need help formatting hard drive on windows XP

[Wheres_The_Money]

I want to install windows 7 on a computer but can't find out how to format the drive thanks for the help

[Nit3Rid3R]

If you're formatting your existing windows, when you insert the DVD and boot from it, after the windows has done loading everything, it will take you to a screen where you have to choose which hard drive you want to install windows on. From there, you click on the "Advance" option, and from there you can format your hard drives.

If however you are formatting different drives, you can just do that via windows itself. My Computer > Right click on the drive you want to format > Format. Do not do this if this i the drive you're installing windows onto.

[GoodBytes]

That is correct.

You cannot format Windows, within Windows in any case. (not only it's blocked to avoid stupidities, but also, formatting means removing any trace of data from teh disk.. how is it suppose to format the formater program, if it needs to be there to format the disk). You have to out of the OS.

Here is a nice step by step tutorial in installing Windows 7.

[url=http://www.techtalkz.com/windows-7/5...-tutorial.html]http://www.techtalkz.com/windows-7/5...-tutorial.html[/url=http://www.techtalkz.com/windows-7/5...-tutorial.html]

The only difference is when you'll come to this screen:

In your case, Disc 0, will not be marked as "Unallocated Space", but rather have Windows XP on it.

You want to click on Drive options, and then you'll see the format button, then click on it, you'll have to wait a bit until it does the process (nothing will show on the screen that it's formatting, but you'll see your HDD at work, and the setup panel not responding for a moment). Once it's done, now you just click on Next button, where you'll see this after:

And now you wait until the process is done.

The tutorial is for Windows 7 early alpha version, so things are a be different, but this first part is identical of the tutorial is identical.

BEFORE YOU INSTALL WINDOWS 7

-> Make sure that your system BIOS is updated to the latest version.

-> Make sure that your optical drive firmware, if old, is updated (it might not be able to support 64-bit setup OS disk)

-> Make sure you are using Windows 7 64-bit disk.

-> In the BIOS, make sure that you have HPET turned ON and set to 64-bit mode (depending on your computer, you might not have this option)

-> In the BIOS, make sure that your set your used SATA controller to be set to AHCI mode. AHCI mode enables Native Command Queue, which great boost the HDD performance (native support in Vista and up), eSATA feature with hot-swappable drive, and in some cases, depending on your SATA controller: enable to the full speed of your SATA controller (if it was cut down under a non-AHCI mode), and TRIM support (TRIM support doesn't require AHCI technically, but some users noticed, like SATA speed being locked to slower mode, TRIM support is blocked. (TRIM is for SSD in keeping them always fast).

[Wheres_The_Money]

That is correct.

You cannot format Windows, within Windows in any case. (not only it's blocked to avoid stupidities, but also, formatting means removing any trace of data from teh disk.. how is it suppose to format the formater program, if it needs to be there to format the disk). You have to out of the OS.

Here is a nice step by step tutorial in installing Windows 7.

[url=http://www.techtalkz.com/windows-7/5...-tutorial.html]http://www.techtalkz.com/windows-7/5...-tutorial.html[/url=http://www.techtalkz.com/windows-7/5...-tutorial.html]

The only difference is when you'll come to this screen:

In your case, Disc 0, will not be marked as "Unallocated Space", but rather have Windows XP on it.

You want to click on Drive options, and then you'll see the format button, then click on it, you'll have to wait a bit until it does the process (nothing will show on the screen that it's formatting, but you'll see your HDD at work, and the setup panel not responding for a moment). Once it's done, now you just click on Next button, where you'll see this after:

And now you wait until the process is done.

The tutorial is for Windows 7 early alpha version, so things are a be different, but this first part is identical of the tutorial is identical.

BEFORE YOU INSTALL WINDOWS 7

-> Make sure that your system BIOS is updated to the latest version.

-> Make sure that your optical drive firmware, if old, is updated (it might not be able to support 64-bit setup OS disk)

-> Make sure you are using Windows 7 64-bit disk.

-> In the BIOS, make sure that you have HPET turned ON and set to 64-bit mode (depending on your computer, you might not have this option)

-> In the BIOS, make sure that your set your used SATA controller to be set to AHCI mode. AHCI mode enables Native Command Queue, which great boost the HDD performance (native support in Vista and up), eSATA feature with hot-swappable drive, and in some cases, depending on your SATA controller: enable to the full speed of your SATA controller (if it was cut down under a non-AHCI mode), and TRIM support (TRIM support doesn't require AHCI technically, but some users noticed, like SATA speed being locked to slower mode, TRIM support is blocked. (TRIM is for SSD in keeping them always fast).

i do not know to update the bios on this computer it is old and just want to format and use windows 7, windows xp doesnt work well on it and will only boot in safe mood, the windows cd wont show up when i put it in and the computer will not connect to the internet i am really stuck on what to do this thing will not let me format it

[GoodBytes]

What is your computer specs, including motherboard model?

[Wheres_The_Money]

i can't find what motherboard it is the computer is a dell GX270, the case says model DHM, also is a Pentium 4, i am not sure what to do now i don't want to format it and not be able to install windows can i do it with a USB