how do i format only my system drive using DOS ?

Question

i have a disk boot failure and need to format my C: drive using DOS.

Answer 1

Formatting a Hard Disk Is Three Steps





WHAT YOU DO WHAT YOU USE

1. Low-level format Low-level format program

2. Create partitions FDISK.EXE program

3. High-level format FORMAT.COM program

LOW-LEVEL FORMAT



All IDE hard disks and most SCSI disks are already low-level formatted at the factory. Sometimes the SCSI host adapter (controller card) requires that a low-level format be performed on each new SCSI drive that is added to the system. Read the instructions that come with your host adapter to be sure. The low-level SCSI format utility is typically built into the host adapter and is launched by pressing a certain key immediately after the computer is turned on.



CREATE PARTITIONS WITH FDISK



Every hard disk must be partitioned after it is low-level formatted. Even if one drive letter serves the entire disk, you must use the Fdisk utility to create a primary partition for that disk. If your DOS version cannot support the full size of the disk, or if you want to divide up your disk for your own storage reasons, you first make a primary partition and then an extended partition for the logical drives to reside in.





DOS Disk size

Version Supported

3.3 32MB

4.0 512MB

5.0 2GB

6.0 2GB

To Fdisk your C: drive, boot the computer with a bootable floppy in drive A:, which also contains the FDISK.EXE program. At the A: prompt, type:





A:\>fdisk

Select from the options. In Fdisk, drives are not letters, they are numbered (1, 2, etc.). In Fdisk, the active partition is the one you boot from and is assumed to be the C: drive. If it is not, you can change that in Fdisk.



If you want to Fdisk a second or subsequent hard disk, load Fdisk from the C: drive:





C:\>fdisk

HIGH-LEVEL FORMAT



The final step is to run the Format command for each logical drive (C:, D:, etc.). This step creates the directory structure and FAT tables and places startup data in the boot sector.



To format your C: drive, boot the computer with a bootable floppy in drive A:, which also contains the FORMAT.COM program. Use the /s switch to transfer DOS to the hard disk as soon as the formatting is completed. To format drive C, type:





A:\>format c: /s

To format a second or subsequent hard drive, load Format from your C: drive. For example, to format drive D:, type:





C:\>format d:

Answer 2

Did you have a bootable system before? What Windows version was it?



Just because a person is having a disk boot failure message, doesn't necessarily mean you have to reformat a hard drive. There are other methods to see if this is what really needs to be done. I work on computers all the time as my part time business.

Answer 3

Rakesh, If you have xp or 2000 installed it is bit difficult using dos. For XP or 2000 better use installation CD. If you have client version like win 98 or me you can do it easily.



You require a startup disk. If you dont have it is worse. Go to one of your friend who uses same OS as that in you system. Make a start up disk, or even you can burn a cd.

This program also can be downloaded from website. (not available officially).

Once you have this disk, boot you system press del button while boot up, this will open bios setup screen. Select boot sequence to floppy a: or cd mostly e:

Now select from loaded devide by entering their drive destination, ie a: or e:, and select format c: viola you are done.

Answer 4

you need your bootable microsoft os cd. this is much easy to do. you just follow the steps in installing the microsoft os.



here is another way. use a system disk. insert it in the drive a. and reboot from drive a.

using dos prompt

format c

Answer 5

unusual issue. Vista might desire to partition and format your no longer easychronic with none issues. I merely outfitted a clean laptop and started with a clean HD and vista set up the partitions i wanted and formatted them with none issues. Dig out an old abode windows ninety 8 floppy and boot off it and run FDISK and eliminate each and every of the partitions and format the disk. Then enable vista do it fairly is element. and such as you reported. confident you're able to do it with XP first. invoice

Answer 6

if u r install xp in the process you will format c: drive use bootable xp other operating system use boo table CD then format