Topic: serious computer help needed reguarding windows.

[sexymexi]

i hate these things.. and particularly, this one.  i am trying to install windows XP, right now i have the worst thing ME, and i can't install XP cause it says that my i cannot change partitions cause the disk could not be locked...   so i have no idea...  i don't wanna take it to some bastards that will charge me a lot of money to do this, but i might have to...  anyhelp would be much appreciated.

matt

[super-phat-al]

do you need to format the drive and do a fresh install?  thats one way to get it to work i think

[sexymexi]

yes. thats what i wanna do, i don't have anything i want to save. anything i need to save has been backed up..

[sexymexi]

i can't get it to format the drive.. i says it cannot be locked, and when i try and lock it, it won't let me...  its like i'm screwed..  so i get in dos, type lock, and it ask's if i wanna do it, i say yes, then it goes blue, and says insert disk into drive a, and i did, then hit a key, then it says insert a disk into drive b, and i have no drive b.

[jb3newbie]

delete the partitions then create another partition.  then format....doesnt take long

[sexymexi]

it won't let me delete the partition cause it says the disk cannot be locked...  

[Bri]

if you have a floppy drive, get one of the following boot disks...

http://www.startdisk.com/Web1/ubd/ubd.htm

[Phil]

1.Make sure you have the full version of XP and not some crappy upgrade.
2.Boot the computer with the CD in the drive.  If it doesn't boot to XP menu, go into your BIOS and make sure your computer boots from the CD-Rom first, A drive second and hard drive third.
3.Follow the instructions for a new install, format and convert the drive to NTFS.

Warning! - you will lose all data, but it's the cleanest way to go.

[sexymexi]

i'm screwed, cannot lock the hard disk, therefore i cannot format, nor delete the partition, not install a new version of windows...  i'm just getting really upset here..  so i'm phreaking out...

[sexymexi]

k well i only have the upgrade version, not the full version..  so...  i don't know..  should i just run the upgrade.. personally i would like to start from scratch, and have everything wiped out..  i'm looking at the boot disks now, gonna get one going.. thanks everyone, for your patience and my stupidity, working towards anger...  +T's.

[sexymexi]

k well i got it reformatted, and now its come up with an A:\> prompt.  so now that i am totally confused...  i have no operating system, so yea...  now that i have no idea what to do now... i'm lookin on right now, thankfully i have an extra computer huh.

edit: k i guess i should have just had more faith in myself, i got it going formatting as we speak, and windows install will continue shortly. thanks again guys +T's all around...  and again tomarrow..

[chase]

ok here's what you need to do.

1. boot with a win98 boot disk (bootdisk.com)
2. at the prompt type in "fdisk" and delete any partitions and create a new one and reformat.
3. reboot computer
4.  during the initial boot sequence press the "delete" key to enter your computer's BIOS
5.  change the boot sequence so that one of your CD-ROM drives boots first, before the floppy or HDs
6.  reboot with XP install disc in the CD drive and voila it should start the XP install.

i hope that helps.

[sexymexi]

thanks again guys, got it up and running, still working out a few details, but i think its bed time, gotta work in 7 hrs... thanks again guys.

matt

[silentmark]

ok here's what you need to do.

1. boot with a win98 boot disk (bootdisk.com)
2. at the prompt type in "fdisk" and delete any partitions and create a new one and reformat.
3. reboot computer
4.  during the initial boot sequence press the "delete" key to enter your computer's BIOS
5.  change the boot sequence so that one of your CD-ROM drives boots first, before the floppy or HDs
6.  reboot with XP install disc in the CD drive and voila it should start the XP install.

i hope that helps.

Heh I just got as new PC and went through this whole "locked" drives thing.  Regardless, yeah what Chase said ...  :afro:

[sexymexi]

thanks again guys, i am now running on xp..  kinda nice..  thanks and +T's gotta go to work. peace.

matt