[dba-Tech] Format hard drive and start over

Hi Tina:

1. Number one question, do you have the original XP disk or a similar media.

2. If the answer is yes and you would like to do a totally new install go to
section 4 and follow items a to c, then put the XP disk in the CDROM drive
format and install.

3. You will need to make a complete copy of the current OS by doing a
complete image backup of the hard drive. You can either use Clonezilla or a
properly prepared Barts PE disk. To do this type of image backup you will
need to a new CD disk and a CD drive that will allow you to write to it.

How to decide which image application you need.
a. If you have a portable hard drive with sufficient capacity that you can
attach to your ailing computer, Clonezilla is your best choice:
http://clonezilla.org/download/sourceforge (the 'live' iso) 

b. If you have a network and computers on that LAN with sufficient space
Barts PE disk with DriveImageXML is your choice. If you need it I will send
you a link to a prebuilt ISO disk.

c. When you have the copies of Clonezilla or/and Barts PE DriveImage ISO use
either to build yourself a CD. The resultant CD disk will be self booting. I
will assume you have products like Nero/ImgBurn/latest Window (Vista/7) that
will provide the capability to burn an ISO to the CDROM.

d. If your old computer does not boot to the CD drive initially you are
going to have to set that first. Depending on the computer, in most cases
pressing the <delete> key just after rebooting will set you into the
hardware system mode. From there you can select the Boot order section and
if the CDROM is not the first item in the boot order list set it so. That is
usually accomplished by navigating, with the cursor keys and by pressing the
PgUp and PgDwn keys to choose and set the option. When satisfied press <F10>
to exit and 'Y' and <enter> to accept and reboot.

e. When the newly created CD, boots up you will be immediately prompted as
to which drive to backup and subsequently the destination of the backup; if
you are using Clonezilla or if Barts PE, you will have set the networking
option affirmatively, input the appropriate workgroup/domain and then
navigate to the DriveImageXML menu option. Then you will be prompted to
select the source and destination. Either process, depending on the size of
the drive to be backedup/imaged can take a fair amount of time.

4. You will have purchased a new hard drive and wish to replace to current
one. 
a. This can be accomplished by removing the left side panel on your computer
by removing the two Phillips or thumb screws at the back of the computer and
sliding the panel off revealing the computers contents. (This assumes a
standard computer box layout) Smaller desktop box varieties may require the
entire top to be removed. Again this is accomplished by removing the
Phillips screws at the back of the case and sliding off the top.

b. Remove the old hard drive. Depending on the type of drive it will be
either IDE (a wide flat multi-pin cable) or a SATA (thin red cable). Remove
the cables from the old hard drive, both data and power. (There should be no
concern about taking them off as they will only go back on in one way.)

c. There will be two or four Phillips screws to be removed so the old hard
drive can be slid out and the new one slid in. Replace the screws into the
new drive and attach the data and power supply cables. Make sure all cables
are again secure as unrelated cables may have become loosened because of the
replacement process. Now replace the side panel, secure and turn on the
computer.

d. Boot again via the CDROM and as explained in section 3 item e but in this
case reverse the process. Browse to the saved directory, in the case of
Clonezilla or browse to the saved directory and select the XML file in the
case of DriveImageXML.

If the process proceeds unimpaired the new hard drive should now boot up
appropriately once the CD have been removed.

That is the quick and simple... It is not too simple but I assume little
knowledge on either imaging drives or replacing them.

This was typed very fast so there may be gram/sp errors but HTH
Jim        
       

-----Original Message-----
From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Tina Norris
Fields
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 5:06 PM
To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
Subject: [dba-Tech] Format hard drive and start over

Hi,

Please hold my hand while I do this for the first time.  I've been given 
a used Win XP machine, with a 60GB hard drive that is failing.  I would 
like to reformat this hard drive and reinstall the operating system and 
see if I can get some good out of the machine - for teaching kids and 
others, and for playing around; this is not a production machine for 
me.  Before I dive into this for the first time, I would like a little 
guidance.  Okay?  I'm listening.

Thanks,
T
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