Help! Formating my HD

Joxer · 12-01-01, 07:22 PM

ok guys, for some reason Norton can't defrag my hard drives (or run anything else, like Disk Doctor) Because it says my HDs are configured incorrectly. It says I need to format them with FDISK (I know I did for one of them) but how do I need to go about doing this so that I can defrag them with Norton. They REALLY need it badly, one is at 35% and the other is at 42%

Thanks

McHawkson · 12-01-01, 07:26 PM

Movvvvvvviiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggg to Computer Forum.

Blade · 12-01-01, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by McHawkson
Movvvvvvviiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggg to Computer Forum.

Here, let me do that.

By the way, Joxer, if you have to Fdisk your drives, you're going to lose any information on them. So you should back up any critical data first.

Also, once you've fdisked and reformatted your drives and reinstalled all your applications and OS, you won't need to defrag anymore.

The folks in the Computer forum will be able to explain what you have to do though.

Good luck.

focker · 12-01-01, 07:38 PM

I just wanted to emphasize what Blade said. Formatting means wiping out your entire hard drive, including all data, Windows, and any ohter programs that are installed. You might try to fix whatever is keeping you from defragmenting instead if possible. Try Norton Disk Doctor and WinDoctor if you have them, then try defragging again.

monkeyboy · 12-01-01, 08:07 PM

if you do decide to reformat your hard disk, here's how to do it.

1. Make sure your startup disk is in drive A and reboot.
2. At the DOS command prompt, type the following:
3. format c: /s /u [assuming your hard drive is letter C]
4. A warning message appears.
5. To proceed with formatting, press Y, and then press ENTER.
6. When formatting is complete, type a volume label if you want one, and then press ENTER.
7. Remove floppy disks from all floppy disk drives, and then restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL.

that'll give you a total fresh start.

D.Pham4GLTE (>60GB) · 12-01-01, 09:07 PM

Quote:

It says I need to format them with FDISK

FDISK doesn't format your hard drive...it just partitions it. That's why you have to format after you do fdisk.

Joxer · 12-03-01, 12:03 PM

ok, well I got everything working now. I'm not going to go into all that I did, because none of that matters. I was about to format my C drive (I have 2 HDs C and D, I did all of my tests on D which was empty) but I REALLY didnt want to do all of that, so I said, screw it, I'm just going to try reinstalling Norton Utilities. So I uninstalled, deleted the directory (which contained files that Add/Remove couldn't delete) and reinstalled....BINGO, now it can read my HDDs fine. So I guess the first thing to try is reinstall the dang software

I'm SOOOOOOOO glad I didn't find this out after I formated my C and had to reinstall everything..

P.S. To everyone above... I know what formating is. I just needed to know the switches to format because it hadn't worked right the first time (well at least I thought it hadn't)

Ok, well anyway, everything is working for me now

12-01-01, 07:22 PM	#1
Joxer DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 1,211	Help! Formating my HD ok guys, for some reason Norton can't defrag my hard drives (or run anything else, like Disk Doctor) Because it says my HDs are configured incorrectly. It says I need to format them with FDISK (I know I did for one of them) but how do I need to go about doing this so that I can defrag them with Norton. They REALLY need it badly, one is at 35% and the other is at 42% Thanks __________________ "It's almost like I'm wearing nothing at all.... nothing at all.... nothing at all...." -Ned Flanders Check out Castle Larkshire!

12-01-01, 07:26 PM	#2
McHawkson DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: America Empire Posts: 13,902	Movvvvvvviiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggg to Computer Forum. __________________ Is that the best you can do, you pansies? - Marv in Sin City Croc RULE!

12-01-01, 08:07 PM	#5
monkeyboy DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: looking for mangos in the jungle Posts: 4,065	if you do decide to reformat your hard disk, here's how to do it. 1. Make sure your startup disk is in drive A and reboot. 2. At the DOS command prompt, type the following: 3. format c: /s /u [assuming your hard drive is letter C] 4. A warning message appears. 5. To proceed with formatting, press Y, and then press ENTER. 6. When formatting is complete, type a volume label if you want one, and then press ENTER. 7. Remove floppy disks from all floppy disk drives, and then restart your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL. that'll give you a total fresh start. __________________ you can turn your back on a person, but never turn your back on a drug; especially when it's holding a razor sharp hunting knife in your eye.

12-03-01, 12:03 PM	#7
Joxer DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 1,211	ok, well I got everything working now. I'm not going to go into all that I did, because none of that matters. I was about to format my C drive (I have 2 HDs C and D, I did all of my tests on D which was empty) but I REALLY didnt want to do all of that, so I said, screw it, I'm just going to try reinstalling Norton Utilities. So I uninstalled, deleted the directory (which contained files that Add/Remove couldn't delete) and reinstalled....BINGO, now it can read my HDDs fine. So I guess the first thing to try is reinstall the dang software I'm SOOOOOOOO glad I didn't find this out after I formated my C and had to reinstall everything.. P.S. To everyone above... I know what formating is. I just needed to know the switches to format because it hadn't worked right the first time (well at least I thought it hadn't) Ok, well anyway, everything is working for me now __________________ "It's almost like I'm wearing nothing at all.... nothing at all.... nothing at all...." -Ned Flanders Check out Castle Larkshire!

12-01-01, 07:38 PM	#4
focker DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Kailua, HI Posts: 4,790	I just wanted to emphasize what Blade said. Formatting means wiping out your entire hard drive, including all data, Windows, and any ohter programs that are installed. You might try to fix whatever is keeping you from defragmenting instead if possible. Try Norton Disk Doctor and WinDoctor if you have them, then try defragging again.