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format desktop?
i want to format the hard drive of a computer just as is it's new. the computer is windows xp. can i do this without the discs that came with the computer? i realize that i will lose all the data that is stored on it right now, but that's what is wanted. i'm just fearful of the computer not coming back up when turned on
gilloz, yes that's what i mean. can i achieve this without any of the discs that were provided with the computer when purchased? i'm afraid of doing this, only to have a dead computer because i don't have the original discs that came with the computer. i have some here for the current computer i use that has xp, but i don't know if it can bring that other one up if i have complications
3 Answers
- Anonymous1 decade agoFavorite Answer
I think what you meant to say was that you want to re-install Windows like when you first got the computer, right? You can't format a computer like when it was new. That doesn't make any sense. You can't format unless you have a bootable CD. You could do a System Recovery by pressing the "F" key shown at the beginning of the boot up sequence and revert to the initial OS when you first bought the computer. I'm not aware how you can re-format a hard drive with the ntfs system with out a bootable CD.
Added info: What I have seen lately is that a new computer comes with what they call Resource Disks that have all the drivers for the devices installed in your computer. Your Recovery disk, unfortunately is only a partition in your main drive, usually D drive. When you boot up or restart your computer, during the display of the Logo, you will see keys to depress for going into the Bios Setup and Recovery mode. The Recovery mode could from F8 to F12, depending on the computer mfg. Google System Recovery to get detail information.
- 1 decade ago
The boot menu will come up if the drive is formatted so you will need the installion cds
- 1 decade ago
if you have the recovery disk(s) that came with the unit then yes you need to use it.