Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Formatting Hard Disk without Bootable disk?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    15

    Formatting Hard Disk without Bootable disk?

    Hi,
    I have Xp installed.
    I am required to format my hard disk but the problem is I don't have my windows bootable CD with me. My computer is running too slow now. I want to know that can I format the disk without the boot disk?
    What options I have regarding the same?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    3,295

    Re: Formatting Hard Disk without Bootable disk?

    Well SamsherR,
    Its not possible to format your disk without a bootable disk!
    You need to have windows installation Disk or Any linux disk to format it.
    One more thing do you have a dumb of your XP on your hard drive?
    If yes then you can install the XP all over again after formating the disk through a bootable Pen drive or flash drive!
    Two things are must!
    1. Bootable pen drive / flash drive
    2. XP CD (Or the dump on your HDD that you can burn on a CD before format)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    3,755

    Re: Formatting Hard Disk without Bootable disk?

    you will need an xp or vista (you never mentioned which version of windows) disc. however, some computer manufacturers have been putting a restore image on a recovery partition on the hdd. what kind of computer do you have? hp, dell, etc.? or is this a custom build? if you know you don't have a recovery partition, my best advice would be to borrow a cd for the same version of windows you currently have from a friend/co-worker/etc. and reinstall that way. just make sure you have your serial handy. you can use magical jelly bean keyfinder to find your serial, or if it was a manufacturered computer, it will be on the side of the case somewhere.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Posts
    3,026

    Re: Formatting Hard Disk without Bootable disk?

    You can download a boot disk from bootdisk.com that will allow you to delete the current partition. But how are you going to reinstall the OS without an XP disc?
    And then
    Use magical jelly bean to find the setup key # first and then you should be able to use any xp disk as long as it matches your version (pro or home)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    3,267

    Re: Formatting Hard Disk without Bootable disk?

    Well with most of the pc's now you will not receive the Original OS Cd but probably you got the Easy Recover Cd's these are used to bring back the pc to the factory settings.
    If you have no such cd's then look for the all programs there should be an utility installed already for the system restore work together with a partition reserved just to keep all the info for the system recovery, in a hp pc its called System Recovery Utility that comes with some options too. U can simply install only the drivers, Clean up C. and whole re installation and more..

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 4
    Last Post: 06-08-2013, 12:02 PM
  2. After formatting Mac OS X recover data from WD Hard disk
    By Gridharan in forum Hardware Peripherals
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 13-02-2012, 07:47 PM
  3. Does continuous formatting damages the hard disk
    By darksiderg in forum Hardware Peripherals
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 29-10-2011, 07:33 PM
  4. Hard Disk Error While Formatting
    By GaganGang in forum Hardware Peripherals
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 22-05-2011, 07:54 AM
  5. LED Time Machine TV stuck on Hard disk formatting
    By Iroquois in forum Hardware Peripherals
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 01-05-2010, 10:03 AM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Page generated in 1,711,720,940.26013 seconds with 17 queries