I bought an IBM thinkpad laptop on eBay and upgraded it from Win 2k to XP, and the battery would not then work, showing charge, but not actually powering the unit. Rather than an upgrade, I then ran a fresh install. For some reason, without asking, it has installed a duplicate XP on the same partion, one of them completely invalid, the other looks odd pixel wise.

I have tried from Start > Run > format c: but it says:

"cannot format because the volume is in use by another process. Format may run if this volume is dismounted first, all opened handles to this volume would then be invalid. Would you like to force a dismount on this volume?"

Selecting N closes it, selecting Y closes it with no visible change or action, with an error message quickly appearing before the dos window closes, so you cant read it.

I cant create a new partion larger than 7 MB so I'm at a complete loss what I can and should do. Please help ASAP.

I have just tried from Start > Run > format c: and it said "cannot format because the volume is in use by another process. Format may run if this volume is dismounted first, all opened handles to this volume would then be invalid. Would you like to force a dismount on this volume?" i pressed y acan you acess the HD and try to format it normaly? (this is what you are trying to do isnt it?)

If that doesnt work, try this:

If you're willing/going to format the E: hard disk, use a 98 Bootdisk ( http://www.cyberus.ca/~danpenny/WIN98SE.EXE ) to boot the machine without CDROM support. (Check your bios boot sequence for A: being the first boot device.)

Then copy delpart.exe ( http://www.cyberus.ca/~danpenny/delpart.zip ) to a second floppy. Once the system boots to the A:\> prompt, switch floppy disks and type in;

delpart

and hit Enter. You will be given a choice of which hard disk you wish to act upon. Ensure you choose the correct hard disk. Delete all partitions on that hard disk. Exit when finished, remove the floppy and boot the machine normally. If the hard disk parameters are correct in the bios, XP will find it. Partition and format it.

This topic is covered under item #20 of this FAQ:

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

If you have a full version XP CD why not just start from scratch & re-install?

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

madmike, I'm not sure what you mean in the first post. Please give steps for this other way to reformat, or something. I have no other OS Cd's or anything other than XP.

Jephree - I've followed step 20 fully and it still happens.

The other XP does not work either, but if I just run a standard fresh install will that overwrite everything on the hard drive and leave just that one fresh install? Because thats what happened before, I upgraded which was not working, then fresh installed which gave a duplicate XP.

on a windows xp system click start > my computer, rt click on the drive you want to format and click format, but i don't think it will work if you are trying to format your boot drive. Have you tried Dan Penny's method (my second post)

Right clicking C: and selecting format gives "windows cannot format this drive. Quit and disk utilities or other programs that are using this drive, and make sure no windows is displaying the contents of the drive. Then try formatting again."

This is with no programs running or anything, a bugger because I really wanted this to work.

I dont understand your 2nd post Mike, how will formatting the E drive fix this problem, and why do you say if your willing, sounds dangerous.

A Clean Install of XP will do its' own formatting.

My guess is that your problems reside in the original IBM OEM Windows. Perhaps a hidden partition that is confusing the Install.

http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/accessories/thinkpad/

What is the exact model of the ThinkPad?

Do you have the manual?

IBM Thinkpad 560Z - I don't have any manuals. I did a fresh install and it left a duplicate XP on the same partition. How should I do the fresh install, just run the CD whilst logged on, or set boot device as CD and do it that way?

Also, with the battery problem, someone has said to me it's likely the BIOS or something needs updating, how do I do this, after the installation? I've found some BIOS and drivers for the 560 on that site but there's so many and I don't know what I need specifically.

that is a quote from Dan, it worked for me just change E to C, it is not dangerous but you must be sure you rely want to format it. You will be able to do a new install of xp but try what jephree said first.