# Stupid computer question: How do I reformat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 15, 2006, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019 "2006-01-15T00:52:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/1 "2006-01-15T00:52:48Z")
I want to wipe everything off of my computer, so how do I do that? I have the disks for all the programs I want to reinstall and I have that reinstallation cd for Windows XP. Where do I go to reformat? ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/2 "2006-01-15T00:57:24Z")
Put the XP CD in the drive and boot from it. (You may need to change the boot order on your PC to do this; let us know…). Follow the prompts to perform a new install (not an upgrade). About the fourth or fifth screen you see will prompt you to format the drive if you wish. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/3 "2006-01-15T00:59:56Z")
Just boot from the WinXP cd and follow the directions. [Here’s a Microsoft KB article](http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=316941#XSLTH3169121122120121120120) if you want more details. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/4 "2006-01-15T01:37:58Z")
> [@Suburban Plankton](#): > > Put the XP CD in the drive and boot from it. (You may need to change the boot order on your PC to do this; let us know…). Follow the prompts to perform a new install (not an upgrade). About the fourth or fifth screen you see will prompt you to format the drive if you wish. I’ve put the cd in and restarted, about five times, and it still does not boot from the cd. How do I do that? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/5 "2006-01-15T01:44:38Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > I’ve put the cd in and restarted, about five times, and it still does not boot from the cd. How do I do that? Are you familiar with the BIOS? Usually, you can hit the F8 key while the computer is booting and you’ll get the BIOS screen. You should be able to change the boot order there. ---
**Author:** ![biometricks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@biometricks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biometricks)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/6 "2006-01-15T01:53:49Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Are you familiar with the BIOS? > > Usually, you can hit the F8 key while the computer is booting and you’ll get the BIOS screen. You should be able to change the boot order there. On most Dell’s if you press F12 (i think) you’ll get a boot menu and you can select the CD-ROM drive… it’s easier than tinkering with BIOS. I don’t thnik I’ve ever seen F8 for BIOS. You may be thinking of Safe Mode. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/7 "2006-01-15T01:55:20Z")
> [@biometricks](#): > > On most Dell’s if you press F12 (i think) you’ll get a boot menu and you can select the CD-ROM drive… it’s easier than tinkering with BIOS. > > I don’t thnik I’ve ever seen F8 for BIOS. You may be thinking of Safe Mode. :smack: …and I own a Dell! But that’s what I meant. Nothing to see here. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/8 "2006-01-15T02:01:36Z")
I’ve gotten into the boot menu and selected the boot order: 1 On board or USB Cd-Rom drive 2 On board or USB floppy drive 3 On board Sata Hard drive 4 On board IDF Hard drive (not present) 5 On board Network Controller (not present) And it’s still loading up as normal. ---
**Author:** ![biometricks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@biometricks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biometricks)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/9 "2006-01-15T02:05:00Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > I’ve gotten into the boot menu and selected the boot order: > > 1 On board or USB Cd-Rom drive > 2 On board or USB floppy drive > 3 On board Sata Hard drive > 4 On board IDF Hard drive (not present) > 5 On board Network Controller (not present) > And it’s still loading up as normal. Watch the boot up carefully… you may be prompted to “Press any key” to boot from the CD-ROM. After a few seconds if nothing is pressed it will continue to boot normally. Uh, does your CD-ROM drive work? ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/10 "2006-01-15T02:06:21Z")
> [@biometricks](#): > > Watch the boot up carefully… you may be prompted to “Press any key” to boot from the CD-ROM. After a few seconds if nothing is pressed it will continue to boot normally. > > Uh, does your CD-ROM drive work? Where should I watch for the “Press any key?” Or should I just press keys continuously? ---
**Author:** ![biometricks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@biometricks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biometricks)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/11 "2006-01-15T02:09:39Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > Where should I watch for the “Press any key?” Or should I just press keys continuously? After the Bios screen and before Windows starts to load… the screen may turn black with a line of text at the top that says “Press any key” Don’t randomly press the keys, you’ll just get a keyboard failure. Can you hear the disc spin? ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/12 "2006-01-15T02:12:55Z")
> [@biometricks](#): > > Can you hear the disc spin? No I don’t, but this is a fairly new computer and I used the cd roms earlier today, so it should work. ---
**Author:** ![biometricks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@biometricks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biometricks)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/13 "2006-01-15T02:19:20Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > No I don’t, but this is a fairly new computer and I used the cd roms earlier today, so it should work. Ok, I’m running out of ideas… -Do you have more than one CD-ROM drive in machine? If so are you sure you’re using the primary drive? -Are you sure you put the OS disc in and not the driver disc? -What brand is the computer? ---
**Author:** ![biometricks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@biometricks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biometricks)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/14 "2006-01-15T02:21:06Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > I’ve gotten into the boot menu and selected the boot order: > > 1 On board or USB Cd-Rom drive > 2 On board or USB floppy drive > 3 On board Sata Hard drive > 4 On board IDF Hard drive (not present) > 5 On board Network Controller (not present) > And it’s still loading up as normal. Are you sure you saved these setting when you exited BIOS? ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-computer-question-how-do-i-reformat/340019/15 "2006-01-15T02:50:42Z")
> [@biometricks](#): > > -Do you have more than one CD-ROM drive in machine? If so are you sure you’re using the primary drive? That was it. I put the CD-ROM into the other drive and it gave me that option.