Can't re-format old HDD

[Nick Iracleous]

I built a new computer and used my old HDD. I want to completely re-format it. I made a bootable floppy and with the A prompt, I enter "format c:" and it says "invalid command or bad name"....Please help !!!!

[Budfred]

Welcome to http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif

You probably need to reset the partitioning first. Go to your A: prompt with the bootable floppy and run fdisk. Make sure if you have more than one hard drive that you are changing the right one. You can also take the opportunity to partition it into a couple of disks if you have the room to do so. You can find out about using fdisk here:

http://www.easydos.com/dosindex.html

Also, make sure the drive is connected and jumpers are set properly....

[Nick Iracleous]

Still not working...I do not understand why after the a prompt (and after I have created a partition, when I enter fomrat C:, it simply responds with bad file or invalid name....could the HDD be damaged? Has anyone run into this trying to re-format an old drive?

[Rick]

To Use Format from the Boot floppy
You MUST have the program on the floppy ..
The Bad command or file name is telling that dos Can't find the file Format.com on the floppy or in the dos path

If you created a Boot floppy in win9x From the Control panel/winsetup
it should have the commands in the Ram drive created during boot up

If all you did was create a boot disk by using Format and transfer the system files .. then you need to copy the other required files to the floppy .. ( Fdisk, format, sys, and Required cd drivers)


At the A:\ prompt type in
DIR and tap enter
it should show all the files on the floppy

[Nick Iracleous]

My mistake was that I did not reboot with "support from CD-ROM". that did the trick...Lesson for others....when you reboot....choose the option to reboot with CD ROM SUPPORT and the rest is piece of cake. Thanks!