Now that you have created all of the partitions for your hard drive, it is now
time to format them. To format a master hard disk, you will use the format
command.
Formatting prepares a hard
drive for use by organizing its storage space into addresses that can be
recognized and accessed.
Below are the complete instructions to walk you through the process of
formatting partitions on your hard drive.
1.) Restart your computer with the Startup/Boot disk in the floppy disk drive.
**NOTE:**
If you are using a Windows 95 Startup disk, a command prompt is displayed and
you can skip to step 2.
If you are using a Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, or Windows Me Startup
disk, select the Start computer without CD-ROM support menu option when the
Windows 98 Startup menu is displayed.
2.) When a command prompt
is displayed, type format c: /s, and then press ENTER. This command transfers
the system files and should only be used when you format drive C (or your
"active" drive).
**NOTE** (If you are formatting with an Windows ME boot disk you cannot use the
/s switch. Windows ME will not let you transfer system files to a disk without
an operating system already present.)
For all other partitions, type
format drive: (where drive is the letter of the partition that you want to
format).
3.) When you successfully run the format tool, you receive the following
message:
WARNING, ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK DRIVE C: WILL BE LOST!
Proceed with Format?
4.) Press Y, and then press ENTER to format drive C.
5.) After the format procedure is finished, you receive the following message:
Volume label (11 characters, ENTER for none)?
**NOTE:**
This is an optional feature that you can use to type a name for the drive.
You can either type an
11-character name for the drive, or you can leave it blank by pressing Enter.
6.) Reboot. You are now ready to install your operating system.
