need to get into dos mode with windows xp system

[matthew13l]

I need to do a low-level format on my western digital hd. I got the utility from wd's website, but i need to run it in msdos (obviously) and the disk is not bootable. I'm running windows xp pro right now. How can i boot into plain 'ol dos mode?

[Jimstep]

Hmmm, I'm not aware of XP having a DOS mode. You can run a command prompt by executing CMD from the run option on the start menu.

[matthew13l]

well i would run a command prompt in windows xp, but something tells me you can't low-level format the harddrive while in windows:eek:

:D

[smeg]

Start from a floppy boot disk.
To make one, insert a floppy , in windows explorer right click on A drive choose format and tick the box to make a dos start up disk.
Restart with the floppy disk in the drive?!!

:)

[rangeral]

Either your floppy disk is bad or you have the boot order changed to a cdrom in bios, floppy should be formatted with system files and wd utility executed to the floppy then bootup with it as mentioned.

[BipolarBill]

The WD diags download creates a bootable floppy. You have to run it in Windows to do that. Copying the file to a floppy gets you nothing.

As rangeral says, check your boot sequence. Many boards are set to boot from the hard drive first. Most of those require you to press F8 to choose a boot device.

Boot disks here:

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

[rangeral]

What am I saying, yes that diag should make a bootable disk as bill mentioned. Hardly use these things anymore, not as active as I once was.

[stix_kua]

The closest I think you can get to DOS mode is by pressing F8 when the computer is starting and then selecting "Safe Mode with the Command Prompt" option.

[CompGeek01]

I'm not sure that XP has that feature since DOS is NOT a part of Microsoft's OS's post 2000. To my knowledge the only way to do it, or rather I should say, the way I do it, is to create a boot disk as described above..

-B

[stix_kua]

Originally posted by CompGeek01
I'm not sure that XP has that feature since DOS is NOT a part of Microsoft's OS's post 2000. -B

Or so they want you to think...:p

[CompGeek01]

So very true! Looks and smells like DOS to me! :)

-B

[docusk]

Well, I was raised on DOS as some may know. I still have a copy of all useful DOS utilities in a folder called ..... wait for it, DOS.
Deltree, chkdsk, fdisk, format and many others. They take up about 2 gnats worth of parking space. I also have PK zip stuff, whereis.com and several BATch files in the UTILS folder.
If you have an old win '95 or '98 boot disk you can get there at boot. BUT, as Bill and rangeral say, you must set the bios boot sequence to a, c.
Recalling the days of DOS, low level format is not to be undertaken lightly. It does stress the platters and mechanism so be absolutely sure that's what you NEED to do.

(Here granny, this is an egg and this is what you do...)

Docusk

[ConfusedAlien]

i think he's trying to format with IBM wipe. its a little program you can put on your floppy to run in DOS. it rewrites your hard drive with 0,1 so that programs like CIA unerase cant retrieve "lost data."
I tried everything, but it doesnt seem to work. F8 on startup, says that some program is trying to access. Then shuts it down,
Run>CMD, other things are still running error.

I think the best way is the bootable floppy with the site that BPB gave.
I think I'll do it on my WD too.

Stix, i just bought a 4 gig HD for 5 cents at the thrift store. and a matrox millenia for 3 bucks. ill get you somethin lol.

[docusk]

Wot about something for me then?
Off to bed now and no more silly replies.
Doc