Windows is unable to format partition

Asked By Mack Marey 10 points N/A Posted on - 08/09/2011

I am using Windows XP Professional. It has only 2 partitions. Windows program was installed in drive ‘C’ and drive ‘E’ was for storage purpose. A few days ago viruses cause some problem in PC. So I wanted to format my partitions. I formatted ‘E’ drive easily. But when I tried to format ‘C’ it shows a message:

“Can’t be formatted”.

What is the problem? Please help.

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• Question Category: Windows XP

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Answered By jamescarlo 0 points N/A #127685

Windows is unable to format partition

Please note that if you are trying to format C: drive from windows it cannot format as it contains Windows in it. In other words C: drive is in use due to windows. From windows you cannot format the drive containing windows.

I will suggest you to use a bootable windows CD if you want to format C: drive. When you will boot from windows bootable CD, before installing a fresh copy of windows you will get an option to format your C: drive.

You may use that option to format your C: drive.

Thanks!

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• Posted on - 08/09/2011
• Question Category: Windows XP

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Answered By Sharath Reddy 590495 points N/A #127686

Windows is unable to format partition

Maybe you format your hard drive while you are in Windows. Of course, you can format any drive while you are logged in on Windows but not the system drive, C. It’s pretty obvious, the system can not format or erase itself because it is still running and it is really not allowed to format the system drive. Windows shouldn’t be running to be able to format the system drive or drive C.

Since you are using Windows XP on your computer, formatting your hard drive is very simple using Windows XP’s setup disk or installer disk. Just load the setup disk on to your CD/DVD drive and then restart your computer. The Windows XP setup disk will start automatically upon rebooting. Press any key from your keyboard when you see the message Press any key to boot from CD appears on your screen. Select the drive where you will be installing Windows XP then format it using the NTFS file system (not the quick format).

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• Posted on - 05/04/2012
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Answered By Gaabrielll Victoria 0 points N/A #196325

Windows is unable to format partition

You really cannot format your primary drive that has Windows in it. If you format your C partition, you will erase your operating system and other data on your main drive. So you can't format it the way you format another Windows drive because you are inside Windows when you do the formatting. However, you can properly do it by using your bootable disk such as CD/DVD drive, USB Flash Drive and Floppy Drive with Windows on it. Just insert it on your computer's optical drive or USB port and then boot from there.

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• Posted on - 02/05/2013
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Answered By Saul L Martinez 40 points N/A #127687

Windows is unable to format partition

Dear Mack Marey,

You cannot format C drive from windows explorer. Because window’s explorer is also exists in C drive so that you will be able to format D drive not C.

Formatting of C drive can be done only in DOS mode.

1. Start your computer with CD ROM support; means boot your computer with windows 98 CD. And type format C then presses enter key.

2. Boot your computer with CD and press any key to boot from CD.

Then start the setup of windows XP. On the partition selection step, choose the C drive then format it.

Now these petitions will be reformatted easily.

Hope it helps.

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• Posted on - 03/11/2013
• Question Category: Windows XP