I'm having hard time formatting

[The Flower King]

I had XP SP2, contracted a virus which won't even let me load into windows, and is a general pain in the ass.  Therefor, I download TinyXP(Since I cannot locate my disk I originally used to install XP), and load into Safe Mode with command prompt to reformat.  Well, when I try to format the drive to NTFS it says that

     "Format cannot be run because the volume is in use by another process.  Format may run if this volume is dismounted first."

 I select yes to dismount, and it then tells me that it

     "Cannot lock drive, the volume is still in use." 

Help!

[Flynn]

You can try 'disc management' under admin tools,
or format your whole drive with a boot cd that zero's it all.

I use the boot disc software that comes with the program 'window washer'.

[The Flower King]

Well, the thing is, is that I can't access windows.  It freezes at the welcome screen.

And when I try to boot from CD, it just goes straight to loading windows, which then freezes at the welcome screen.

I do want to wipe the entire drive.  Start fresh.  I'm thinking this virus destroyed my drive.

[Orgetorix]

Get a copy of Hirens Boot CD and run Active Killdisk, and wipe the entire drive then start out fresh. I'd recommend getting LastXP v22. That has everything you need bundled into one package.

[Flynn]

go to bios screen and select your first boot device to be your cd drive, and from there your boot-cd
drive-eraser software will load up.

[The Flower King]

go to bios screen and select your first boot device to be your cd drive, and from there your boot-cd
drive-eraser software will load up.

I did that, and it just loads up Windows and then freezes.

[Flynn]

Hmm, and you can't bring up the boot menu with a function key before xp loads up?
Sounds like a fault /virus in the hard drive, try unhooking it and try getting into bios without it first maybe?
Reset the cmos switch /unplug motherboard battery?

[The Flower King]

Hmm, and you can't bring up the boot menu with a function key before xp loads up?
Sounds like a fault /virus in the hard drive, try unhooking it and try getting into bios without it first maybe?
Reset the cmos switch /unplug motherboard battery?

Well, I can bring up a boot menu, I hold F8, load Safe Mode with Command Prompt, and attempt to format from there. 

And like I said in my first post, it is a virus which has caused all this.

[The Flower King]

Get a copy of Hirens Boot CD and run Active Killdisk, and wipe the entire drive then start out fresh. I'd recommend getting LastXP v22. That has everything you need bundled into one package.

I downloaded it, burned the ISO to a CD and when I attempted to load from CD it just starts loading windows, then freezes.  Do I have to do something to the ISO before burning it to a CD for it to work?

[Flynn]

Well, I can bring up a boot menu, I hold F8, load Safe Mode with Command Prompt, and attempt to format from there.  

And like I said in my first post, it is a virus which has caused all this.

You can't load from cd drive from the boot menu?
also don't rely on windows to format anything, get seperate software.

[The Flower King]

You can't load from cd drive from the boot menu?
also don't rely on windows to format anything, get seperate software.

It says "Boot from CD"  then it just goes to the screen that shows Windows loading up, instead of the blue menu screen that asks if you want to re-install windows and what not.

And yes, I'm starting to realize that I really can't rely on Microsoft, because they suck.

[hyperqube]

hit key to boot from cd

[independentWV]

In Bios first boot device CD and save will ask if you want to boot from CD press any key to continue then you see blue screen with Windows loading drivers after this process it will ask if you want to delete parition say yes hardrive will then start to format then XP will continue to load

[The Flower King]

You people need to read my first post where I said I did that and it just loads to windows instead.

[independentWV]

You people need to read my first post where I said I did that and it just loads to windows instead.

I do understand what you are saying go in BIOS make 1st, 2nd and third device CD, then CD then 3rd hardrive and save. As start up continues will see Boot from CD, Boot from CD then Do you want to boot from CD press any key to continue.

Are you sure it is bootable XP copy? For some reason computer not reading as such if this does not work.

[The Flower King]

I do understand what you are saying go in BIOS make 1st, 2nd and third device CD, then CD then 3rd hardrive and save. As start up continues will see Boot from CD, Boot from CD then Do you want to boot from CD press any key to continue.

Are you sure it is bootable XP copy? For some reason computer not reading as such if this does not work.

I'm pretty sure it's a bootable copy.  I downloaded an ISO and just burnt that to a disk.  Is there something else I have to do to the ISO before burning it?

[independentWV]

Download Magic ISO software (torrent) and use it to burn boot disc there is button to make boot disc this should correct your problem!!

[EvadingGrid]

Use a Linux Disc. as a Tool

Start the install

Wait till you get to partion your hardrive part

Select Custom Partitioning



See what you can see, good chance whole chunks of data can be saved. Another possibility is to mount the hardrive in a linux computer to rescue save as much data as possible.

[The Flower King]

My computer has been down for 6 months, I'm not really concerned with saving anything off the drive.  I just want to wipe it, and start over.  I want a computer again!  Haha. 

[The Flower King]

Download Magic ISO software (torrent) and use it to burn boot disc there is button to make boot disc this should correct your problem!!

I'll try that.