never activated, there are locking problems as the administrator never fixed, this computer has many programs that were never used and a lot of junk files, I have my own windows XP operating Disk, should I reinstall using my disk and will this fix most problems,I did download AVG and cleaned up about 70 trojans and other viris that were present. Thanks,
Gerald Becker

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Comment from Louis on 2010-01-28

2010-01-28T21:28:58Z

Hello Leo! I recently reformatted and reinstalled Windows XP on my laptop. However, upon getting it back up and running and on the Internet, I noticed that my hard drive is almost full. There's no sign of anything still on the hard drive, and it has a capacity of 60 GB and almost all of it is being used. Did I miss something? Thanks.

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Comment from Patricia on 2009-08-18

2009-08-19T04:33:13Z

I am trying to install Window XP and it is setting it up, my product key number on the package is not taking. I install up to 39 minutes of my cd, then I reboot it again and it comes up with installing the product key which is not taking it on the package. Is there a way I can install Windows without the product key numbers and part of the window is display? I can not get to My Computer, just the setup window. Please help

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Comment from Holly Cow on 2009-03-31

2009-03-31T18:10:33Z

Hi Leo. If I reinstall window XP, does it also reformat the hard drive at the same time? If so, I don't have to reformat the hard drive first and then reinstall window XP. Am I correct?

You should be given the option to reformat as part of the installation process.

- Leo
01-Apr-2009

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Comment from Pat on 2008-12-05

2008-12-06T05:55:10Z

Hello Leo. Thanks so much for info you put on site. I have a friend that has a pc with an illegal copy of windows xp on it and I unknowly went to update and then it didnt pass the validation tool so is now froze. I do have a legal copy of xp to install but I'm not sure how to get it to function outside of a hard reboot with windows cd in drive. Any suggestions very much appreciated. Pat

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Comment from Miss Angie on 2008-11-21

2008-11-22T04:16:57Z

Leo HELP! I am not all that computer savy for starters.Okay I was given a laptop with business windows or something on it.I am sure they wiped it clean before they gave it to me.But I cant get past the first screen because it wants a password.What do I do ? I dont have the password or a disk or anything.Its just an old laptop not real old though still usuable that I got for free.

Assuming you don't want anything currently on that machine, just get a copy of Windows and install it from scratch.

- Leo
22-Nov-2008

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Comment from Laura on 2008-11-20

2008-11-21T05:22:29Z

Go to My Comuter > Drive C > look for a folder named 1386. Open it and look for a file called wnnt32.exe. This is the Windows installation file. It will wipe your computer of everything and reinstall Windows.

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Comment from tracyanne on 2008-03-30

2008-03-30T07:14:36Z

quote>>Advanced users sometimes do this exact same thing but with a disk image utility (Norton Ghost, e.g.) after they've got their computer set up with all the applications the way they like it. Then, next time they feel a need to reformat and reinstall, all they have to do is use the disk image utility to copy the disk image over and their system is back to the way it was the day they made the image...including all software applications and windows customization settings they made before the image.

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Comment from John on 2008-03-15

2008-03-15T11:30:01Z

No original CD but key number is known via sticker on machine,

Can a friends copy of XP be used for the re installatiion using my key. ?

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Comment from charles on 2007-06-24

2007-06-24T22:59:41Z

Hi, thanks for posting this, let's say you had a very expensive alienware desktop and it starting having problems. I'm a procrastinator so I usually deal with some major problems with my comps. Anyways it finally got to the point where I couldn't even use this computer it wouldn't even start up. I wanted to reformat+reinstall A year ago but when I tried with the WINDOWS XP cd ... when it came to entering the registry key I couldn't because my house keeper threw it away.

So that leads me to where I am now, a year or more later..... don't know where the XP cd is. I did download a program just now that finds out ur Registry Key. So... now I have that but no CD.. I'm going to take your advice call alienware ask them for the windows xp cd or the restore one.

Any words of advice for me? I didn't turn this computer on in over a year till 2 days ago and it worked but got the same blue screen errors and all of that stuff. I got rid of an lsass.exe error by reading someones posts. But my computer is still majorly messed up and i'm 100% i need to reformat+reinstall XP.

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Comment from Ross on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T18:03:53Z

One caveat to what you've said - many computer vendors today are not including a copy of the OS on a CD by default when you buy a computer today - instead they have a "hidden" partition on the drive with a disk image. When you want to "reformat and reinstall" you just run the recovery disk (comes under different names, depending on the company) which writes the disk image over your current hard drive contents, effectively restoring your computer to the day you got it. As with your comments, this still does erase all data and drive contents, so should not be done unless you've backed up first.

Advanced users sometimes do this exact same thing but with a disk image utility (Norton Ghost, e.g.) after they've got their computer set up with all the applications the way they like it. Then, next time they feel a need to reformat and reinstall, all they have to do is use the disk image utility to copy the disk image over and their system is back to the way it was the day they made the image...including all software applications and windows customization settings they made before the image.

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A comment on: How do I reformat my machine if I don't have a Windows CD?

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