Can't reformat

turkeygibs

OSNN Newbie
Joined
25 Mar 2006
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6
Ello ello, I'm to a breaking point with my computer and I need to reformat, but it just wont work.

Thinking i was being extra smart, I slipstreamed service pack 2 into a folder with files from my windows xp disk. Less educated on the topic than I am now, I decided that I would just try to see what would happen if i to reinstall windows, while in windows (bad idea, i know.) The installer stopped pretty soon after it started leaving me thinking nothing happened. When i restarted my computer i found that windows would no longer start.

Instead it went to a screen asking me to choose which version of windows to start. the two choices were XP professional edition, and windows xp setup. The version I had had before I ran the slipstreamed installer was xp home, not pro. I think I mustve slipstreamed sp2 for pro by mistake (genius i know.) Anyway, clicking the pro choice results in a freeze as windows tries to load itself. The setup option results in a freeze as well.

Bootable xp disk doesnt do much. If i do recovery console, it freezes at "examining disk configuration." If i press enter to get to a reformat option, it either freezes at "please wait..." or i get past the license agreement and then it freezes.

What is causing this insanity and how do I fix it?
 
I think what you may have done is install the slipstreamed version into your original version, and probably corrupting both in the process.

If you don't have an regular XP disc, not sure what you could do.
 
thanks for taking time out to read my post. I do have an xp disk, but like i said, it freezes whether i try to choose recovery or press enter to reformat.
 
you mean when it is at the blue screen after you hit f8 to accept the terms and conditions?
 
have you tried deleting the partition/s with the xp installer before you format and reinstall?
 
You have to go past the recovery part, DELETE the Partition, then Create the same partition.
(continue and install a fresh copy of windows, then Delete partition, then create partition)

That should fix you up....and you CAN do it with your slipstreamed copy of windows.
I do it all the time.

Boot from your XP disc, continue as if you are going to install a fresh copy of windows.
 
not if the slipstream cd is corrupted in the first place.
 
the cd i am using is not slipstreamed. It is a windows xp home edition recovery cd that came with my computer.

The problem is, on the occasion that i push R to enter recovery mode my computer freezes immediately. one time it made it to the next screen and then froze. It also usually freezes if i press enter. On the off chance that i make it past press f8 to agree screen, it will freeze immediately after.
 
turkeygibs said:
the cd i am using is not slipstreamed. It is a windows xp home edition recovery cd that came with my computer.

The problem is, on the occasion that i push R to enter recovery mode my computer freezes immediately. one time it made it to the next screen and then froze. It also usually freezes if i press enter. On the off chance that i make it past press f8 to agree screen, it will freeze immediately after.

Don't choose "R" to recover. When it prompts you that it detects an existing install, don't choose to recover and start fresh. Should prompt you at some point for a partition to install it to - I would delete any existing partitions and recreate them.

hmm.. If your disk is only a "recovery" CD that came with the machine, it may not be a full/retail version of XP in which case, you may be screwed. You can try to contact the manufacturer of your computer and see what they have to say about their "recovery" CD..
 
I hate those stupid restore discs.

Most of the time there are multiple partitions on computers that use them.
(usually a C partition and sometimes a hidden X partition)
The Hidden partition containes the files that your restore disc needs to do its thing. In your case, if you choose to go that route, just delete and then create the C partition only, leave the other *normally hidden" partition alone.

Sounds like you need a full XP disc though.

hmmm...wonder if you booted from a DOS diskette, then maybe you could delete the files in your C partition, then try the restore....

..in any case I am not much help here, not without a full XP disc.
 
turkey is it a dell, or what kind of machine is it?
 
its from ibuypower, so its a bit of a hodgepodge. I am going to try to acquire an actual xp disk before i make any more comments, to see if that makes a difference. Thank you all so much for your suggestions, i'll keep you posted.
 
I came across a new bootable version of xp pro (not a recovery disk,) this one also freezes at various places. What I mean by that is it will occasionally freeze at "searching for previous installations of windows" other times i get to the "please wait..." and then it stops. Either way, the recovery disk is not the source of the problem. I'm thinking about bringing my hard drive to a friend and seeing if he can reformat it. If that doesn't fix the problem, I'm clueless.

Any other suggestions from anyone would be incredibly helpful.
 
i'm thinking it is the hard drive itself that is either corrupted or simply about to die.

If you have another HD try that. even if its an old crappy one at least you'll be able to determine that it is the HD, which i believe it is.
 
ok, here's the update, and no i still don't have a functioning computer to call my own. I reformatted my hard drive using a friend's pc. Then i put it back in my computer and tried to install windows. This time it got farther, gave me some hope. Unfortunately, it freezes as soon as it shows a progress bar for the installation. Whether i choose to reformat or leave the disk alone (which should be fine) as soon as a progress bar appears, its all over. So I shut down my computer and take a dump... on myself
 

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