Stupid piece of junk computer

[HolyPhoenix]

Yeah, I can't get it to reformat. Actually my dad is working on it. IT keeps saying that a prgram is running or some junk like that. HELP!!! How can my dad get it to reformat?

Oh yeah, it's windows XP Home on a stupid dell laptop.

[Ryner]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

Safe mode?

[HolyPhoenix]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

Tried it already. Doesn't work.

AHHH! 60 second rule. Waiting...

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

Do you have the XP install disc? If you do you can set the computer to boot from the CD drive and put the disc in like you're installing XP. It'll ask if you want to create a partition in the free space or reformat the hard drive.

[HolyPhoenix]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

Tried that. It didn't ask to reformat. Or my dad said it didn't but he did do something with that method. He is not sure if it is reformating or being retarded some more. I personally think it is reformating. Right now it is "copying files"

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

Some detailed instructions. http://www.resnet.uni.edu/docs/reformatxp.html

I know it works. I did it on two computers just last week. The tricky part is actually getting it to give you the option. Sometimes it automatically wants to reinstall windows on top of the current partition.

[Patryn]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

Yeah. Just create a basic boot disc. There should be programs out there. Configure your BIOS to check the A: drive first, slide the boot disc in, it'll boot you into basic DOS, and then you simply choose Format whatever drive you want.

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

As far as I know boot discs don't work with XP. The stuff I've read suggests that and I've tried it before to no avail. I don't know though. You'd need an XP install disc anyway to reinstall it onto the computer.

[Red Dragon]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

put the XP install disk in then restart the computer. It will get to a blue screen. Say "Install Windows XP" and it will go to your hardrive cach. (or somthing like that.) and it should say Windows XP blah blah. Then it wont say reformat but instead say clear cach. it will delete everything on the drive. BAM reformatted. Then if you want to reintaall XP just go through the 8 hour process.

[HolyPhoenix]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

Thanks for all the the help. I don't know but somehow after many different things my dad got it to work.

My dad and I are not bad with computers so most of the basic things we know how to do. And reinstalling Xp went alot faster than eight hours. It was more like 3. But now for some reason it won't install UT GOTY. When it starts to install it freezes. Dude I shouldn't have gotten a dell.

[Red Dragon]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

The 8 hours was a joke. But I hate that it takes so dang long.

Did you restart your computer before trying to install anything else. That may be your prob.

If not you may need to install some drivers first, because it doesn't recognize the hardware.

[The Toecutter]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

Sledgehammer?

[HolyPhoenix]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

The 8 hours was a joke. But I hate that it takes so dang long.

Did you restart your computer before trying to install anything else. That may be your prob.

If not you may need to install some drivers first, because it doesn't recognize the hardware.

Yes, I restarted it. We installed the drivers also. But we have it working now. It doesn't have the icon but it reads the cd's. That is good enough for me.


About the sledgehammer, I probably will when my dad decides to throw it away.

[Sampson]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

If you keep having problems installing stuff now, I suggest re-formatting.

I've re-formatted my PC about six times now, and the first four times or so, had no problems.

However, after the fifth I had many problems re-installing programs, and the PC kept crashing. Re-formatted once more, and it worked perfectly.

[HolyPhoenix]

Re: Stupid piece of junk computer

That is why I started this thread, to get help reformatting my computer. Now that we have done that we are now having all sorts of problems, including the disk problem. I don't think that reformatting it again will help.