How To Format Your Hard Drive:

Step 1 - Back up your data

You must backup all of the files you created or any other data you can’t afford to lose no matter where they are stored on the hard drive. When you format the hard drive, it will erase EVERYTHING on the hard drive. So backup up everything you don’t want to lose to DVDs or a second hard drive. Personally, I use a second hard drive and backup everything. That way I don’t lose anything. If I have enough room I will save the files uncompressed. If not, I save each top level folder as a zip file.

Step 2 - Print out your hardware configuration

It’s always useful to know exactly what hardware devices you have installed on your computer. You may need this information to find drivers for the hardware especially if you can’t find the original installation CDs.
The easiest way to print out you hardware configuration is to:

• Open the Control Panel
• Select the System icon
• Chose the Hardware tab
• Click on Device Manager
• Select Action -> Print from the top menu

Step 3 - Shut down and Reboot from the windows installation CD

You must do the formatting from the CD. If you are not sure how to boot from your CD, check you computer’s user manual. If you can’t find it and it doesn’t tell you on the black boot up screen, go to the motherboard (or computer if it a name brand) manufacturer’s website and download a pdf version of your user manual. You cannot boot from your C drive because we are going to delete that partition.

Step 4 - Start the windows installation

I am using windows XP screen captures for this article. The screens may be slightly different with windows 2000 or vista. When the screen below appears, press Enter.

• Follow the onscreen directions. At some point you will get to the screen shown below

• Press Enter. The screen shown below will appear.

• Using the down arrow key, highlight the Format the partition using the NTFS file system option
• Press Enter to continue

The install program will now format your hard drive. When that is finished follow the on screen prompts to install a fresh new copy of windows.

Step 5 - Install hardware drivers

You now need to install all of the drivers for your hardware. The most important one will be the driver for your network card so you will be access the internet. As long as that one is working you will be able to download all of the others if you can’t find them. You can use the hardware print out to make sure you don’t forget to install any drivers. When you finish installing all of your hardware drivers, test you hardware to make sure that it is working. Test the printer, scanner, speakers, sound, camera, microphone, etc to make sure that everything is working properly. Go online and download any missing drivers and install them. When everything is working, go to the nest step.

Step 6 - Update windows

Either click on the update windows icon or go to Microsoft’s website, and select your version of windows and select update. Your system files will be updated with the latest patches.

Step 7 - Install all of your applications

After you windows operating system is updated to the latest service pack, it’s time to install all of your applications using the original installation CDs. This can take anywhere from several hours to several days depending on how many applications you have to install. After you install the applications make sure they are working properly. They should be.
The reason I told you to wait until after you did the windows update to install your applications was just in case a newer version of a dll one of your applications needs was installed during the update process. By waiting you will install the one your application needs to work properly.

Step 8 - Restore your files

If everything else is working properly, you can now copy all of the files you created back to your hard drive. You have a fresh install of both your windows operating system and all of your applications. Do not copy any system or application files…only the files that you created or downloaded.
Congratulations, you have successfully formatted your hard drive and reinstalled windows and all of your applications. Now take yourself out for a treat.

Related Post

• What is a Runtime Error?
• Top Windows Media Center Features
• Windows Media Player – Video and Audio Overview
• Customizing Tips For Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Defragging Your Windows Hard Drive

Read More..

Dear readers,

      Can you imagine when suddenly your USB thumb drive or external Hard Disk that contain your most precious DATA that you rather die if it suddenly can’t be opened like usual and it says “Corrupted”?????? Well here is a few things you can do before reformatting your thumb drive/external hard disk.
      I tell you this, even though your computer said “Can’t Access, Corrupted Data” etc. Your Data still can be rescued and it means it’s not necessarily lost, isnt that a relief? Though many of us who encounter this “CORRUPTED Drive” Situation will always click on the “Format” Button.

PLEASE!!!

Before you CLICK on the FORMAT Button!!!

Try This…

1st STEP
Open the RUN windows. (Window Button + r)

2nd STEP
Type “cmd” without the “”. then enter.

3rd STEP
On The Command line, Type

chkdsk<space>E:/f/r

The letter “E” on the command above is your HARD drive letter.(Can Check in MY COMPUTER)
Then Finally Just PRESS “ENTER”.

Note :
If it say "window found error on the disk but will not repair the error because the checkdisk command was run without the /f = fix parameter, 

Convert lost chain to file? <Y/N>
You should type  "y" WITHOUT THE QUOTE, which means YES and press enter.
 
After its finish(DEPENDING ON HOW LARGE YOUR HARD DRIVES), you should be able to access your external disk or usb disk. And most important is you get your data back!!!

Good Luck!!!

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT IF THIS POST HELPS YOU!!! IT WILL BE APPRECIATED!!!

Read More..