cannot format hard drive

**flypitcher** · 3rd October 2006

Giving my kid the old computer so I decided to reformat it and reinstall Windows XP. No luck. I get the message that "format cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Format may run if this volume is dismounted first. All opened handles to this volume would then be invalid. Would you like to force a dismount on this volume (Y/N). I said Y. The the message came up. Cannot lock the drive. The volume is still in use.

Just want to format it and reinstall but it won't let me.

thanks in advance

**cronus71** · 3rd October 2006

Are you doing this booting with the XP CD? Sounds to me like you are still within the operating system, e.g. command prompt.

**AJ_007** · 3rd October 2006

Best way to format any machine (PC) is grab any windows 98/95 boot disk it and stick it before you start the machine, make sure you have set the boot options to boot from the A: drive in the bios then it should throw loads of errors to screen but should get you to the c:/ then you can format it from there. let us know how you get on or if you need a boot disk sending?

AJ

**flypitcher** · 4th October 2006

A corrupt version of xpmedia center is on the system all ready.
I have tried using the command prompt with no luck.

**cubbo** · 4th October 2006

You need to boot with the windows xp disc in the drive and let it go part way through the install process. One of the options is then to install the O.S on the current partition or delete the partition.

Follow this guide http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...p_sg_clean.asp

then at step 5 - delete all the current partitions, be warned all data will be lost, then create a fresh partition using all the disk space and install windows xp.