Re-Formatting my PC and reinstalling Windows XP

Whizzkid_amerWhizzkid_amer
edited November 2006 in Science & Tech
Recently I have gotten a virus on my PC:doh: ,and after updating Norton Anti-virus, I deleted it. But the virus has damaged my OS badly and I need to Re-Format my whole PC. Does anyone have a step-by-step guide to re-formatting my PC and reinstalling Windows XP?

Comments

  • Gadgetman53Gadgetman53 Alabama, U.S.
    edited October 2006
    Try this.

    BEFORE you do this backup and save all data that you need to keep, such as pictures, files, etc...

    If this doesn't help just google it.

    http://www.cyberwalker.net/columns/aug02/010802.html
  • Whizzkid_amerWhizzkid_amer
    edited October 2006
    Gadgetman53 wrote:
    Try this.

    BEFORE you do this backup and save all data that you need to keep, such as pictures, files, etc...

    If this doesn't help just google it.

    http://www.cyberwalker.net/columns/aug02/010802.html

    I have gone to your website and done what it says but while booting up from the XP CD and after all the drivers have loaded and I press enter, it says it can't find my Hard Disk.
  • OrianeOriane Turn around.
    edited October 2006
    Whizzkid_amer wrote:
    I have gone to your website and done what it says but while booting up from the XP CD and after all the drivers have loaded and I press enter, it says it can't find my Hard Disk.

    I don't know what your system is (it might help to post that), but are you trying to install to a SATA drive on a RAID controller? You might have to install SATA controller drivers first. If I remember right, you do this by having your controller drivers on a disk and pressing F6 as your install CD STARTS to boot. There should be a prompt for the drivers before the XP install procedure really begins.
  • Whizzkid_amerWhizzkid_amer
    edited October 2006
    Oriane wrote:
    I don't know what your system is (it might help to post that), but are you trying to install to a SATA drive on a RAID controller? You might have to install SATA controller drivers first. If I remember right, you do this by having your controller drivers on a disk and pressing F6 as your install CD STARTS to boot. There should be a prompt for the drivers before the XP install procedure really begins.

    I'm not sure if I am trying to install to a SATA drive on a RAID controller, how would I find this out?
  • Whizzkid_amerWhizzkid_amer
    edited October 2006
    I've done what you said and its worked, but when I put in

    format C: \fs:ntfs

    and it says (proceed with format?) and I put in Y, it says the parameter is not valid.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited October 2006
    Whizzkid_amer wrote:
    I'm not sure if I am trying to install to a SATA drive on a RAID controller, how would I find this out?
    Look inside the computer at the hard drive. If there is a big fat ribbon cable attached to it, it's a PATA drive. If it has a teensy little data cable going from the hard drive to the MB then it's SATA. :)
  • SPIKE09SPIKE09 Scatland
    edited October 2006
    whizzkid_amer, I think you have an extra space in the format command, yours is
    format C: \fs:ntfs, i think it should be format C:\fs:ntfs
  • Whizzkid_amerWhizzkid_amer
    edited October 2006
    Alright I've done it but before I formatted my internet stopped working after I installed Norton internet security 2006. Now my internet still doesn't work however my Wife's laptop still connects to the router (its her router provided by her company). I have tried uninstalling NIS 06 but it still doesn't work. I have also tried setting up a new connection but an internet card is missing aswell (there used to be two) and also my Linksys wireless card is not being detected aswell. Oh and my sound drivers arn't working either.
    Oh yeah my motherboard is an Abit AN7 Socket 462 with a SATA hard drive
  • Whizzkid_amerWhizzkid_amer
    edited October 2006
    Alright forget what I have been saying, everything works but the internet. After I installed some but after a while it stops again and I have to re-install the drivers before it will work again. Whats going on?
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited November 2006
    Give us some details about your computer, including the type of network card you have, what model, how you connect to the Internet, etc. :)
  • Whizzkid_amerWhizzkid_amer
    edited November 2006
    profdlp wrote:
    Give us some details about your computer, including the type of network card you have, what model, how you connect to the Internet, etc. :)
    I have a built in network card and I just connect a wire from the computer to the router and it works automatically. I have attached a DXDIAG file so you can see the specs of my PC.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited November 2006
    Can your computer see the router when you type in the routers IP Address?
  • Whizzkid_amerWhizzkid_amer
    edited November 2006
    profdlp wrote:
    Can your computer see the router when you type in the routers IP Address?
    Yes
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited November 2006
    What web browser are you using?
  • Whizzkid_amerWhizzkid_amer
    edited November 2006
    profdlp wrote:
    What web browser are you using?
    Internet Explorer 7
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited November 2006
    If you can see your router then your Network stuff is working. Try installing Mozilla Firefox 2.0 and see if it makes a difference.
  • Whizzkid_amerWhizzkid_amer
    edited November 2006
    It worked for a bit but after restart it stopped.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited November 2006
    It might be worth your while to open a thread in the Spyware/Virus/Trojan Discussion Forum, just to be sure you don't have something rotten going on behind your back.

