Welcome guest. Before posting on our computer help forum, you must register. Click here it's easy and free.

Author Topic: Hard drive format without installation CD  (Read 106757 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

tweedytl

    Topic Starter


    Rookie

    Hard drive format without installation CD
    « on: August 03, 2008, 10:19:52 AM »
    I've been trying to format the hard drive on one of my computers, basically to get rid of all the clutter that has accumulated on it. I've already made back ups of all the data I want to save, but I can't find any of the installation restore CDs that came with it. I think the computer may have come with Windows already installed on it, without any installation CDs. Is it possible for me to format the hard drive without them, and if so how?

    Here are my system specifications:

    OS: Microsoft Windows XP
    Media Centre Edition
    Version 2002
    Service pack 2
    2.80 Ghz 1.00Gb of RAM

    My conputer has 2 main drives or disks on it: HP_PAVILON (C:) and HP_RECOVERY(D:)


    SuperDave

    • Malware Removal Specialist


    • Genius
    • Thanked: 1020
    • Certifications: List
    • Experience: Expert
    • OS: Windows 10
    Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
    « Reply #1 on: August 03, 2008, 10:23:09 AM »
    You probably didn't get any disks. That's why there's a recovery on partition D.
    Windows 8 and Windows 10 dual boot with two SSD's

    tweedytl

      Topic Starter


      Rookie

      Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
      « Reply #2 on: August 03, 2008, 11:35:29 AM »
      ...so what am I supposed to do? I want to get rid of pretty much all the files and programs I've installed and return the computer to an 'as new' status.

      Broni


        Mastermind
      • Kraków my love :)
      • Thanked: 614
        • Computer Help Forum
      • Computer: Specs
      • Experience: Experienced
      • OS: Windows 8
      Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
      « Reply #3 on: August 03, 2008, 11:45:50 AM »
      Quote
      and return the computer to an 'as new' status
      Are you not planning to install any OS on it?

      tweedytl

        Topic Starter


        Rookie

        Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
        « Reply #4 on: August 03, 2008, 01:25:55 PM »
        It came with Windows installed on it. I don't want to get rid of that because I can't reinstall it.

        Broni


          Mastermind
        • Kraków my love :)
        • Thanked: 614
          • Computer Help Forum
        • Computer: Specs
        • Experience: Experienced
        • OS: Windows 8
        Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
        « Reply #5 on: August 03, 2008, 01:59:37 PM »
        I don't understand. How can you reformat hard drive, and leave Windows on, at the same time?

        tweedytl

          Topic Starter


          Rookie

          Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
          « Reply #6 on: August 03, 2008, 02:45:56 PM »
          I kind of just assumed it was possible.

          To be honest I don't even really know what a hard drive is, or what it means to format one. I'm just looking for a way to get rid of *everything* that I've installed on the computer since I bought it. It's currently so slow as to be practically unusable.

          SuperDave

          • Malware Removal Specialist


          • Genius
          • Thanked: 1020
          • Certifications: List
          • Experience: Expert
          • OS: Windows 10
          Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
          « Reply #7 on: August 03, 2008, 02:55:10 PM »
          If you just want to restore your computer back to the state it was when you purchased it you just need to do a recovery from your recovery partition. Just do a search for "recovery" and it should give you the information on how to do it.see here:
           [edit] Recovery partitions
          In recent years, bundled recovery CD-ROMs have become less common, as some OEM's are now utilizing hard drive partitions to store the recovery data. Accessing hard drive based system recovery is usually performed by pressing a specific key combination during or after the computer's POST. Partition based recovery systems are usually faster than their disc based counterparts since the data is directly on the hard drive and no disc swapping is needed. They can also be cheaper for the OEM because they do not need to ship recovery CDs with the computer, adding the price of creating them to the cost of the computer.

          However, if the hard drive fails, is fully reformatted, or is replaced, the recovery partition will be lost. An application used to burn bootable recovery CDs or DVDs is sometimes offered in order to allow a backup of the recovery data.[4] For computers with Recovery Partitions, these recovery CDs can also sometimes be ordered directly from the OEM. If they are used to recover the system, the recovery partition can sometimes be recreated with the recovery CD as well.
          Windows 8 and Windows 10 dual boot with two SSD's

          Broni


            Mastermind
          • Kraków my love :)
          • Thanked: 614
            • Computer Help Forum
          • Computer: Specs
          • Experience: Experienced
          • OS: Windows 8
          Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
          « Reply #8 on: August 03, 2008, 03:06:46 PM »
          On HP, you can access Recovery Partition by pressing F10 key at computer startup.

          tweedytl

            Topic Starter


            Rookie

            Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
            « Reply #9 on: August 03, 2008, 03:15:44 PM »
            Thanks for the help. I'll look into that tomorrow.

            Broni


              Mastermind
            • Kraków my love :)
            • Thanked: 614
              • Computer Help Forum
            • Computer: Specs
            • Experience: Experienced
            • OS: Windows 8
            Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
            « Reply #10 on: August 03, 2008, 06:41:10 PM »
            Let us know.

            patio

            • Moderator


            • Genius
            • Maud' Dib
            • Thanked: 1769
              • Yes
            • Experience: Beginner
            • OS: Windows 7
            Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
            « Reply #11 on: August 03, 2008, 06:50:54 PM »
            I sincerely hope that you're aware that after this procedure all your data abd programs will be gone....
            " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

            drmsucks



              Specialist

              Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
              « Reply #12 on: August 03, 2008, 09:36:40 PM »
              I sincerely hope that you're aware that after this procedure all your data abd programs will be gone....
              Looks like he's covered.
              I've already made back ups of all the data I want to save,
              If you don't have time to do it right
                              ...when will you have time to do it over?

              patio

              • Moderator


              • Genius
              • Maud' Dib
              • Thanked: 1769
                • Yes
              • Experience: Beginner
              • OS: Windows 7
              Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
              « Reply #13 on: August 04, 2008, 01:28:11 PM »
              Well when Broni asked how can you format and leave Windows on it at the same time his reply :

              Quote
              I kind of just assumed it was possible.
              " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

              tweedytl

                Topic Starter


                Rookie

                Re: Hard drive format without installation CD
                « Reply #14 on: August 04, 2008, 01:38:23 PM »
                Ok, I pressed F10 at setup, and was given 2 choices: either test (recommended) or run a recovery. I clicked on test, and was taken to 'PC-Doctor 5 for Windows PE'

                From there I had 4 options:

                Main Category - Basic Test
                Advanced category - Hard Drive Test
                                               - Optical Drive Test
                                               - CPU and Memory Test

                I clicked on Basic Test, and the program ran for a few minutes. When it finished, this screen appeared:

                Test Result Information
                Hard Drive - SAMSUNG SP2504C (Hard Drive)

                Results                     Test Name                                        Error Code
                Failed                       SMART short self test                         HD521-2W

                What should I do now? Is it safe to attempt a recovery? I turned the computer off without attempting a partition recovery after I got the test reults.
                « Last Edit: August 04, 2008, 01:49:54 PM by tweedytl »