How do I run CHKDSK at startup / Delete partitions! (no OS installed!)

[Keith22]

Okay heres the deal, i just built an entirely new PC. Quad core, evga 8800gts 640mb, 4gb of corsair ram, the whole deal. At first i was going to use my.. not very legal version of windows pro if you know what i mean on my system but then i decided against all the problems it brings and i ordered a legit copy of XP home ( the non legit one was professional ). I stopped the installation of pro as it was going at about 39 minutes to go. Thinking that i could just somehow get back to where it shows your partitions and such and just delete them all and start new with XP home. Heres where i made a big problem.. now im trying to load XP home on. It gets up to the part right before where it shows the partitions and such and i get a blue screen saying error, restart your computer. If the problem persists, run CHKDSK /F for errors on your hard drive. Okay, now what do i do... do i let PRO finish loading on my computer and then when its done, just take it all right off ( IF you guys think that will work fine ) or is there another way where instead of waiting for the long load to install PRO, i can just get back to the partition lists and delete it all and start again? PLEASE help me as im dieing to get my OS up and running. Thanks alot! Keith.

 

[raybay]

Remember that CHKDSK requires exclusive access to the hard drive when it runs, or it will quit, and tell you it will run when all files and folders are closed.
Remember that it can sometimes take a very long time to run, depending on the size of the hard drive, and the number of folders and files.
Note that it will not always accuratedly give information if you run CHKDSK in read only mode.

Click Start->Run->Open-> Type CMD <enter>
At the resulting Command Prompt, type chkdsk <enter> to enter read only mode.
Otherwise, type chkdsk /F <enter> to repair errors without scanning the drive.

To run CheckDisk from Windows Explorer, or from My Computer, you must MyComputer <doubleclick>
C:\ <right click>
Properties->Tools->Error Checking->Check now-> then chose from the Check Disk Options.
Select Automatically Fix the File System Errors Box, or just click <Start> to run in read only.

If /F is not selected, it will not scan for errors, nor clean up errors.

On some installs you have three days to remove or pay... or the machine will freeze. If you are using a disc which has already had multiple installs, the computer will freeze without allowing you to run. Most other installs will give you 30 days to register the product ID.

Running ChkDsk for errors will not harm anything, and may help give you usefull information about your drive.

 

[SNGX1275]

I'd download a 50 Meg gparted live CD and boot up from that to wipe your partitions. Then begin your XP Home install.