CD-R/W messed up

[Nikos]

Hahaha! Is that how you learned about computers?

Comming from a Unix (and also MS-DOG) background, the answer is a resounding yes! You can't imagine how good it feels to have a script that evaluates to a "rm * ~" instead of a "rm *~" while wondering where your files have gone!

[Methadon]

Point taken. Although the best way to learn about computers, is to blow everything up first!

Hahaha! Is that how you learned about computers?

[Nikos]

So if I Format my C dive it won't delete anything?

If you're lucky, it will.

(That was not a typo; we're talking about Windows here...)

[Nikos]

Nikos, please stop posting stuff like this, I don't want to explain to an unexperienced user who didn't understand everything you said why his Windows installation (probably including important files) is gone...

Point taken. Although the best way to learn about computers, is to blow everything up first!

[NetSoerfer]

Just don't...

Nikos, please stop posting stuff like this, I don't want to explain to an unexperienced user who didn't understand everything you said why his Windows installation (probably including important files) is gone...

[Burning Gundam]

Yeah, that's probably the main reason worms and viruses spread that easily.

Fortunately, XP still doesn't allow you to format your C: drive (or mount point) even when having admin privileges. It should be pointed out though, that "C: drive" is just a common term for the "main" partition in your PC. If someone has installed XP in D: or E:, doing a "format C:" just to see if it's allowed is like shooting yourself in the foot....

So if I Format my C dive it won't delete anything?

[johngalt]

yup - admin level privileges. Gotta love them. I was exploring for a while running with lua (limited user access, not the programming language) but then decided to continue to forage into Linux instead.

I wasn't brave enough to follow it through, but logged in as administrator (not an admin-enabled account, but as *the* administrator account) entering format C: in cmd got me a prompt to enter the current volume label - I didn't proceed because I cannot remember for sure if there is another prompt (I believe there is - where it tells you that this will destroy all data and asks if I want to continue) but at least there are *some* checks and balances.

[Nikos]

and I bet greater than 75% of users with NT-based OSs *are* running with an account that has computer administrator privileges....

Yeah, that's probably the main reason worms and viruses spread that easily.

Fortunately, XP still doesn't allow you to format your C: drive (or mount point) even when having admin privileges. It should be pointed out though, that "C: drive" is just a common term for the "main" partition in your PC. If someone has installed XP in D: or E:, doing a "format C:" just to see if it's allowed is like shooting yourself in the foot....

[johngalt]

and I bet greater than 75% of users with NT-based OSs *are* running with an account that has computer administrator privileges....

[Nikos]

Screenshot, Nikos? :grin:

p.s. everyone else see NetSoerfer's warning above.

Actually, I can prove it:

Here's a screenshot from my main PC, which runs a Greek version of Windows. The error message just says "Access denied" after I typed FORMAT C: . Running XP with administrator rights, is like striking a match inside a TNT-filled basement...

The second screenshot is from the english version (running as administrator).

Oh, and NetSoerfer's warning doesn't apply anymore...

[Underheaven]

You can type FORMAT C: in the console as many times as you want, it won't do anything.

Screenshot, Nikos? :grin:

p.s. everyone else see NetSoerfer's warning above.

[Nikos]

You can type FORMAT C: in the console as many times as you want, it won't do anything.

[johngalt]

A general piece of advice:

N00bs - research everything before you do it - don't just take the word of one person and try something.

Advisers - remember, not everyone is computer savvy - some people don't have much of a clue what things do, and thus simply telling them to "do X" is not sufficient.

[NetSoerfer]

WHOA, not so fast!

Kaloyan_78, such a suggestion may be funny for people who know what it means, but as you see some don't and might try it.

Don't use format c: if you don't know what it does!

It will erase your c: drive deleting all your data. You'll need to backup your important files from C:\, and reinstall Windows afterwards. So if you haven't done that before, don't do it!

[Burning Gundam]

Uninstall what you installed before the problem, scan for viruses and use a program like TuneUp Utilities to check the mistakes and everything should be fine. If not - Format C: as we like to say in our local forum. And it works, haha .

Alright I'll try that.

What will happen if I format?

Erase everything?