Formatting Hard Drive

[carldogg]

Currently, my system consists of an Intel Celeron MMX 366Mhz, Intel Celeron 440EX Motherboard, 8M x 64 SDRAM, an 8.4gig Western IDE Hard Drive, with Win98se OS.
I've had some problems with my system and have made the choice to format my hard drive and start from scratch again. I am not too familiar with this process. What is the best way to format the hard drive and load Win98se back on. I have the full Win98se CD but am not too sure as to when and how I should install the OS.
Also, I am thinking of upgrading my memory. I know I have 8M x 64 SDRAM. I don't know what speed they are or what type of slots they go in. Any suggestions on memory types?
If anyone can get back to me on these subjects it would be very greatly appreciated. Thanks...

[Roy]

My first reaction is "What kind of problems led to the decision?"

Then "Have you DeFragged and reinstalled W98SE?"

It takes some very serious corruption to make the "last resort" really necessary.

Are you sure about the mobo designation? I don't recall hearing of any Intel brand board by that name. If you're sure you have SDRAM, then PC133 SDRAM is as inexpensive as the slower flavors and should work in your board.

[tinwindow]

Format with Win98se is easy if you have the floppy boot disk.
Restart computer with the floppy in its drive.
Select "Start computer without cd support"
At the "C" prompt type fdisk
follow the instructions
usually it is the #1 choice then the #3 at the next choice.
It will ask if you are sure....Make sure you are.....then when done there.....
Hit escape button until you are informed to re-start
Then re-start and this time answer "Start setup from CD"
Win98 will partition and format after you answer the questions....
If asked about large disk support "yes".
This is from memory and hope someone will reply if I'm incorrect.
Good Luck

[LiLRiceBoi]

if you're happy w/ your partitions you dont need to fdisk. just put in the floppy and type "format c:". this will format your "c drive" then put the cd in and type the drive letter, followed by a colon and push enter. then type setup and follow the directions.

[carldogg]

thanks for the info everyone. i am actually not happy with the way my partitions are set up and would like to change them by starting over. A boot disk on a floppy was mentioned. What exactly is and how do I make a boot disk?

[King_Kooba_Fantastique]

Here is a good explanation on how format your hdd.

from: http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/Forum2/HTML/010933.html

...This is the procedure, which should allow you to format your hard drive as painless as possible.
1. Place a bootable diskette in to the floppy drive immediately after power on (make sure that your bios settings, start-up options/sequence indicates that the first start-up drive is the floppy drive or a:\> )
2. You will be presented with the a:\> prompt
3. At the a:\> prompt type dir Hence, you will have a:\>dir (Press enter (return key)
4. A screen will appear with the contents of your bootable floppy disk.
5. The file which you require is called Fdisk
6. At the a:\> prompt type Fdisk Hence, you will have a:\>Fdisk (Press enter (return key)
7. A screen will appear stating at the bottom ‘Do you wish to enable large disk support (Y/N)’. Indicate Y for yes.
8. The next screen represents Fdisk options. These range from 1-4.
9. To establish the state of your hard drive, go to option 4 (Display partition information)
10. This screen will either show that you have a partitioned hard drive or that no partition(s) were detected.
11. If no partition(s) were detected, and bearing in mind that you will need a partitioned hard drive in order to format your hard drive; press Esc to get out of this screen and back to the Fdisk option screen.
12. Press Fdisk option 1 (Create dos partition or logical disc drive)
13. The Create dos partition or logical disk dive menu screen appears
14. Press create dos partition or logical disk drive option 1 (Create primary dos partition). It is necessary to have a primary partition otherwise you will not be able to install windows. You can stipulate the size you would like your primary partition to be. Any other partitions you wish to have will be up to you.
15. Press Esc and go back to the Fdisk options screen
16. Press Fdisk options 2 (Set active partition). You will need to do this if you wish to install Windows. Follow the instructions. It is self-explanatory.
17. Press Esc until you arrive back at Fdisk options.
18. Press Fdisk options 4 (Display partition information)
19. You should find that you now have one primary partition which is ‘active’
20. Press Esc until you arrive at the a:\> prompt
21. Warm boot (reboot) your computer with the bootable diskette still in the floppy drive.
22. Arrive at the a:\> prompt
23. At the a:\> type format c:/s
24. Hence you have a:\>format(space)c:/s
25. The /s switch will copy system files to the ‘c’ partition on your hard drive. The system files are essential if you wish to install Windows.
26. If a:\>format(space)c:/s does not work
27. At the a:\> type c:
28. Hence you have a:\>c:
29. The prompt will now change to c:\> prompt (This also indicates that you have a partition ‘c’ on your hard drive.
30. At the c:\> prompt type format c:/s
31. Hence you have c:\>format(space)c:/s
32. Your hard drive will start to be formatted

It is important to note that this is not the best way to format a hard drive. Ideally, you would need to obtain a program, maybe from the manufacturers of your computer where they would have a diagnostic program with a hard erase facility that would erase your hard drive sector by sector.....

Hope it helps.
KKF.

[Fingers]

Double click on Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel and select "Start-Up Disk". This will make a bootable floppy with basic DOS commands {Fdisk,Format, etc) as well as CD-Rom drivers.