format hard drive

[scalar]

I am trying to reformat my hard drive from "start", then" run" "Format C: " the warning box comes up but when I press yes to continue It tells me that drive C is currently in use by another process and format is aborted. As far as I know I have shut everything down, any suggestions? Operating system is Win ME

thanks

[RWSchlatter]

well, J am really wondering if you have WinMe installed on drive C: ?
So WinMe will not let you wipe out its own code base.

If your intent is to do a fresh re-install of WinMe, then create the Emergency Boot Disk (in ControlPanel, Add/Remove Programms, Startup Diskette tab), and then boot your machine from the diskette and format the drive from there.

WARNING: don't forget to make a backup of any data you wish to retain.

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Regards - Richard

[Paul D]

Of course something else is running - Windows. Think about it.
As a matter of course, hard drive formatting is done from pure DOS. With ME, that'll mean from a boot disk, as RWSchlatter said

Paul D

[RWSchlatter]

it's just the system disk (or partition) that you need to format from native (real mode) DOS. If you want to format any other disk or partition, just double click My Computer, and then right click on any icon with a drive letter. You will have a Format... item in the popup menu.

______________
Regards - Richard

[Foxsniper22]

Hiya Scalar:
If you are still having problems after this advice that was given, feel free to contact me, I have done MANY hard disc formats or (format C:\ ). I should be able to give you complete directions from start to finish. I back up the items that I want to keep and format my hard disc occasionaly...not because of error codes or the like....just to work with a completely fresh system again. You can reach me by E-mail at - dtieman35@hotmail.com
But I hope you have your problem solved by now.
Take care.....Foxsniper22

[coolsights2000]

you need to boot the system with a disk in drive a:
then fdisk it then format it then reload windows