can't reinstall XP or format c:...etc

[lesss]

Hi-
I have an HP Compaq laptop upon which I contracted some manner of virus (erased my mp3s, seems to raise the KB used by csrss.exe... but these are just my guesses)

It screwed things up enough that i decided to wipe the HDD and reinstall XP

Loads things for a while, then i get a black screen saying it can't continue, to run the chkdsk utility to see if the HDD is corrupt.

I tried to format c: from the MSDOS command line- it warns me of file loss, i type y. It says it can't format because the volume is in use by another process, would i like to force? I type y- it says volume still in use, cannot lock the drive.

I'd appreciate any direction or advice as to how to proceed?
thanks very much
lesss

[vishalsaxena17]

look dear u cannot format c: drive from the c: drive itself , it wld be lik killing urself with a knife .

if u want to completely reinstall a new Windows , without thinking abt the data in the c: drive u can do one thing ----
. Make a boot able C.D/Floopy.
. Go to bios and change the first boot device to C.D / Floopy.
. Now boot from the C.D/ Floopy here only operating system is there , from here u can format c: .
. now u can reinstall windows from ur own c.d

bi

[street1 (RIP)]

Try downloading Utimate Boot CD.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Ultimate_Boot_CD_Basic_d4019.html

[lesss]

thanks you guys-
yes, i did figure out the formatting drive from drive itself problem. I'll try the knife thing you suggest later....
=)

I have a bootable cd- of XP, the reinstall disk. But whenever i try to install from this disk my machine either dies (just all turns off) or I get to the black screen described above.  Is the problem in the disk or in my machine?

Is that the right question to be asking??
I'll check out the ultimate bootable, thanks again!

[patio]

Does this XP CD have a bunch of shiney holograms all over it or is it a sharpie written title ? ?

[lesss]

no sharpie, unless i accidentally rubbed it off while licking the back of the cd to get it to work?

it's a Dell reinstallation cd, XP Home.
yeah, and it's a hp laptop. but xp home was originally on this machine and i entered the product key from machine and cd seemed to work fine, in fact it went all the way thru once (i know because i was running Pro, now i have Home). but virus came along, and when i try to reinstall and leave all old files it keeps dyin'

[patio]

I don't want to dissapoint you but you can't use a Dell Recovery CD to reinstall XP on an HP machine...

[lesss]

disappoint me??

i would argue with you here- if that cannot be done, why am i currently running XP Home instead of the XPPro that i've had before?

[patio]

disappoint me??

i would argue with you here- if that cannot be done, why am i currently running XP Home instead of the XPPro that i've had before?

By all means feel free to argue with me...i'm not always right and don't profess to be.
However i'd say you got lucky.

[lesss]

<grinning>

way to live up to your 'arguing with a woman' statement!

granted there is far more 'luck' happening here than there is 'skill'- but i'm a fairly good researcher, which is why i'm feeling like i have some ground to stand on.  but this is neither here nor there... if indeed it did install, why can I not reinstall?

hmmm it reinstalled but it brought over some of my old files
(if it is not clear, i meant no disrespect)

[patio]

It wasn't taken that way...

[CINDYAHN]

I may be a late comer to this post..... but since I was out here looking for answers to my own issues and have found out some things that I did not know I thought I'd pass the recent knowledge I have attained -- thus far....  still working on my issue which I will list at the end and if anyone has any suggestions,,,,,  believe me I will be glad to hear them... 

One if you have a Dell you can use the disk you have -- but it will not work for an HP....  that would be like trying to put a Ford transmission in a Chevy....   they are two different animals... regardless of what you have herard. 
Two  ... you can not format C:  if you are in C: ..... like a previous post said you need to go to the bios and set the machine to boot first from the CD drive ...... to do this press F2 when the machine is starting up and look for Boot options there to change them.
Three .... Be aware that the installation disk(s) sometimes do no have the drivers on it...........  This brings up a whole new set of issues......  you need to go to the support site for your particular machine and get the drivers........  this task is not as easy as it sounds

WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY ON GOING PROBLEM
I had a virus........ tried to install Norton.... the machine was having so many issues dealing with the Trojan Virus that when Norton attempted to restart after it's upgraded install .... the machine died !!!!!   So yep....... I lost everything!!  Reinstalled Windows from my Dell disk and had no drivers .....  so I hooked up my laptop and downloaded the drivers from Dell.... well then guess what .... I DON'T KNOW HOW TO INSTALL THEM -  its not like they have an .exe file with them and the machine will not allow me to go to Device manager and install them there either.  I tried to just copy them to the C: drive and go to update drivers and that would not work either......

SO IF ANY ONE COULD BE SO KIND AS TO GIVE ME ANOTHER AVENUE TO GO DOWN - I'LL TRY IT.... THANKS  cOnFuSeD.......  CINDY   [email protected]


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