# Trying To Format A Laptop .... **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [March 30, 2007, 7:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823 "2007-03-30T19:26:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Slomies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Slomies](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Slomies)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 7:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/1 "2007-03-30T19:26:55Z")
I’m trying to format my sisters Compaq Presario V5209US laptop and ran into a problem. I used killdisk to erase the hard drive (for shits and giggles) and then partitioned it the way she whated. I put the Windows XP disk in the drive, goto the setup screen, but then it says that it can not find a hard drive installed on the computer. Obviously there is one there, but does Compaq “lock” the hard drives so you can’t use anything other than their supplied operating system disk (which is filled with a bunch of shit that my sister doesn’t need / want)? What do I have to do to get around the no hard drive error and install XP? ---
**Author:** ![RobHimself](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e480ec/32.png) [@RobHimself](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RobHimself)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 7:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/2 "2007-03-30T19:49:25Z")
could be something wacky with the partitions you set up… Try just formatting it again. BTW is your sister hot/single? ---
**Author:** ![Bacon](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bacon/32/7230_2.png) [@Bacon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Bacon)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/3 "2007-03-30T19:57:17Z")
Was it partitioned by the “fdisk” utility in windows setup or via a 3rd party utility? I’m assuming it was 3rd party as you said you partitioned prior to setup. You may need to clear any partitions, if it still won’t boot. Use a Win9x/WinPE boot image and see if it can see the drive at all in fdisk/disk management, if it does remove the partitions and try again. Or I could be making things overly complicated as I do when I’m sick. ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/4 "2007-03-30T20:41:39Z")
what filesystem did u format to? does the bios recognize the HDD? ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/5 "2007-03-30T20:52:09Z")
Go into the BIOS to make sure it’s there. If it’s showing in the BIOS and the XP setup can’t see a HDD you’re on your own. Otherwise just format it with the XP setup program and stop doing things just for shits and giggles. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Locutus](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/locutus/32/7574_2.png) [@Locutus](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Locutus)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/6 "2007-03-30T22:35:13Z")
[quote=“Slomies”"] I’m trying to format my sisters Compaq Presario V5209US laptop and ran into a problem. I used killdisk to erase the hard drive (for shits and giggles) and then partitioned it the way she whated. I put the Windows XP disk in the drive, goto the setup screen, but then it says that it can not find a hard drive installed on the computer. Obviously there is one there, but does Compaq “lock” the hard drives so you can’t use anything other than their supplied operating system disk (which is filled with a bunch of shit that my sister doesn’t need / want)? What do I have to do to get around the no hard drive error and install XP? [/quote] those “restore” partitions are designed to be hidden from BIOSes… if you run a physical disk wipe you should get rid of it. but dont get rid of it unless your sure you dont want it anymore. but it sounds like you dont dont have it formatted… run f disk. and format ---
**Author:** ![Tunerfreak](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/tunerfreak/32/7427_2.png) [@Tunerfreak](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Tunerfreak)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 6:09am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/7 "2007-03-31T06:09:05Z")
[quote=“RobHimself,post:2,topic:26823"”] could be something wacky with the partitions you set up… Try just formatting it again. BTW is your sister hot/single? [/quote] i think u should ask if she is legal first lol ---
**Author:** ![RobHimself](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e480ec/32.png) [@RobHimself](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RobHimself)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 8:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/8 "2007-03-31T08:25:08Z")
[quote=“Tunerfreak,post:7,topic:26823"”] i think u should ask if she is legal first lol [/quote] Good point… ---
**Author:** ![ryanmcell](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ryanmcell/32/7510_2.png) [@ryanmcell](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ryanmcell)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 8:37am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/9 "2007-03-31T08:37:06Z")
[quote=“Tunerfreak,post:7,topic:26823"”] i think u should ask if she is legal first lol [/quote] [quote=“RobHimself,post:8,topic:26823"”] Good point… [/quote] Irrelevant! Find out if she smokes too. Remember if she smokes, she pokes. ---
