hiroshi
Fri, 01-30-2004, 04:52 AM
</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Mondongo @ Jan 30 2004, 07:08 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> This is what i usually do...
i first put the OS software cd on the cd-rom...
then i enter the CMOS if not mistaken (in my pc i have to hit delete while the computer is reading the ram while starting up)
in there i look for the option of booting device and i choose the primary booting device the cd-rom... then when the computer starts up it will read the cd-rom first and it's a matter of following instructions...
There's probably an easier way of doing it, but this is how i like to do it... </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
You should NEVER DO THIS if you plan on formatting and re-installing your OS.
NEVER!!!!!
Ok understand when i say NEVER right? =P
Just making sure. Because this can cause serious conflicts and problems with your OS once it's installed. Because you can't simply install another OS over each other. In fact, Microsoft will even 'warn' you that this isn't a good idea and you should put the OS on a separate drive because an OS is already present on this HD.
It's ok if you want to use the file restore system from the CD, as it can restore important microsoft windows files (Like the key ones). It's also ok if you wish to use the debug tools and the such. But NEVER use it to install windows again, if you haven't formatted your drive already.
Ok. If you want to format, but you're lazy and want it done quickly but keep the same format. Then grab a boot disk, any boot disk it dosn't matter what OS version it was originally for. Stick it in your Disk Drive, and restart the computer. The computer should check your disk drive and start up the Disk Boot Sequence. (If it dosn't, enable the FDD as your primary boot device in your BIOS, and your CD/DVD-ROM as your second, and your HD-0 as your third.)
Once it's up, select "Start computer without CD-ROM" and then when the prompt appears type:
Format C: /q
This is the format command, but in /quick mode. Even my 200GB HD was formatted in just like 2 and a half mins with this, if even that ^^
Then take out the disk, and put your Windows CD in, then restart the comp and re-install the OS. But NEVER install the OS on an HD where an OS is already present. This would only be ok if the HD is partitioned and you use a separate particion (sp?), but seriously. Never do it unless you know a thing or two about multi-booting. Even then, i wouldn't install than one OS per HardDrive, because it's a risky business. Mess up, and the whole HardDrive could get corrupt physically and you'll need to replace the whole thing.
Edit:
Oh hang a sec. I forgot. If you have an image from a company who gave you a packaged PC, instead of a proper OS CD. Then you can use that straight off without formatting, as it does all the formatting and particioning in the background anyway. You can tell if your CD is an image or not, because it will probably have other software bundled with it, and have your company logo stuck all over the cd case and the startup sequence of the CD. I hate these crappy things, because you can only ever use them on one system. If you ever need to change your motherboard, you're screwed cause these things only work for that motherboard, and that 'specific' motherboard only.