I am trying to format c: and erase everything on that drive i dont have a boot disk however just the windows xp pro disk and i cant remember how to get into command prompt

try to format all your drive by deleting your partition..insert your xp cd room boot with cd room press enter, press f8 press esc, press d, press l, then press c and enter

If you have a valid Win XP Pro CD and want to install the operating system you'll need to format your hard disk drive. If you have allot of data on you're hard disk drive, (In Win 2000) Suggest you create a second partition within the free space of you're hdd and install windows XP Pro. Boot you're system with the XP CD. Pay close attention to the display screens. Follow the instructions for creating a second partition.
Format the new partition. (Quick). Install windows XP on the new partition. Once completed you can copy your personal data to win XP.
If you choose to keep the win 2000 partition and you do not wish to have a dual boot system than remove/delete the root files from the 2000 partition. These files; Autoexec.bat and Boot.ini. You're new XP Boot.ini should read like this;
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usepmtimer
Once you're satisfied an no longer need win 2000 use windows diskmgmt.msc from the run command to delete the win 2000 partition.
Win 2000 uses a FAT16 where Win XP uses the FAT NTFS.

Cheers!
Mike

Does it show

boot from cdrom?
did you answer (Y)
then hit spacebar?
have the bios set to boot from cdrom/first boot device cd-rom?
If any of these settings are not applyed you will not restore xp on your computer

go into bios and conferm settings

first boot device if set as floppy or hard drive change to cdrom
on some systems you can hit the (f12) key to bring up a boot window and select the cdrom and boot from there then it will ask the normal questions

If its the full windows xp cd by booting it from the cd drive it will erase everything and ask if you want to upgrade or advanced install I think. Your correct in choosing the atapi cd-rom as 1st boot device. The cd should be in the drive on startup. IDE is the type of hard disk drive. I'm guessing the FDD stands for floppy disk drive which you might not have that many but you have that many bay windows available.

Put disk in, shut down computer, Start computer and it should give you the xp disk contents. Be aware of data loss though.

please do one thing call sony for this they will be able to provide with a windows cd or if a ghost partition is available they would guide u with that but remember by doing that it would erase everything from the hard disk like your personal data

Fastest, and most efficient way to erase an hard drive is by formatting it.

If the hard drive is the one in which the system is installed, then you will need to boot the computer using the system install disk (eg. Windows XP disk) to format the hard drive.

If you mean boot from cd with xp pro during setup you will have the opportunity to format drive either fat32 or ntfs use ntfs
I have never done it but if you can do it partition your hard drive so that you can save personal file and programs on second partition then if you have to format drive again your files on second partition will not be lost

have you got the windows xp disk or the windows vista disk . go int the bios and change the boot drive to the dvd drive . and boot from the dvd drive , but be carfull you might need to down load the sound card drivers first ont the modem drivers , just in case windows xp or vista cant find them.

If your Laptop is purchased with Recovery Disk, you can use that disk to restore the default setting of your laptop. It usually FORMAT your hardisk and erase all programs and files saved on your Hardisk. If Recovery Disk is not available then you can simply use your provided Windows Installer to format your Laptop and install a Fresh Windows on your Laptop, be sure to format the Whole Disk Drive to erase the files.

Windows XP questions and answers CH000635, How to get into Windows XP recovery console without a Windows XP CD. CH000646, NTOSKRNL.EXE is missing or corrupt.


How to create a boot disk. Booting from the Windows XP CD will allow you to not only install/re-install Windows XP but will also allow you to troubleshoot it.

How to erase my hard disk drive and start over. If you are running or plan on installing Microsoft Windows XP please see ... First, we recommend that all users wanting to simply install Windows NT use the .

How to use the Windows recovery console. Place the Windows CD in your computer and boot from the CD. ... To repair a Windows XP installation using recovery console, press R.

Good Luck, Please dont for get to Vote/Thank You.