FORMAT C: /U /S...Problem

[zygo]

This is what I have going on. Did an fdisk, cleared the partiions made an active partition for the c: drive.

Then I reboot.

I then boot from the boot disk in the A: drive. Once it is booted I get a menu with three choices. I pick the second choice which say "Boot With CD ROM Suport" it then goes through it's process.
Then I am at a black screen with the A: prompt.

At the A: prompt I type Format C: /u/s and it says "Bad Command or File Name"

So I tried it at the C: Prompt.
I typed C: Format C: /u/s andit says "Invalid Media Type Reading Drive C: Abort, Retry, Fail?

So I am having a problem formatting my C: Drive in order to install Windows. Which is the result that I would like to accomplish.

Can anyone help?

thanks
Zygo

 

[jaeddy]

Just to clarify, you booted from the floppy, used fdisk to delete your partitions, created a new partition and set it active, then rebooted again, yes?

 

[grygst76]

press retry a few times and then abort. sometimes it will clear if not you do not have the format utility on the disk do a search of the disk for format.com if it is not on the floppy you must copy it to format and make sure there is a space between the command i.e

format c: /u /s

if it still does not work fdisk again or replace the drive.

 

[jlfiller]

Why don't you just copy format.com to your a: disk? JL Filler,Wilton Public Schools, Wilton CT

 

[rianeiromiron]

Zygo:

If I'm not wrong, when you boot from the floppy, a RAM drive is created. So, why don't you try at the A:> prompt

D: and then ENTER


or

E: and then ENTER

If you can see the D:> prompt or E:> prompt, enter the command DIR FORMAT.*
If it's there, is there.


Hope that helps

rianeiromiron@yahoo.com

 

[jmatt]

Boot with the startup floppy and get to the A:\> prompt. Once there type fdisk /mbr. Do this several times to insure that it did its thing.
This command will clean out the mbr fully.
Now type format c:/s .
Next , Fdisk and format , your hard drive . Do not reboot your system but run fdisk /mbr .
Then reboot your system .

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q255/8/67.ASP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q69/0/13.ASP