Can't even format...

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 2:59 am

As my experience in using computer, I can somewhat identify what problems are usually, even if I don't know how to solve them. However, this one buffles me terribly.

It occured when I was shutting down my newly rebuilt computer with WinXP, after playing Morrowind. It froze and left me no option but to press the reset button.
Then, after loading screen (you know, the black screen with memory and graphics things appear), it gave me message something to do with "***.dll does not load".

After a few try, I came to conclusion I need CD-Rom and re-install the WinXP.
After about 20% completed, I got message "xyz.cls (I think the extention was. I don't remember the whole name) cannot be installed". I press F3 to skip, then another "zxyzx.cls" message, and another, and another... Until I abort the installation process.

I thought, "I should format the drive".
Quick format didn't solve the problem, so I tried to format completely.

It doesn't format! It stopped at the first screen, and doesn't do anything.

What's the matter with this?

I eventually fitted a very old HDD and install WinXP there, then rescued a few files I need on to CD. As I have partitioned my main drive into three section, I did not have any problem accessing them from newly installed drive, even though they are on the same HDD as original C Drive with XP.
And, chkdrv /f came up with only a few bad sectors, and the message says the HDD is working properly. I can even access to a few files in C Drive.

Still, I cannot format the drive. Is this mean, I need to buy a new HDD?

Thanks in advance.

Rookierookie · Post by **Rookierookie** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:16 am

How are you formatting the drive? Are you booting from your CD drive and using the Windows XP disc to format? Did you use FAT32 or NTFS? Have you tried unformatting the drive (on the formatting screen it should tell you which key to press to unformat it - possibly D?) before reformatting it?

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:50 am

[QUOTE=Rookierookie]How are you formatting the drive? Are you booting from your CD drive and using the Windows XP disc to format? Did you use FAT32 or NTFS? Have you tried unformatting the drive (on the formatting screen it should tell you which key to press to unformat it - possibly D?) before reformatting it?[/QUOTE]

I format it with NTFS.

I tried it first by using CD-ROM, as it asked me if I want to format before installing Windows.

Then, after reinstall it on the different drive, I tried to format the original C Drive from control panel(or maybe My Computer-right click C Drive-format).

Neither worked.

Rookierookie · Post by **Rookierookie** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 7:52 am

Have you tried deformatting using CD-ROM boot?

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:30 am

Yes, I did.

I could Quick Format, but this didn't change the original situation. So, I need to do full format, and this didn't start.