format hard drive

Question

i have a dimension 8300 running xp and i would like to format myhard drive to get rid of viruses and spyware amd basicly just start over. i got to the bios and typed in the format c: command at the prompt but it said cannot format network drive but im not on a network how can i format ??

bill macdonald · Answer

The XP CD should have the option to format the Drive right on it. Place the XP CD in the CD drive as if you were going to do an install and look at the options. Formatting should be one of them. Bill

jmwills · Answer

A complete guide is here: http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp

Figarodacat · Answer

Before you do this, try going to the virus board and tell them what's going on.  They've saved my backside more than once.  Reinstalling is no fun, well, that's what I think.

Navin kurian · Answer

Figarado is right you should NEVER format your hard drive of a spyware or virus issue .Why? becuase after you reinstall and get online again you would get infected again if you dont take the right precutions.AND if you have a win xp cd without sp1 then you system would be vulnerable to the blaster worm and other viruses till you patch up the flaw in windows from the microsoft update site.

1 Do an online virus scan from the links here
http://www.cjwd.demon.co.uk/compsafetyonline.html#AV

downlaod spybot
http://kujoe.com/spybotsd12.exe

spybot tutorials
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/index.php?showtutorial=43
http://www.cjwd.demon.co.uk/spybot-adaware.html
http://www.cjwd.demon.co.uk/compsafetyonline.html

spybot update guide
http://russelltexas.com/spywareinfo/spybottutorial.htm

if your antivirus is outof date get the anti virus trial version listed below TILL you get a full version download and run vexira

http://www.centralcommand.com/downloads.html

click on try next to

Vexira Antivirus for Microsoft Windows 95/98/Me

or

Vexira Antivirus for Microsoft Windows NT/2000/XP Workstations

according to the type of Operating system you have

keeps clicking next/ok and install it will say the licence file cannot

be copied click ok and continue
http://www.cdrewu.edu/site/administration/install-doc.htm
I have found vexira to delete a lot if not most of the common types of spyware too

or
NOD32 Antivirus System has been the only product in the world that has not missed a single “In the Wild” virus in the rigorous testing conducted by the antivirus industry ‘bible', the Virus Bulletin ( www.virusbulletin.com )
http://www.nod32.com/download/trial.htm

BUT if you still want to go ahead with the format at the a:> or d:> when you boot from the resource cd type debug

http://support.dell.com/us/en/kb/document.asp?dn=1011054

type the code after the debug script on the page -F 200 ... etc

when it gives program terminated normally insert the winxp cd and reboot

then follow the link jmwills posted

cheers

Message Edited by Navin kurian on 04-30-2004 11:02 PM

Windows General

format hard drive

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