Format disk

[MarioB]

This last weekend my home PC got a virus (or a spyware) and become all messed up. The anti-virus software (Norton 2005) detected it but was unable to repair the problem. Now the only solution is to format the disk.

So I switched on the PC with a start floppy disk inside to open it in MS-DOS mode to be able to type "format c:" (without quotes, of course). But when I pressed the enter key I got the following message:

Command or file name not valid

(remark: I don't know if this is the right text that apears in the english version. This is a translation of the portuguese software version I have, but I think it should be right)

So, why doesn't DOS recognize this command?

Does anyone know how to solve this problem? Is there another (easy) way to format the disk?

Your help will be highly appreciated.

I remain looking for your reply.

Thanks,

Mário

[otpw1]

Which OS? Or which DOS?
On the 9x or ME WIN OS isn't that an external command? In other words format.com has to be on the startup disc in order to use it without a path.

[thevoelk]

Your drive is probably formatted as NTFS, which will not work with MS-DOS. Boot to your Windows XP CD or Recovery CD which can format your disk. Another option is to use the makeboot command in the Command Prompt to make the startup floppies which you can boot from.

You may have to use the FDSIK command to delete all the paritions and start fresh again.

[redwudz]

What thevoelk said. To clean out the old OS, I boot with the W98 boot disk, then type 'fdisk'. Then delete all partitions and make one new one. Pull your floppy at that point and don't format with it as it will format to FAT32 and you really want NTFS (If you are installing XP or W2000).

Now boot from your XP disc, format in NTFS and let the install disc do the install. You may have to change to boot to CDROM in BIOS or it may find the XP CD on it's own.

BTW, The DOS command would be 'format c:/s' if you were making a boot drive with W98, but that's not what you want to do anyway. :)

[otpw1]

You may have to use the FDISK command to delete all the paritions and start fresh again.

The only useful thing I can add.
Good Luck!!

[thefiddler]

uh, have you checked www.antivirus.com ???? there are very few viruses that are so bad that you have to completely reformat. try looking it up on that website first, then if you still beleive you have to format, use the windows cd as others have mentioned.

[MarioB]

Mission accomplished!

The problem really was that the command format was not present on the start-up diskette I have. A friend lend a correct one and now the problem is solved.

But the real problem is that we pay a lot of money for a (supposed) reliable anti-virus software and the result is this - very disappointing! Fortunately, the "My Documents" folder is on an external HD; so all my work is safe. Only the OS (windows 2000) and remaining software on drive C has been affected.

Anyway, thank you very much for your help.

Mário

[Supreme2k]

I'm just glad that no one gave you the infamous "format c:\ /y" advice

[MarioB]

Now I got curious. Forgive my ignorance but... what exactly this infamous "format c:\ /y" does?

Thanks.

[Supreme2k]

For the most part, nothing. It was mainly a joke for the old-timers here.

Don't try this at home. :P