WindowsME-Format

[NealJ]

I know this is not an ME Newsgroup but cant get help elsewhere- Can you
help?

I want pass on an old Dell computer that has WinME installed., but would
like to reformat the hard disk and then reinstall WinME.

I have tried to format C: but at point of accepting destruction of existing
data on drive, it stops me progressing because of statement process still
running.

How do I reformat and then reinstall from my original CD WinME installation
disk?

Thank you J.

[Auric__]

NealJ wrote:

> I know this is not an ME Newsgroup but cant get help elsewhere- Can you
> help?
>
> I want pass on an old Dell computer that has WinME installed., but would
> like to reformat the hard disk and then reinstall WinME.
>
> I have tried to format C: but at point of accepting destruction of existing
> data on drive, it stops me progressing because of statement process still
> running.

Windows is generally smart enough to not erase itself while it's running.

> How do I reformat and then reinstall from my original CD WinME installation
> disk?

The WinMe CD should be bootable; boot from that. If you can get a DOS prompt
(or can otherwise erase the drive) you're good to go, otherwise try making a
boot disk from within Me itself. (Can't remember the steps so you're on your
own there.)

If neither option works, grab a boot disk from here:
http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

I haven't tried the Me boot disks, but the 98 disks should work for you just
as well.

(Don't get the 2000/NT/XP disks. The DOS disks probably won't help you
either.)

Note that "boot disk" means "bootable floppy disk". If you don't have any
floppies (and/or no floppy drive) you'll need a bootable CD -- any system
that understands FAT32 (which includes all versions of Windows from 95b/2k
on, any version of Linux from the last 10 years or so, and pretty much every
non-ancient OS on Earth).

If you get to here and your disk is still not formatted, find someone more
technically-oriented to do it for you.

--
Where can I find funny questions to ask somebody?

[NealJ]

When I use my 'Start up Disk', I presume this is the 'boot' disk, in floppy
drive ,WindowsME boots up as normal; I thought I would get the A: prompt. I
have checked Bios and boot order is A; followed by C;

J.

"Auric__" <not.m...@email.address> wrote in message
news:XnsA04C7BD19FE2Eau...@88.198.244.100...

[Auric__]

NealJ wrote:

> When I use my 'Start up Disk', I presume this is the 'boot' disk, in
> floppy drive ,WindowsME boots up as normal; I thought I would get the
> A: prompt. I have checked Bios and boot order is A; followed by C;

Now that I think about it, ISTR that being normal for Me boot disks. Sigh.

Grab one of the Win98 boot disks from bootdisk.com and use that instead.
(They're executable files -- insert a blank disk and run the program, it
creates the boot disk for you.) This one is good:
http://www.msu-hb.de/download/boot98se.exe

--
Too late. You're in Kansas now. Goodbye.

[NealJ]

Got BOOT DISK as suggested, but when booting up, WinME boots up as
normal?!!; cant get to format c:!

"Auric__" <not.m...@email.address> wrote in message

news:XnsA04D6BC45BE9Eau...@88.198.244.100...

[Auric__]

NealJ wrote:

> Got BOOT DISK as suggested, but when booting up, WinME boots up as
> normal?!!; cant get to format c:!

Here are the problems I can think of:
1. The BIOS is not set to boot from the floppy (though you said it is).
2. You're not paying attention to the boot process and the floppy you chose
defaults to booting from the hard drive after a bit.

If you can't get this to work, you should find someone more technically-
oriented than yourself and have them do it for you.

--
We must fight all the hate.

[NealJ]

The mystery deepens!

I have checked that floppy drive and it allows read/write to backup disk -
therefore is operational

I have disabled both HDD AND CDROM from bootup sequence in bios

I have put Diskette at first in sequence of bootup

But it will not boot from floppy boot disk; I get 'press F1 to try angain
and F2 for Setup(bios)

??????????? - I wont bother you anymore Auric_

"Auric__" <not.m...@email.address> wrote in message

news:XnsA04DC9FD0EEA9au...@88.198.244.100...