Formatting WinME

[Ljbonobo]

I'm running WinME, have everything backed up and ready to go for a format and such. However, when I put the startup disk in and go to command prompt I type in this
format C:\ and the pc gives me "bad command or file name"

What am I doing wrong? Help?

 

[fgarvb1]

http://www.putergeek.com/winme_install/

This might be better.

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/install/textonly/installme.HTM

 

[Ljbonobo]

actually the problem (i looked thru the MS knowledge base) is that the format command is compressed on the WinME boot disk. You have to do a boot with cd rom support for it to be uncompressed and work.

Thanks though.

 

[Weird Harold]

I type in this
format C:\ and the pc gives me "bad command or file name"

What am I doing wrong? Help?

First, try dropping the backslash from the command -- you can't format a directory/folder, just drives or partitions.

Second, Format.exe might not be in the "path" for some reason. do a find for Format.exe an then do a CD (change dirctory) to the directory it's foud in before trying to run it.

If you reboot from an emergency boot disk, FORMAT and FDISK will both be available at the command prompt.

You should type FDISK \MBR to unlock the master boot record before you format the disk anyway.

 

[Helldog]

copy this file to a disk: format it will be in this location
C:\Windows\system32
I am going to assume you want the entire hard drive erased and this will do it.
make a start up disk and put the format file in the start up disk, then restart your computer with the start up disk in the disk drive, when it gives you a screen to start up in you want to start up in msdos mode. from there go cd/A:

from there go
a:format C:

and that should do it, no remember you will have to reinstall all the drivers on your computer if you want it to run right. you are doing a compleate reformatting of the hard drive and I hope your hard drive isn't partisioned because if it is you are in some trouble and I would recomend you getting a new hard drive. When you start to loose files with me I found it easier to get winxp because it is more stable, after you install it again don't be suprised if it starts to loose more files too. This is a problem with me so that is why more poeple went out and got xp....

I hope this helps some...

 

[Ljbonobo]

Re: Re: Formatting WinME

First, try dropping the backslash from the command -- you can't format a directory/folder, just drives or partitions.

Second, Format.exe might not be in the "path" for some reason. do a find for Format.exe an then do a CD (change dirctory) to the directory it's foud in before trying to run it.

If you reboot from an emergency boot disk, FORMAT and FDISK will both be available at the command prompt.

You should type FDISK \MBR to unlock the master boot record before you format the disk anyway.

The problem was that the format command is not available if you go just to the command prompt with a WinME boot disk. You need to boot with cd-rom support where it makes a "ram" file and uncompresses the command. then the Command is available to be used.

Thanks for all the help guys (and gals).