Re: Help! How do you get a command prompt without starting the operating system

From: Bruce Chambers (bchambers_at_nospamcableone.net)
Date: 10/25/03 

Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2003 19:49:16 -0600

Greetings --

    There is no way to reboot a WinXP PC into Real Mode DOS unless
you've set up a dual-boot system. The WinNT family of 32-bit
graphical operating systems, of which WinXP is the latest generation,
has never used or included MS-DOS. The closest they have is the
Command Prompt window.

    WinXP, like its predecessors WinNT & Win2K, is a pure 32-bit GUI
OS, and does not include or "ride upon" any version of DOS, as did
Win3.x & Win9x/Me. WinXP does include a command-line emulator for
those times when GUI applets are unnecessary/redundant, but it cannot
be started in "DOS mode."

   Simply boot from the WinXP installation CD. You'll be offered the
opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as part of the
installation process. (You may need to re-arrange the order of boot
devices in the PC's BIOS to boot from the CD.)

HOW TO Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;316941

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

Bruce Chambers 

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"Gary McMillan" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:019201c39986$f5097150$a301280a@phx.gbl...
> How do you get a command prompt for XP Professional before
> starting the operating system. I want to format the hard
> drive due to virus infections and cannot figure out how to
> get a command prompt to format. Please help.. Thanks...

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