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how to format drive C:

I want to format drive c on my computer, reinstall windows 98 and begin again as if it was fresh from the store. When I try to do this from the DOS prompt (I got to the MSDOS prompt from the windows start folder) it tells me the drive is being used by another app. and I am not allowed to format the drive. How do I format [erase]drive and start over?

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macme450

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scooter98

if you are using a recovery disk, just put the disk in, and shut down and restart the computer. it should boot to the recovery disk. from there, just follow on screen instructions.
if you are doing a reinstall from a windows98 cd, first create a startup disk {boot disk}, shut down the computer, restart to the boot disk, select start computer with cdrom support, hit enter. watch at the end of post to see which letter is assigned to your cdrom drive. when you get an a: prompt, type "format c: /s" without the quotation marks. when the drive is through formatting, type in your cdrom drive letter, i.e. D:, hit enter, this will give you your D: prompt. insert your windows 98 cd. at the D: prompt type setup, i.e. "D:SETUP", and you are on your way. in both above examples, make sure you have your product id number on hand, you will need it to finish.
scooter

scooter98

just read the rules concerning comment vs answer. i would like to propose my answer as a comment ot open it for further suggestions.
sorry, scooter

kahlean

okay the reason you can format your system is that you are still running in win98 environment and yet you still want to format it, this can not be done. What you need as other experts has suggested is getting a bootdisk. It can be obtain thoeugh this site www.bootdisk.com Now boot your system using this disk. You need to change your boot sequence via your cmos setting during the bootup and press delete. Then follow the normat way of formating.

kahlean

Using the bootdisk, no os is running on your system for your information. So you can proceed with the formating process. FIY, the win98 bootdisk cotnain the cdromn support that u can use it to run your cdrom fro installatin.