Vista 64 cannot reformat main drive -help

V

Visec

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 4, 2007
Messages
347
Using Vista 64 I want to completley reformat my harddrive clear everything and reinstall vista but it doesnt seem to want to let me delete everything.

I remember reformating reinstalling windows XP by using a dos command after bios like /reformat C: or something?

How do I completely reformat my main drive in Vista?
 
booting from the vista disc doesn't give you the option to?
 
Yes but it wants to backup some files to the windows.old folder and I have a horrible virus no removal programs will fix I just want to wipe everything completley.
 
I would just use a 3d party bootable disk, wipe it with that and install fresh...
 
You need to decide first what you really want to do. You can't back data up to your Windows.old folder, and then expect to reformat the drive, because you'll be wiping out your data. Back your data up to a second hard drive (and then unplug it) or get it off the computer totally, to an external drive, discs, or another computer. Then boot from your Vista DVD and clear the drive.
 
When you boot off the Vista DVD and get to the screen asking about drives and partitions, you want to click Advanced and delete the partition thats there, then recreate it, then finish the reinstall

I doubt you want to save your files to another system unless you know they are uninfected...
 
I have a second drive that I rarley access I only use to save movies on. I had the whenusave virus that was on my main drive but couldnt remove all of it. Can that virus jump to oither drives do I have to worry about my movies drive being infected?
 
You mean that whenusave virus that makes Vista delay horribly long when trying to copy files? :D

OT/ Didn't seem to get awfully long untill the most secure MS OS got a virus then did it?
 
Format your current drive after moving the data to the secondary. Next, install Vista and download/install Avast Antivirus or Kapersky or whatever. Make sure the program's virus database is updated, make sure realtime protection or on-access scanner is on and running. Then move important data to the Vista installed hard disk, then format secondary hard drive 2-3 times, then install and move data back. That should eliminate most of the risk.

PS: In the Vista installation hard drive selection menu you can format the drive without keeping the windows.old folder. It only keeps that folder if you fail to format the installation drive.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top