    You should also try opening a Command Prompt and run the System File Checker program. Type in sfc /scannow and then hit enter. Make sure your WinXP CD is handy when you start. :)
  • Whizzkid_amerWhizzkid_amer
    edited November 2006
    profdlp wrote:
    It might be worth your while to open a thread in the Spyware/Virus/Trojan Discussion Forum, just to be sure you don't have something rotten going on behind your back.

    You should also try opening a Command Prompt and run the System File Checker program. Type in sfc /scannow and then hit enter. Make sure your WinXP CD is handy when you start. :)
    How could I have a virus after re-formatting?
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited November 2006
    Whizzkid_amer wrote:
    How could I have a virus after re-formatting?
    When you said "Alright forget what I have been saying, everything works but the internet." I thought you meant that you had gotten it going without the format.

    What steps exactly have you taken? :)
  • Whizzkid_amerWhizzkid_amer
    edited November 2006
    profdlp wrote:
    When you said "Alright forget what I have been saying, everything works but the internet." I thought you meant that you had gotten it going without the format.

    What steps exactly have you taken? :)

    I have re-formatted my computer, re-installed windows and all my drivers.
  • OrianeOriane Turn around.
    edited November 2006
    My first thought is that you might not have your network drivers installed or up to date. Did you install the ones provided with your mother board and update them? Sometimes these are separate drivers from your other motherboard drivers- check your disk- then with the vendor. Did you check with the controller company? Windows Update also has optional hardware and software updates you might check out.

    However, if I understand the sequence of events correctly, you may have been re-exposed to a trojan/worm if you did not enable Windows firewall when you installed- or when you uninstalled NIS- so Profs’ advice may be sound anyhow. Go to the SVT forum and do the procedure and post an HJT log- just-in-case.

    However, that might also mean that another machine on your LAN is also infected- possibly your wife’s. Did you possibly grab files from her share? You might run that down. I see that this has gone on quite a while- and since I don’t get in here much (if at all again)- I can only hope you find a solution here soon.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited November 2006
    Oriane wrote:
    My first thought is that you might not have your network drivers installed or up to date. Did you install the ones provided with your mother board and update them? Sometimes these are separate drivers from your other motherboard drivers- check your disk- then with the vendor. Did you check with the controller company? Windows Update also has optional hardware and software updates you might check out...
    Excellent suggestion. :thumbsup:

    I recently did a Repair Install and my premium cable-based Internet service was miserably slow until I updated the drivers. This idea is well worth trying. :)
  • Whizzkid_amerWhizzkid_amer
    edited November 2006
    I found I was installing the wrong drivers for my motherboard. After installing the right drivers, it worked for longer but still stopped again. I am opening a new thread in the virus removal thread.
Sign In or Register to comment.