Reformat Windows Vista 64-bit - DPChallenge Forums

09/01/2009 12:23:49 PM · #1

I was just wondering how to reformat my new laptop for future reference, because it's different than my XP desktop. My Windows Vista is already installed on the laptop so I do not have a CD to reinstall it, I have to press an F key before it starts up. I tried pressing the two F keys that came up before it ran and it lead me to setup but they were all configuration setups and I got confused.

09/01/2009 12:44:27 PM · #2

bump

09/01/2009 12:45:45 PM · #3

You want to reformat the hard drive without clobbering the operating system? Not possible. (as far as I know anyway)

Now, if you had something like Partition Magic to partition the hard drive without erasing anything (on the fly) so one partition holds the OS then the second partition could be reformatted.

Message edited by author 2009-09-01 12:52:34.

09/01/2009 01:04:13 PM · #4

no it's definitely possible i did it with my XP desktop all the time. The operating system is built in.

09/01/2009 01:06:02 PM · #5

Originally posted by cujee:

no it's definitely possible i did it with my XP desktop all the time. The operating system is built in.

Whoever built your machine probably created a separate partition for the OS to make it possible. Otherwise reformatting the HD would wipe it out.

What disk does your laptop boot from?

Maybe talk to the person who built your desktop so you can get your laptop set up the same way.

Message edited by author 2009-09-01 13:07:50.

09/01/2009 01:11:40 PM · #6

i bought my laptop from a retail store called TigerDirect, it's built the same way futureshop and bestbuy i believe. So i guess it is built from a separate partition.

Um i'm not entirely sure which disk it boots from. Is there a way to find out?

09/01/2009 01:14:45 PM · #7

Originally posted by cujee:

If you go into the bios (F2 at startup) you can see the boot order.

Also, did your laptop come with recovery disks? If not, you should probably create them.

Here's a forum talking about this.

//forums.techarena.in/vista-setup-install/1079181.htm

09/01/2009 01:22:03 PM · #8

the second post from that Walter person is the exact same predicament i am in, but he didn't seem to reply to that or answer his question.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

09/01/2009 01:55:43 PM · #9

Originally posted by cujee:

the second post from that Walter person is the exact same predicament i am in, but he didn't seem to reply to that or answer his question.

The answer was to locate the recovery disks (which should have been supplied with the laptop). Those are what you use if you need to reformat the HD. From those disks, the HD will be reformatted and the OS re-installed.

If you weren't given recovery disks I'd ask for them. If they say no I believe Vista has a way for you to create them yourself.

Message edited by author 2009-09-01 14:03:47.

Apple iPhone 5

09/01/2009 02:29:50 PM · #10

If you go into 'My Computer' do you have a C: drive and a D: drive, or just a C: drive?

And if you go into the C: drive, does it contain all the Windows system type folders, or just 'documents' ?

It could be possible that whoever built the laptop put the operating system on the C: drive and the space for your data on the D: drive. (both on the one physical drive, but partitioned into C: and D:)

With that type of setup, you can format the D: drive separately from the C: drive, thus leaving the operating system intact.

However, if you have everything on the C: drive (system and data) then formatting it will require a re-install of the operating system.

SteveJ

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

09/01/2009 02:54:39 PM · #11

When I got my laptop, on startup, it asked me to create two boot disks, one for the OS and the other for applications. The media used was DVD.

The recovery/boot programmes are normally hidden in a small partition, once copied they either automatically delete or they remain hidden. Check your manual, this should have a section on recovery/restore back to factory default.

cowboy221977

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

09/01/2009 02:59:47 PM · #12

I used to build desktops for a living. The operating system is not "built in". Most companies to include Dell, gateway, etc. format the entire drive and install the operating system. They usually have only 1 partition. You then are screwed if the operating system crashes. In order to combat this, all the big companies started dividing the hard drive up into 2 partitions.(one being backup) The way I always built my computers is I would set asside aroud 10 gigs in a partition of it's own strictly for windows. Then I would partion the rest into 40 - 50 gig partitions so if something crashed you don't lose anything.

SteveJ

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

09/01/2009 03:02:13 PM · #13

Originally posted by cowboy221977:

OP has a laptop?

soup