How to format harddrive without copy of Windows?

Captain Chaos

Hi first time poster here, I know this most likely hase been covered to death here but the Search function is MIA.

Basically I want to format my hardrive on my Laptop. When I got this new I didn't get a CD copy of Vista, a first for me but the product key for it is on the bottom of the laptop. My hard drive was factory partitioned, a 50Gb partition which I assume Vista is and the other 100Gb partition which I use for everything.

Could someone explain step by step I can go about wiping the drive completely and if you'd recommend leaving the HDD partitioned the way it is or make it all the one again?

Thanks.

mark renton

your assuming your operating system is on a separate drive and you want to format? :eek:

mark renton

Captain Chaos wrote: »

Could someone explain step by step I can go about wiping the drive completely and if you'd recommend leaving the HDD partitioned the way it is or make it all the one again?

Thanks.

first see what drives you already have

do you want to keep windows?

Captain Chaos

My partitions are listed as ''Vista OS (C: )'' which is 100gb in size and almost full, the other is ''DATA (D: )'' with only 90mb used on it out of 50gb. I have never used it.

So you're saying there is no way to reformat the HDD completely and have a fresh system. Why to new laptops come without the OS on a CD anymore?

mark renton

I hate vista - never use it, why not move all the files you need to keep on to the drive and then do a system restore to date near when you got new pc

Captain Chaos

john47832 wrote: »

I hate vista - never use it, why not move all the files you need to keep on to the drive and then do a system restore to date near when you got new pc

That an idea alright, I hate Vista with a passion but I have 7 on the way. My laptop is around 2 years old so the restore points don't go back that far.

Could I download a copy of Windows 7 beta and burn that to a CD instead?

mark renton

Did you get a restore disk?

demanufactured

Theres usually a restore partition hidden in ther boot menu , most shop bought pcs dont come with disks anymore.

Gerpir Feilan

Its really simple.
You have 2 partitions. You should install all programs on data partition, and keep only windows on system partition. That will speed up your system.
What to do now? Get copy of Vista or windows7 build 7600 (this is final ver. not beta). Burn it on DVD. Than copy all files that you want to keep to Data partition. That when you are 100% sure that you copied all files that you need to Data partition, put windows instalation dysk inside and restart laptop booting from instalation DVD. There is option to format dysk (dubble check to format correct disk - you will know by labels) before instalation starts. Chose system disk to format, then install windows of that partition. And thats it

Cheers!

taldar

Reverting back to a system restore point will not delete files so the drive will be still full. Re-install like above

Tony H

Captain Chaos wrote: »

My partitions are listed as ''Vista OS (C: )'' which is 100gb in size and almost full, the other is ''DATA (D: )'' with only 90mb used on it out of 50gb. I have never used it.

So you're saying there is no way to reformat the HDD completely and have a fresh system. Why to new laptops come without the OS on a CD anymore?

Hi first of all to make it clear , you want to restore your laptop to the same condition as it was when you got it first ? If this is the case it should be fairly easy if you don't care what happens to any data ,like music or photos that you have on the laptop .
If you do care what happens to your data , you need to back it up first to an external source (my preferred method ) first .

As you did not receive a restore disk the chance are that you have a hidden partition with all the files needed to restore to factory condition already on the laptop .


Please note that if you do restore your computer to factory condition you WILL LOOSE ALL YOUR PRESENT DATA unless you back it up .

If your laptop is a dell all you have to do to access this partition is :
When the Dell splash screen appears during the computer startup process, press and hold <Ctrl> and then press <F11>. Then, release both keys at the same time.

If your laptop is not a dell just google restore to factory condition for instructions on how to do it .

Biggins

IF - IF - you want to go back to the origional state with a clean slate as it would have appeared out of the shop - also try F8

For example:

1. Restart the system.
2. Keep pressing F8 as soon as it comes on again. Eventually you will get a white text list on a black screen displaying options for Safe Mode, etc.
* on this list will be at the top "Repair your computer"
Select this option.
* You should then be asked what keyboard layout do you want to use. Select either British or British (Ireland).
*click "next"
* You then might have to enter a previous password you use.
Then you will be given in the middle of your screen a window with options like:

Startup repair
system restore
System Image recovery
Windows memory diagnostic
Command prompt

The one you want is System Image recovery

Selecting this option will allow you to transfer the original factory image of your operating system from drive (d) to drive (c).

NOTE: THIS WILL ERASE EVERYTHING ON DRIVE (C).
Have you done back-ups of personal data?

This is a way too of getting your system back to original shop state.

thomasjad

Couldn't you just download a copy of linux, before it installs it gives you the option to format the hard drive and then after you can just quit without install.