Trying to wipe out hard drive - XP

Did these steps format c:/fs:ntfs; then message says all data will be lost; chose y and enter; then message says cannot run because volume is in use by another process. Format may be run if volume is dismounted first. It asks if I want to force a mismount. I chose y and then message says can't unlock the dirve. The volume is still in use.

How in the world do I get around this or unlock whatever it's talking about?

 

Do you happen to have Daemon Tools loaded? If so, you'll want to unmaunt any "virtual drives" created. This is just a shot in the dark, but I've heard of this before.

 

Welcome to MG.
In my BIOS I am able to lock the Master Boot Record to stop anything being written to it.
I must reset this from "Write Protect" to "Normal" before being able to format any drive.
This is probably a longshot, but boot into your BIOS at startup.
Go through every screen on your BIOS to see if anything similar exists on your PC. Bazza
===

 

just to clarify.... you're not trying to do this through windows by any chance are you? because windows cant delete itself

if you are trying to reformat windows, its best to boot from your XP cd and do everything through windows setup.

 

Are you doing this from a w98 floppy disk. I remmember trying to install a WinNT system and I had to run a DOS command - LOCK. I tried looking it up in XP but is not their, so depending on how you are booting this may not be what you want.

Syntax:

LOCK [drive:]

UNLOCK [drive:]

 

Yes use your windows xp setup cd,delete all partitions then create new ones,format and install will continue.

 

If nothing works

then run a debug script and delete all partations and then boot through the win xp Create partations and then format and install os using a NTFS Format

To run this debug script you many need to have a bootable Disk

you can create a boot diskete also by visiting www.bootdisk.com

then boot through the Floppy/CD

it would be A:\

Type #: and press < enter > ** Where # is your HDD letter

at the drive prompt type

#:\> debug

-F 200 L1000 0 <Enter>

-A CS:100 <Enter>

xxxx:0100 MOV AX,301 <Enter>

xxxx:0103 MOV BX,200 <Enter>

xxxx:0106 MOV CX,1 <Enter>

xxxx:0109 MOV DX,80 <Enter>ß "80 for hd 0,"81" for hd 1

xxxx:010C INT 13 <Enter>

xxxx:010E INT 20 <Enter>

xxxx:0110 <Enter> ß Leave this line blank

-G <Enter>

program terminated normally

<Crtl-Alt-Del>


This will delete all Partations and from the HDD NTFS or Fat its gone

Please Note : You would loose all data in your hard drive

Then boot using win XP Cd and then create partation/s and install os as required .

Enjoy !!!

 

Hi All
Could not edit my post becoz i exceeded the 5 mins time frame,

Just forgot to wish you all a hi and introduce my self

iam just a few days old in MG

 

Welcome to MajorGeeks!

 

Hardmarkerin:I have never seen anybody using assembly to delete a partition.Where did you learn that?Any advantageous?

 

Hi

I had a problem of S/W Bad clusters in my HDD long back when i was in school, and i could not afford a HDD on my own at that time, so wrote this debug script,

it sure works for me

 

So you learned it yourself?Do you do any programming?And since you are at dell support you could help 'Need help reformatting comp IamAnton' that thread in the hardware forum. http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=64303

 

neways i programe System side programming on my own just to earn a lil more ...


Well i have replied to the post of the below mentioned link

Not a big issue, can be resolved , does it need that many formats though

 

The problem with dell etc is they blames software and virus and they are right sometimes.But when it is hardware they just say the samething.

 

n iam not in Dell support, iam into system side development, was in tech support for 3 yrs ....

 

Antons problem is not easy,because he formated the drive and reinstalled the drivers.How can that be a driver problem still?

 

Wana know if he is installing the chipset first or not,


n also want to know abt what driver he is installing,

he can also run the Diags and see

if he could gimme the info i asked for, for sure some thing can be done

i only belive in one line...if there is a problem there is a solution ....

 

Hardmarkerin:Well best of luck and see you around.

 

Thanx a Lot buddy ... wish you the same
ne ways ... what do you do apart from MG .... ?