Hello,

I am running Windows 98.

I need to reformat my hard drive now.

I've tried everything...

My question is...

First, I have all my document now backed up on a cd rom.

Do I have to pack up anything else?

Are there any things I need to be very careful of when I reformat my drive.

I'm assuming that the hard drive will be wiped clean. Then I install my set up diskette and my CDRom for Windows 98 and then my Microsoft Suite Software and then my virus and other programs.

My technical store said I could try it myself. He said there is nothing that I could do to damage it... If I can't do it, they will do it for me.


Any help will be appreciated.

[email protected]

Thank you very very very much.

From the outline you gave in your question, you're going the right way. Before you re-format, though, make very, VERY sure that you've backed up everything from your hard drive that you can't afford to lose. Like you mention, after re-formating you've got a totally blank hard drive.

It's been awhile since I've had to re-format so I don't remember for sure, but I think your Win98 restore CD may do a surface scan, checking for bad sectors. Just to be on the safe side, once you're back up and running, use "scandisk" and set the option to check the drive surface.

The first step is to make sure you have installation disks for all your software including Windows and drivers disks for all your hardware. The next step is to make sure you have the Windows Startup floppy or a bootable floppy that will read your CD drive. You can make the floppy under Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs. You also need FDISK and FORMAT on that floppy.

Once you are prepared you boot from the floppy and run FDISK and run SETUP from the CD. You may need to Format the drive first. In which case you run FORMAT C: /S from the floppy.

Insert floppy that came with the Windows98 CD

Choose:
1. Boot with CD support
2. Enter Fdisk on the floppy
3. Choose 3 to delete primary and any other partition
4. Reboot and choose selection 1
5. Let windows setup do its trick


If you can't do this, let someone that has more maxi do it for you.

There is a download available that explains the exact format/reinstall procedure on the "Products" page at the link below. Just click on PRODUCTS and select FORMAT AND RELOAD YOUR HARD DRIVE GUIDE.