How to Reformat a Computer With the Blue Screen of Death

So you've got the blue screen of death. Assuming that you've rebooted your computer a couple of times and that wonderful cyan hue appears every time, you will need to reformat your hard drive. The bad news is this means the end of whatever data you've got on that computer. The good news is you can probably save the hard drive.

Things You'll Need

• Windows XP setup discs

Instructions

1. Enter your computer's bios/setup screen. There's usually something in the computer's boot-up screen that tells you how to do this.

2. Change the boot order of your computer, making your computer's CD drive the first one checked.

3. Insert your Windows disc into the CD drive and reboot the computer. Windows XP setup will begin.

4. Advance the screens by clicking "OK" and "Continue" until you reach the partition screen. Highlight your "C:" drive and press the "Delete" button to completely wipe out the drive.

5. Set up another partition in its place and call it the "C:" drive. This is where you want to reinstall your Windows operating system.

6. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Windows installation.

Tips & Warnings

• Everything will be wiped out of your hard drive when you do this. You will need to acquire a copy of your computer's drivers before you can get the computer back up and running completely. Either use another computer to download them from the company's website, or call them and ask you to mail you a copy. If not, you will not be able to use things like your sound card, Ethernet port or wireless adapter.