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General discussion

Windows Me reformat

Feb 17, 2005 10:39AM PST

Since it was made abundantly clear that I shouldn't bother trying to run XP on my old (second) PC, I would like to clean off the entire hard drive, reinstall Me and Office 2000. This computer will be for my girlfriends sister, who speaks only Chinese (I'm living in Hong Kong BTW), so I need to set up Chinese text input as well....help! What is the procedure? I tried to "Format Drive C" but I get a message that I cannot because Windows is using components on Drive C.

Discussion is locked

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re: format
Feb 17, 2005 10:52AM PST

well ive never used ME. but if its anything like 98/xp then you just start to install windows. Then it will automatically reformat the C: drive or you can custom install and select "custom" and format them as you want. As for the chinese ive no idea.

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Format with startup disk
Feb 17, 2005 12:41PM PST

If you have a floppy drive, then using a good blank floppy, then make a "startup disk". Before doing that, use the system format procedure for the floppy to make it bootable, make sure its bootable, that way you know it will work. Then proceed to start->setting->control panel->add/remove programs->startup disk tab->select create (make sure floppy is inserted). Make more than one to be safe. Once done, reboot with floppy is drive and it should boot from floppy, once done, at the A: prompt, type in FORMAT C: It will delete all info. The other way is using the OS boot CD, and insert and when prompted, format that way. I like the floppy method as more safer and less handling of CD. Have OS CD available to then reload the OS after done formatting. As for the Chinese portion, that's unfamiliar to me, so no answer there.

enjoy Happy -----Willy

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Better read ...
Feb 17, 2005 8:34PM PST
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Not fun for the newbie.
Feb 17, 2005 10:07PM PST

While in Vancouver, Canada I got to help out with such installs. Here's the drill.

1. Collect all the machine details and drivers.
2. Book the Chinese version of the Windows ME CD.
(I wonder if you have this?)
3. With Windows ME you don't need to format the drive. Simply having a partition ready will do. The Windows ME installer will find it and make use of it.
4. After the Microsoft steps are done, then you install all the machine specific drivers. This is where most people fail horribly. It's a shock to some that Microsoft doesn't supply the drivers.
5. Now Windows Update is run, then we install the Antivirus and Firefox and the machine is almost ready to use.

With the Chinese Windows it was a longer install since I didn't understand the language.

Bob