Hi my warranty with Dell just ran out. What I am looking for and need are instruction step by step on how to reformat my Hard Drive.  I have Windows millinium, I believe I have all the necesay disk to reinstall my windows operating system, drivers and devices. I just don't know how to reformat first. I can't get to windows now. But I can get to DOS.\n\nTHANK YOU SO MUCH
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http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313348\n\nStep by step from Microsoft on how to format and reload XP. The steps are the same using other MS products.
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Stick the Microsoft operating system disk in the computer and reinstall telling it to reformat the hard drive. Before you do that, be sure to backup what ever you want to save. Works like a charm.
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My experience with the restore disk that comes from the manufacture is that the disk will essentially reformat your hard drive.  Requiring your to reload all the custom software that you had installed.
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Are you using Microsoft Windows setup CD to format?  Make sure you are using a utility CD or disk.\n\nLike others said, you cannot format your hard drive, if you are actively running Windows.  You need to format it from a separate outside source like a boot or utility disk or CD.  If you do format your hard drive I would also suggest using format c: /s which copies system files to the hard drive if you want to use that hard drive to boot from. You can create a boot disk by formatting a floppy disk if you have one with system files and have it boot the computer up.  Then you can format the hard drive..assuming you have the format command file on your disk.  Or just use Windows Setup CD..which is much easier.
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No cds? Gonna be hard unless Dell Has a System Recovery Software installed on the system so look for that program. If not try the system restore feature for Windows in System Tools under accessories. If nothing, borrow a ORIGINAL copy of Windows XP Setup CD and reinstall windows. Laterz
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You don't need to reformat your hard drive to replace Windows.\n\nIf all you want to do is to replace Windows, just do a "clean" install.\n\nHowever, if you want to reformat your hard drive and erase everything on it, you can go to the Microsoft web site and read in the Knowledge Base  how to do that.  Be sure that is what you want to do because you can loose everything.  If you are not sure of what you are doing, it is worthwhile to pay someone to reformat your hard drive.
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If you formatted your PC, this means you completely erased your hard drive. Your ONLY choice at this point is to reinstall windows from your original install CD. \n\nBuy the way, the format erased ALL your files (docs, photos, music, etc)\n\nSorry to break it to you this way...I feel for you...
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Try going into your bios and formating the hard drive. You can't format it from windows because the hard drive has files that windows needs to be able to run. if you can boot your computer in dos, type in format and confirm. that should work. If not you can take out your hard drive and hook it into another computer. Format it from that computer.
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Well u should take it to a technician, and only if they will guarantee in writing not to lose your files.  Formatting will definately lose your files.  And, also, u have to delete windows from the old drive too.
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What I would do is re-install Windows and all your software on the new HD and slave your current crashed HD without formatting see if you can recover any data from it.  Here are instructions on HD installation. http://www.basichardware.com/HowTo_Install_Hard_Drive.html
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Here's a great 'how to'\nhttp://www.lifehacker.com/software/windows/geek-to-live-how-to-format-your-hard-drive-and-install-windows-xp-from-scratch-157578.php\n\n///
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Honestly if you are trying to fix your computer, reformatting it will only wipe the data off of the hard drive, there is a lot more to fixing the PC than formatting the hard drive.\nIf you want to 'fix' the laptop by wiping it out and installing XP fresh, then the best way is to boot from the XP CD you got with the laptop. Some laptop don't ship with CDs now, you have to make them (using a utility included with the OS), buy them from the company, or access a hidden partition containing the discs (usually pressing F6 before the windows boot screen)
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Pretty hard to come up with a specific answer without knowing more about your computer model and operating system but Dell's website has downloads and answers for just about any problem you could encounter. You could start by searching kepywords such as "recovery" and "default" on their forum. http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/\nYou can search for downloads available by using your Service Tag Number or the Product Model here: http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs\n\nI can go back 6 months on "system restore" on my computer.  You won't get back to the original settings but you should be able to get back to a time when it wasn't quite so messed up.\n\nGood Luck!
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try to use some tools that can help you to repair windows.. try ashampoo for example it can fix the registry .. and much more functions are provided with ashampoo suite... but it will be better if you can find a replacement disk and repair the system
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You can format by using a widoows startup disc. Or simply right click on the drve icon and select format action.  I can give you a link that deals with hard drive problems.Some RAM/ hard drive problems can be easily fixed yourself by using easily available tools. I found the info at http://fixit.in useful
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Hi there,\n\nChances are it has died. Suggest you buy a DVD +-RW for the machine and try it out. Will cost relative peanuts and cuts out the hastle of jumping through the warranty hoops - which will invariably also include wiping your XP install and all data.\n\nOf course, there is a chance there is nothing wrong with your existing drive. I have seen several machines recently where virus and spyware infections have corrupted Windows. The device is shown, will even eject through software but... will not read CD's.\n\nThe easiest way to confirm is restart in Safe mode (F8 every second or so when the box is starting and BEFORE the XP screen) When the machine has started, throw in a Data CD and see if it reads it. If it does, you've a Windows problem rather than hardware.\nThat being the case...\n\nDo a virus scan in safe mode. Do a spyware scan in safe mode. Restart the PC and click Start / Run / Type SFC  /ScanNow {press enter}\nGo have some dinner... this bit is s l o w like an Englishman.\nWhen it has completed, restart the PC and try a CD\n\nIf still no joy, do a ReInstall in Place of XP. (Do a Google search for 'How do I do a re-install in place for Windows XP for concise instructions'\n\nHopefully though, the CD will not work in safe mode.
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Have you got any data on the drive you want to keep ?\n\nIf not just make a boot disk ( www.bootdisk.com ) and use fdisk to partition the drive and then install windows.\n\nIf you do have data then I suggest you connect the hard drive to another machine as a slave and back it up and then put it back into the machine and format it and re install windows.\n\nThere are other ways of backing up the data, please post back and let me know if you need further help.