Format Problem

Alright my friend gave me his computer to format and reinstall windows. I did that with the Winodws XP Home CD and reinstalled Windows XP. No here comes the problems, it seems like it did not format the drive at all because there are still a million virus on this computer, I can't even get Windows Update to do anything let alone Internet Explorer. I was able to download an antivirus before it crashed and ran that, it won't finish because too many problems occur during the scan and the computer, yet again crashses. My question is how do I format the drive to erase everything? I know this is more than likely something easy, but I am just lost on why it isn't deleting everything on the hard drive.

 

Alright you have to go into My computer on your friends computer and then you right click on the hardrive icon and click on Format. Then run through the format. Then reboot the system and go into the BIOS. You get into the BIOS by typing the letter or something that it says to when you first start your comptuer and it runs the memory check. Usually its something like DEL or ESC for the Setup. You navigate through there and find where you can set up the primary, secondary, and third boot sequences. You have to change the first boot sequence or primary boot from w/e it is to the CDROM. Then reboot and make sure you have the Windows XP Home inside the CDROM drive. It should autodetect it and then run through the setup.

 

I am unable to format the drive through My Computer because the drive contains all the window files, and i've already set the CD-Rom first and that still didn't work.

 

If that doesn't work then open command prompt and type Format C: and then follow the directions.

 

Alright I started it up in DOS to format it but when I try to go to the C: drive it says Invalid drive. I just made a MS-DOS boot disk to do this.

 

alright then go to the drive that you want to format. Usually the hardrive is the C: though

 

That is the thing, that only drives that are there are A: and B: which seem to be the disk drive beacuse if I go from A: to B: it's what is on the disk I just made.

 

alright then type C: in the command prompt and then type cd\ This should just make it display c:\

Then just type format and it should go. Don't type the drive though.

 

Nope. This is all that happens.

A:\> cd\

A:\>

 

Did you type C: ?

 

Yes. This is the full thing now.

C:\Documents and Settings\Gray N>C:
C:\>cd\
C:\>format
Required parameter missing -

Then if I do it with the parameter it still says the volume is being used and cannot format.

 

alright then boot into dos and then type

C:
cd\
format C:

 

Maybe I didn't type my other posts right. Lets clear this up.

When I am in Windows and right click format it can't format because it says the volume is being used.

In Command Prompt it says the samething but I can go from drive A: C: and D: there is no B:.

If I boot in MS-DOS it says that the C: drive is invalid and the only drives that are there are A: and B:.

I don't understand why it's doing this at all.

 

Have tried to fdisk the drive before formatting? That's a lot more thorough way to format and reload Windows. Also could be the reason why you can't get C: to show up, you may need to reload a media descriptor to the drive.

 

Just making sure I understand this, C: is the drive you want to format, right? You can't format it from within Windows. Let's forget everything already said and start over. You formatted and reinstalled Windows but still have the same problems, right?

 

Right, but I am unable to get to the C: drive through DOS.

 

Restart your computer with the boot disk in the drive, and then at the command prompt type: fdisk

You'll get a screen asking if you want to enable large disk support, choose yes.

The fdisk menu that comes up will look like this:
1. Create DOS partition or Logical DOS Drive
2. Set active partition
3. Delete partition or Logical DOS Drive
4. Display partition information
5. Change current fixed disk drive

Choose number 4, then delete the Primary DOS Partition. Then go back to the main menu and choose number 1. Follow the on screen instructions to label the hard drive and make it active. When you're done with that, press ESC to exit fdisk and restart your computer.

At this point, reboot with your XP cd in the drive and take the DOS startup disk out. Windows XP will format the drive and then proceed to install Windows.

 

If it's an old CD Rom drive it might not be a bootable device.

If that is the case you can go to Microsoft and search "boot XP" . They have a utility which will create a set of (6) boot floppies for XP. You will have to do this from a known good machine. Write protect the floppies after you make them.

When you run XP setup again, make sure you delete the partition and do a full format on the C drive.

 

fdisk doesn't work, it says Bad command or file name when I boot up with the disk.

 

Bump.

 

Go here www.makeboot.com make a win98SE boot floppy. Boot off it, at a:> type the following fdisk and then follow Ice's instructions. By the by you can boot with CDROM support.

 

Ignore previous addy it's changed I'm just finding you another

 

Here ya go http://www.voodoofiles.com/5478

 

You obviously have your partition set as NTFS or FAT32 using XP it is more likely NTFS in either case MS-DOS boot disks are out of the question. Boot from the XP cd and when you go through the install when you pick the partition to install it on. delete all partitions by pressing the letter d when they are highlighted. then you will be asked are you sure, just go through what it asks you. then you will have listed unpartitioned space listed you select that and create a partition and make it NTFS and you can ever format as NTFS (quick) this will format the drive in about 20 seconds reguardless of drive size. but if you are having problems with virusses sticking around I would recommend a full format. after that you should be ok once windows is installed.

 

I've tried that, the viruses seem to stay on even if I do that.

 

the viruses stayed on your computer after you did a complete format and reinstalled windows?

eric

 

ok, boot from a windows 98 boot disk you can get one here
http://www.bootdisk.com
then run fdisk and delete all partitions escape from fdisk then type this at the command prompt, fdisk /mbr.
This will erase the master boot record, there is most likely a virus hiding there and that is not erased during format or when you just delete a partition.
Then turn the machine off wait a minute or 2 to make sure there are no memory resident viruses. Then run xp setup. If you still have issues after that redo the above but before installing windows run a mcafee or norton emergency virus scan disk. if no viruses are found, perhaps there is a hardware issue. When you run setup at the beginning you will see where is says press F6 to load SCSI or raid drivers, Press F7 at that time. The BIOS may not be ACPI compliant and pressing F7 will disable ACPI. Try all that and then let us know.

 

I deleting the partition and reinstalling againi, I've done this same thing twice before already and it hasn't worked so maybe the third time is a charm.

 

Make sure you clear that master boot record, again type "fdisk /mbr" without the quotes. after deleting the partition from a boot disk.

 

Alright I did all that and reinstalled windows.
I loaded up windows and was able to download all the needed windows update files. I restarted it aftet that I went to get something to eat and when I came back all these things were open.

2 Internet Explorer windows (pwnage Cland and hacks)
2 c:\media.exe (these are command promt windows)
c:\moto.exe
2 c:\pro.exe

I tried removing these files, but as soon as I restart they are back on.

 

is the copy of windows you are installing from an original CD or a copy? if it is a copy it may have the virus on it...

 

No this is a purchased legit CD of XP Home.

 

Well 3 of those 4 that you listed are crack virii that spread through Kazaa...
What did you download off Kazaa that your trying to install? Or have saved somehwere close that are reinfecting your computer. Do you have the HD split into multiple partitions or do you have a 2nd hard drive that is still active?

Theyre coming from somewhere, and as far as i know those arent bios resident virii.

 

that was gonna be my next question. thanks Clan.

 

After the format and reinstall I never even downloaded Kazaa, there is one hard drive and it is not partitioned.

 

well those viruses are not bios resident viruses, and if you followed my instructions there are no MBR viruses the only conclusion would be either a memory resident virus(which an emergency virus scan boot disk will take care of) or a virus on your windows cd. I would put the cd in another pc and scan the cd. it's worth a shot.

 

Alright I scanned the CD and there was nothing found on the CD. How do I get a hold of an emergency virus scan boot disk and how do I run it?

 

well if you have norton (better) or Mcafee you can make them from the main console in either one. it's a disk set probly 4 floppy disks to make. then you boot with the first one and follow the instructions.