Re-formatting my Laptop

[leroytrolley]

Hi

I want to wipe my laptop of all its contents and put it back to the factory setting/cofig. I have got my backup CD's that I created when I got the laptop new, and I have backed up my important files and programs.

What is the best procedure to do this. I'm using WINXP.

Thanks

Leroy

[Hb_Kai]

Rich click on C:, properties, reformat.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

How did you create your backups? If with a standalone program like Acronis, then boot in the Acronis disk after format, and restore.

P.S. in fact, you will not even need to format, just restore the disk image. If it's a Windows backup, then you will need to boot into the Windows Recovery Console, and restore.

[leroytrolley]

I've tried doing the format c: using the CMD prompt, but I get the following message :

Format cannot run because the volumn is being run by another process. Format may run if the drive is dismounted first.

ALL OPEN HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD THEN BE INVALID. Would you like to force a dismount on this volum? Y/N (yes selected).

Cannot lock the drive. The volumn is still in use.

How can I get around this?

[Boris]

Rich click on C:, properties, reformat.

You cannot use this procedure to format the same drive that you are currently running your Windows from.

See Pat W's P.S. answer above for the solution to your question.