i'm trying to reisntall windows onto my old laptop (fujitsu siemens) i can't delete the old partition to reinstall the new copy, as it's not leating me, but when i've installed windows it's put it along beside the other copy, there is now 3 copies of XP on the laptop.

how can i get rid of the extra copies of XP?

thanks

Boot up with your XP disc, and format the partition you want to reinstall the OS on from there - should ask you to select the partition to install XP on, then if you want to format it (various formatting options offered).

thanks Arachne (it's bjproc here, steadtstan is my brother)

i put in the XP recovery disc, reboot from CD drive, it goes through it's first part of set up, it asks if i want to repair, exit or delete a partition (theres only the C drive) then format & install, i've tried to delete the c drive and format and install but it says it can't do that, so my brother has now installed 2 other copies of XP along beside the original copy.

any more ideas on how to format the HDD?

Hey BJ *waves to BJ's bro*

Hmmmm, a recovery disc, so that's no go then.

Is there just the one partition on the drive (C)? Not split up into chunks with important data on other partitions?

If so, find out the make of the HDD if you can and post it here...'cos it might be the case that you can try a manufacturer's util

the HDD make/model number is

Toshiba MK2017GAP

just 1 partition on the HDD, C drive, just lots of OS's

waves back

i thought it was going to be simple, just put in recovery cd, reboot from cd and away it goes......


hmmm, i was wrong

Ugh...Google is giving nothing for Toshiba utils ...if they exist, they're pretty well hidden

Maybe Ultimate Boot CD would contain something to allow you to format the drive?

ROTFL, well at least you have a couple spare if one goes belly-up (sorry, I couldn't resist)

thanks L


i'll have a look.

was also thinking about wiping the HDD with a disc eraser, would that be a good thing or bad thing with it being a recovery disc?

I wouldn't try that just yet - in fact, I wouldn't try anything unless you're sure your XP recovery disc will install fine first

If you're sure the OS will install OK on a formatted drive (never used a recovery disc, so I'm in the dark there), there are a few manufacturers' utils on the Ultimate Boot CD you can try (they'll tell you upfront if they won't work on a Toshiba drive...I think MaxBlast may work).

I had that same problem over a year or two ago with my wife's dell and I think I had to use a retail version of windows (any window's ie..95,98,2000) to reformat the HDD and then loaded the recovery discs but not to sure. Maybe someone else could verify this.

That's what I was thinking if the Ultimate Boot CD didn't give any joy

@BJ and bro, I've gotta go out now, but I'll check back when I return

i've found a Fujitsu Siemens Computers forum, so i've asked there to see what they can come up with.

i'll let you know the outcome for future referance for others.

i find it strange that it does this when using their recovery disc (i think it's a full copy of windows on the disc though)

Thanks for all that replied.

I managed to get the HDD formatted (as much by accident as design) & now only have a clean install of windows.

Cheers again for the help

Well, I'm glad you got it sorted, I must admit this one had me scratching my head

same here