Reformat Hard Drive

I have been given a Dell desktop running ME which I want to clean up and
donate to a charity or needy person. It is apparent that the hard drive
should be reformatted and Windows ME reinstalled. I have the original
Microsoft CDs for Windows ME and all the other programs that were factory
installed. What I need is detailed step-by-step instructions on how to
reformat the hard drive and reinstall ME. Can you please help me?
--
Don

Have a look here to see if this helps you.
Joan
look here for instructions for a clean install
http://www.aumha.org/win4/a/clean.htm

--
Joan Archer
http://www.freewebs.com/crossstitcher
http://lachsoft.com/photogallery

"Don" wrote in message
...
I have been given a Dell desktop running ME which I want to clean up and
donate to a charity or needy person. It is apparent that the hard drive
should be reformatted and Windows ME reinstalled. I have the original
Microsoft CDs for Windows ME and all the other programs that were factory
installed. What I need is detailed step-by-step instructions on how to
reformat the hard drive and reinstall ME. Can you please help me?
--
Don

Besides Joan's reference, another couple of very useful documents are on
your WinMe CD (and probably on your C: drive too) called setup.txt file and
cleanhd.txt which are well worth reading. You should also and print out and
have handy a copy of the cleanhd.txt file - a copy of which you can also see
here :-
"Windows Millennium Edition Cleanhd.txt File Contents"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/271673/en-us

Also, be sure that you've still got a copy of the 25 digit product key,
before you start and any 'machine specific' drivers (often on a separate CD)
which *may* have come with your PC. (Don't worry too much if you haven't any
drivers as there's usually some work-around available)

Mart


"Joan Archer" wrote in message
...
Have a look here to see if this helps you.
Joan
look here for instructions for a clean install
http://www.aumha.org/win4/a/clean.htm

--
Joan Archer
http://www.freewebs.com/crossstitcher
http://lachsoft.com/photogallery

"Don" wrote in message
...
I have been given a Dell desktop running ME which I want to clean up and
donate to a charity or needy person. It is apparent that the hard drive
should be reformatted and Windows ME reinstalled. I have the original
Microsoft CDs for Windows ME and all the other programs that were factory
installed. What I need is detailed step-by-step instructions on how to
reformat the hard drive and reinstall ME. Can you please help me?
--
Don

Don wrote:
I have been given a Dell desktop running ME which I want to clean up and
donate to a charity or needy person. It is apparent that the hard drive
should be reformatted and Windows ME reinstalled. I have the original
Microsoft CDs for Windows ME and all the other programs that were factory
installed. What I need is detailed step-by-step instructions on how to
reformat the hard drive and reinstall ME. Can you please help me?
--
Don

I would first overwrite the entire HD, "zero it out"

Then maybe make the C: drive of about 2 gigs, or 3 gigs.

Then make a D: drive, for installing programs, downloads, etc.

The D: drive would be there for if and or when the system fails, the
DATA will be saved, while one can reinstall winme
on the C: drive, and have the data on the D: drive to remain.

Mart wrote
Also, be sure that you've still got a copy of the 25 digit product key,

Make sure to track the "Product Key" and not the resulting
"registration number".
And read it again to make sure you got every last letter/digit exactly
right.
I usually mark it very legibly on part of the chassis with a
"Sharpie" permanent marker pen.

before you start and any 'machine specific' drivers (often on a separate CD)
which *may* have come with your PC. (Don't worry too much if you haven't any
drivers as there's usually some work-around available)

You might want to make a "recovery floppy" too because some
CD sets and some hardware could not directly boot
the CD set without a kick start from floppy.

Boot from floppy
FDISK
remove partitions, set up new partition(s)
and FORMAT C:

Then boot the CDROM set and it should be able to
walk you through it from there, asking you
for the product key, etc.

How did it go?