WinXP: wipe HD/install windows on USB via grub?

[pocketsize828]

hi all, i'm trying to wipe the hd of a computer and do a fresh install of winXP. the BIOS is pw protected (pw unknown) and the computer loads GRUB which gives the option of booting windows or redhat (pw to load both unknown). i have winXP installation files on a USB stick and was able to see the files on the stick when in GRUB command line when typing...

grub> root (hd1,0)
grub> find /[tab]

been doing some reading and not sure how to access menu.lst. is there anyway to run hd format and winxp installation from the USB all through grub?


appreciate any help, thank you.

[nujinini]

hi all, i'm trying to wipe the hd of a computer and do a fresh install of winXP. the BIOS is pw protected (pw unknown) and the computer loads GRUB which gives the option of booting windows or redhat (pw to load both unknown). i have winXP installation files on a USB stick and was able to see the files on the stick when in GRUB command line when typing...

grub> root (hd1,0)
grub> find /[tab]

appreciate any help, thank you.

If I understand it right, you want to wipe your HD clean and do a fresh install of XP?

Then you can get hold of any linux live cd, go to terminal and execute:

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1

This should wipe your entire HD and you may do your fresh install afterwards.

been doing some reading and not sure how to access menu.lst. is there anyway to run hd format and winxp installation from the USB all through grub?

You may download and install a distro in your USB too and use it to access the terminal and proceed with my suggestion above.

Check this out.

[coopstah13]

you can just reset motherboard cmos to clear out bios password, then you can get to set the boot options (provided you can even boot from usb)