Best way to format for WinXP?

[JennyB]

Which is the best way to format for WinXP?
perhaps..

1. use startup disk
2. type "format c: /fs:ntfs" ?

[Numbstruck]

When you pop in the XP install CD it should boot up and it will give you the option to mess with the partitions and format everything. That's what I always do for a fresh install.

[Know Nuttin]

format during installation, as mentioned above.

[Captain Newbie]

There really isn't a method that's better per se than the others; I and many others typically permit the installer/setup program to do it for you. The fdisk in the installer is crap, but if you needed to hand-partition, too, you could do it.

[MRD]

Depending on the size of the drive, you may want to format fat32. fat32 is faster on drives up to about 80 gb, where they are equal, and ntfs is faster for drives larger than 80 gb. Windows 2000 offers the choice of which filesystem to use. I'm not sure if XP does, but I know if you preformat it, XP can use a fat32 drive.

[Ascii2]

Which is the best way to format for WinXP?Depends on what is to be formatted.

If a floppy, use one of the following at the command line:FORMAT A:FORMAT B:

If a hard disk, use a utility that is not included in Windows setup (such as hard manufacture's installation program).

If other media, post what the media is.

[Captain Newbie]

Depending on the size of the drive, you may want to format fat32. fat32 is faster on drives up to about 80 gb, where they are equal, and ntfs is faster for drives larger than 80 gb. Windows 2000 offers the choice of which filesystem to use. I'm not sure if XP does, but I know if you preformat it, XP can use a fat32 drive.
Starting with Service Pack 1 Revision A OEM, the ability to specify FAT32 in the installer has been removed.

[MRD]

That's dumb, since it's faster on smaller drives.

[Bios24]

That's dumb, since it's faster on smaller drives.

Yes and no. NTFS has other advantages including greatly increased security, file–by–file compression, quotas, and even encryption.

Even 10-20gb hard drives I just format NTFS. I mean, how much of a speed increase are we talking about here?

Trying and stay on-topic: Just boot to the XP cd, and partition/format from there. Unless you want to do something special, that's all you need to do.

[jonwessel]

the best way IMO is to have a handy Window's bootable diskette\disc then

A:\fdisk



choose option 3 to delete all partions


then go back and select option 1 to create a primary DOS parition

then restart...

A:\FORMAT C:

and if you have the xp cd then replace all of those A's with D's