formatting without windows xp cd-rom?

There is no "law" causing anyone to sell a recovery CD to you. However, you can format your hard drive without such a CD - and operate your computer without Windows.

Formatting happens at a DOS prompt if you give the command,

format C:

but that will wipe everything from the boot hard drive - which is rather futile unless you have an operating system (on a CD or something) to replace what you just erased. You also could be reformatting into FAT when the OS needs NTFS to function well. So let the re-installation of the OS do the formatting automatically.

Windows is notoriously hard to install from scratch and it takes days even with expert knowledge. That's why - with Windows - OEM installation disks exist. From-scratch Windows drivers and correct special OS settings are hard and time consuming to find and set, whereas Linux drivers and proper settings are usually automatic - part of the installation - for almost all computers regardless of manufacturer - and the application programs are included too. So here's an easy and fast solution.

Get a Linux Live CD from http://getpclinuxos.com/KDE (grab the ISO or order one for a few dollars including postage). If you opt for a free download, create your CD by burning the ISO with the program ImgBurn from http://imgburn.com/

At that point you can run Linux right from the CD - or install Linux to your hard drive (including formatting, drivers, proper settings for your machine, and all programs) in less than 30 minutes by double-clicking the desktop icon put there for that purpose.

Good luck!

Some computers will give your a recovery option. Check by pressing the start button and look under "all programs" and see if you have it somewhere about it there. For example, on HP computers you will normally see it under HP Tools. But not all computers have that and if they don't, then you can't. In such a case you'll need to buy an operating system. Solaris and Ubuntu are free if all you want to do is surf the internet and word processing but they are troublesome when it comes to drivers and software compatability. GOOD LUCK

basically you cant. some computers now come with the disk preinstalled on a recovery harddrive. go to my computer and where you see your local disk there should be another disk by it label recovery or your computer or some **** like that. try to open it. most ones will pop up a message box saying recovery drive you cant alter these files. if so thats what you need. to access this drive you have to be sure to do it correctly and know how before you format. when you restart it should comeup with our computer manufactor screen and a some texts that says system recovery press F10 (thats what mine says make sure what yours is before you try to use mine.) after you press the button it will be pretty simple on how to do it. and if this recovery drive doesnt exist then you may need to contact where you bought the computer or by a operating system disk from walmart. but windows xp may not be on the shelves anymore, they anounced this last year that they are gonna stop selling it, so try to find and what you do dont buy vista unless you need to. but if you get XP and you want it to look like mac or vista there are programs to do that and they are free. i have XP and i have ahad it look like mac and now im using vista. hope it helps, instant messege me if you need help!!

If you don't have the CD you won't be able to put Windows back on the drive. You can format using an old Windows 98 boot disk (it's on a floppy but you can download it online then put it on a floppy yourself). You put the floppy in, restart your PC and at the prompt, type in format C:

you need to change the boot priority in the BIOS, boot the computer and hit the Del key or what ever it says to enter setup. you will have to look around to find the boot device priority, set the CD as the first, F10, Y. put the disk in and reboot. also if you bought this system you have an OEM version of windows and will NOT be able to reformat or reinstall, only repair...

Ask the manufacturer for a recovery CD, law says they have to give it to you for little or no charge. Get nasty if you have to.