partitioning problems

After many attempts through other means to format my hard
drive with various error messages (Format cannot run b/c
this volume is in use by another process, etc.) I used
the reinstallation CD and the directions given in
microsoft support. In Setup after highlighting the C
drive and selecting 'delete partition', another error was
displayed as "This partition contains temporary setup
files that are required to complete the installation."

I'm not sure what kind of temporary setup files they
could be and don't know where to go from here. Also if
there is a better way to do this that you know of, any
help would be appreciated.

You can not format the primary drive from Windows'
interface, simply because Windows is installed on it and
it is unable to erase itself while running. Setup can not
do it for you either, because indeed some files Setup
copied to your C drive and it needs the info in those
files to install windows on your drive. The best way to
get your drive clear is to use a startup disk, which can
be found on the internet and can be created under
Win9x/ME/2000 ... XP for some reason doesn't seem to have
this useful option anymore.

So, if you found / created a startup disk, boot from that.
Make sure your CD-ROM drive works. type the drive letter
of your CD-ROM (drive letter is announced during boot)
follwed by a : ... then type 'dir' .. if you see the
contents of the CD, it works. Now go to your floppy drive
by typing 'a:' now type 'format c: /s' (WinME startup disk
does not support /s command, if you use WinME startup
disk, just type 'format c:') now follow the onscreen
instructions, sit back and wait until format is complete,
it can take quite a while, depending on the size of your
disk. After format completed, go to your CD-ROM drive
again and run Windows Setup. You should now be able to
install Windows on a complete clean drive.

>-----Original Message-----
>After many attempts through other means to format my hard
>drive with various error messages (Format cannot run b/c
>this volume is in use by another process, etc.) I used
>the reinstallation CD and the directions given in
>microsoft support. In Setup after highlighting the C
>drive and selecting 'delete partition', another error was
>displayed as "This partition contains temporary setup
>files that are required to complete the installation."
>
>I'm not sure what kind of temporary setup files they
>could be and don't know where to go from here. Also if
>there is a better way to do this that you know of, any
>help would be appreciated.
>.
>

Thanks John. If I have any problems with that I'll
repost, but it looks like i shouldn't.

>-----Original Message-----
>You can not format the primary drive from Windows'
>interface, simply because Windows is installed on it and
>it is unable to erase itself while running. Setup can

not

>do it for you either, because indeed some files Setup
>copied to your C drive and it needs the info in those
>files to install windows on your drive. The best way to
>get your drive clear is to use a startup disk, which can
>be found on the internet and can be created under
>Win9x/ME/2000 ... XP for some reason doesn't seem to

have

>this useful option anymore.
>
>So, if you found / created a startup disk, boot from

that.

>Make sure your CD-ROM drive works. type the drive letter
>of your CD-ROM (drive letter is announced during boot)
>follwed by a : ... then type 'dir' .. if you see the
>contents of the CD, it works. Now go to your floppy

drive

>by typing 'a:' now type 'format c: /s' (WinME startup

disk

>does not support /s command, if you use WinME startup
>disk, just type 'format c:') now follow the onscreen
>instructions, sit back and wait until format is

complete,

>it can take quite a while, depending on the size of your
>disk. After format completed, go to your CD-ROM drive
>again and run Windows Setup. You should now be able to
>install Windows on a complete clean drive.

hard

b/c

was

>.
>