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Author Topic: Formatting  (Read 4877 times)

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Offline lucid

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Formatting
« on: March 02, 2012, 05:53:51 am »
Perhaps a noob question but does anyone have any general advice on why one would be unable to format their computer?

I imagine its a virus(not on this computer its an old one I found)and I can't think of another reason why.

Thanks


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Offline Wolf

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Re: Formatting
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2012, 07:28:37 am »
First,
What are you formatting exactly, and for what?
Second,
Have you done a decent virus scan? A combo of malwarebytes and hitman pro should take care of most viruses. Both free and quick to use btw.
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Offline lucid

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Re: Formatting
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2012, 07:33:26 am »
Formatting the C drive..the computer is so full of random crap and useless applications.

What about FUD?
« Last Edit: March 02, 2012, 07:36:17 am by LuciD »
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Offline Wolf

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Re: Formatting
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2012, 08:31:36 am »
I've never heard of FUD, but if its reputable, then sure. And why reformat then? I would just wipe it, maybe reimage it, if it's faulty...And what OS? I'm assuming XP?
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Offline Axon

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Re: Formatting
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2012, 08:45:34 am »
Try erasing the unwanted data from your C drive completely. That should give you some space and performance. 
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Offline lucid

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Re: Formatting
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2012, 08:50:54 am »
Quote from: Wolf on March 02, 2012, 08:31:36 am
I've never heard of FUD, but if its reputable, then sure. And why reformat then? I would just wipe it, maybe reimage it, if it's faulty...And what OS? I'm assuming XP?
FUD is fully undetectable.
So what I mean is couldn't a hex-edited virus go undetected by hitman pro.
I guess I hadn't realized a difference honestly. Yes its XP

Btw thanks for the recommendations for malewarebytes and hitman pro

EDIT: Is it a problem that I don't have the original OS disk?
« Last Edit: March 02, 2012, 08:57:20 am by LuciD »
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xor

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Re: Formatting
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2012, 12:02:55 pm »
Are you trying to format it while IN windows? You can't format a partition that's in use.
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Offline Axon

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Re: Formatting
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2012, 05:15:51 pm »
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Offline lucid

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Re: Formatting
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2012, 05:37:40 pm »
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Offline Kulverstukas

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Re: Formatting
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2012, 06:12:10 pm »
Well if you want to format the driver then...
Like XOR said you cannot format a partition that's in use within the system you are trying to format. You can easily do it with a Windows setup or a LiveCD such as Linux or Hiren's Boot CD.
If you are unable to format from live CD's then either your hardware is fucked somehow or you have a case of a BIOS virus of some sort, which is very unlikely but possible.
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Offline lucid

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Re: Formatting
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2012, 09:47:47 pm »
Since I have no OS disk for XP I searched the computer for the proper file...winnt32.exe and couldn't locate it. I'm not sure where to go from here in attempting to wipe the computer and reinstall the OS.


EDIT: Actually a solution would simply be to download XP from another computer onto a USB and install it on the original computer yeah?
« Last Edit: March 02, 2012, 10:37:30 pm by LuciD »
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Re: Formatting
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2012, 05:07:52 am »
If your main computer boots, you can download XP on that and do the same thing. You just need to download the install media, burn it, boot it and reinstall, but you'll probably want to make a backup of your data before you do that, and also download all of your motherboard drivers.... there have been a few instances where people have reinstalled and they don't have network drivers to get on the internet and shit.
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Offline lucid

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Re: Formatting
« Reply #12 on: March 03, 2012, 05:44:59 am »
Thats probably going to be the best solution. Although right now I'm working with an ISO burner to try and burn an iso image onto my usb and for an unexplained reason the burner is telling me it simply failed to format my usb. This is frustrating
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xor

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Re: Formatting
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2012, 08:03:53 am »
ISO burners generally burn to CD/DVD devices. You want a live USB creator.
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Offline lucid

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Re: Formatting
« Reply #14 on: March 03, 2012, 08:48:05 am »
I figured googling ISO burner to usb would yield some results. I found some freeware that was..questionable, and I found some that was promising. There are ISO burners out there that do burn to USBs aren't there? Or am I confused?


EDIT:I am confused apparently. LinuxLive USB creator should do the trick?
« Last Edit: March 03, 2012, 09:19:20 am by LuciD »
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