**Author:** ![ILCisDEAD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a87d85/32.png) [@ILCisDEAD](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ILCisDEAD)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 11:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/10 "2007-03-31T11:05:21Z")
[quote=“boardjnky4,post:4,topic:26823"”] does the bios recognize the HDD? [/quote] this is the only question that matters right now. If the BIOS can see it the windows disk should be able to see it regardless what filesystem is on it. [quote=“ryanmcell,post:9,topic:26823"”] Remember if she smokes, she pokes. [/quote] :tup: ---
**Author:** ![Clean\_Baldy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/clean_baldy/32/7308_2.png) [@Clean\_Baldy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Clean_Baldy)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 12:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/11 "2007-03-31T12:29:16Z")
Why use a second hand partitioning utility? Why not boot off of the CD, and let windows do it for you during setup? Also, is the hard drive SATA? If it gets to the end of the load up of the CD, and then says “Sorry, there is no hard drive found” perhaps you need to press F6 at the beginning of the CD loading, and install the correct hard drive controller driver from the HP website. ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 1:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/12 "2007-03-31T13:26:38Z")
[quote=“Clean Baldy,post:11,topic:26823"”] Why use a second hand partitioning utility? Why not boot off of the CD, and let windows do it for you during setup? Also, is the hard drive SATA? If it gets to the end of the load up of the CD, and then says “Sorry, there is no hard drive found” perhaps you need to press F6 at the beginning of the CD loading, and install the correct hard drive controller driver from the HP website. [/quote] shouldnt have to do that for SATA drives. thats for loading SCSI drivers ---
**Author:** ![ILCisDEAD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a87d85/32.png) [@ILCisDEAD](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ILCisDEAD)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 1:35pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/13 "2007-03-31T13:35:49Z")
[quote=“boardjnky4,post:12,topic:26823"”] shouldnt have to do that for SATA drives. thats for loading SCSI drivers [/quote] depending on SATA controller you may have to. being that this is a laptop, they typically use controllers that already have this loaded in ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/14 "2007-03-31T13:41:16Z")
[quote=“ILCisDEAD,post:13,topic:26823"”] depending on SATA controller you may have to. being that this is a laptop, they typically use controllers that already have this loaded in [/quote] like PCI sata controllers? ---
**Author:** ![JustinH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JustinH](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JustinH)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/15 "2007-03-31T17:39:30Z")
if you get stuck with it drop me a line, i’ll get it done for ya. I’ve fixed a zillion laptops. I did it 8 hours a day for nearly 2 years. I usually use a linux bootable cd with software on it to wipe the drive and the partition table, then another linux bootable cd to make the partitions. Then you can boot from the windows cd and load windows. I prefer restores from a cd instead of those silly hard drive image things. ---
**Author:** ![ILCisDEAD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a87d85/32.png) [@ILCisDEAD](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ILCisDEAD)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2007, 12:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/16 "2007-04-01T00:43:09Z")
[quote=“boardjnky4,post:14,topic:26823"”] like PCI sata controllers? [/quote] laptops are integrated for the most part… but there are very common PCI sata controllers that are recognized and already to go with the SP2 install cd. or for desktops things like nforce4 and what not are already loaded… ---
**Author:** ![Slomies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Slomies](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Slomies)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2007, 11:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/17 "2007-04-01T11:56:56Z")
first off my sister is single, not hott, smokes, yada yada yada secondly the drive in her laptop is SATA. that’s why when I put the windows disk in, it doesn’t see the drive. i downloaded the sata drivers, now just have to slipstream them onto the windows xp cd since her laptop doesn’t have a floppy drive … damn this is alot of work to just format a computer lol ---
**Author:** ![Clean\_Baldy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/clean_baldy/32/7308_2.png) [@Clean\_Baldy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Clean_Baldy)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2007, 12:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/trying-to-format-a-laptop/26823/18 "2007-04-01T12:01:33Z")
^ Thats why you should just use the HP recovery CD 🙂 LOL Then uninstall all the extras. A lot less issues.