Re: recover HD space from dual boot

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From: Rich Abrams (rwabrams_at_nospam.mmind.net)
Date: 03/23/04 

Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 21:50:00 -0800

Okay, I've got CDs and boot discs for each OS. So, if I
understand you correctly, I want to format the partition
that contains Windows 95 and this will leave everything
intact on the Win2K side. This is a home computer so I am
the only one using it and have not set an administrative
password. Once I format the partition containing the old
OS, I should see an increase in the amount of free space
on the Win2K side, correct? I have never run a dual boot
system nor set up a computer for multiple users so these
are unknown areas of how they function for me

Does the "fixboot" command at the system prompt to repair
the W2K boot sector accomplish the same result if I were
to start W2K in Safe Mode and manually edit (remove) the
line which reads C:/Windows from the boot.ini? I'm not
use to working in DOS but I have done so when someone was
on the phone talking me through each step.

Please pardon me for asking so many questions however I
have several files and programs that belong to other
people that I can't afford to lose. I just want to double
check my steps before proceeding. Am I to assume that when
I start Win95 from the disc that the partition it will be
asking me about reformatting will be ONLY the Win95
partition or does it mean the entire HD? Right now, my
number 1 concern is getting rid of Windows 95 and
reclaiming the resulting HD space. When I installed
Win2K, it mirrored my C:/ files, which I did not expect
and lost half of the free space I had on the HD..

As you can tell, I do not "work" on computers and want to
be certain that I am understanding exactly what you are
saying to do. I need the information in nearly step by
step instructions including what I should expect to see
with each step, if that is possible. .I'm sure there are
others out there that will benefit from detailed steps in
how to do this procedure. Thanks in advance for your help
and patience.

>-----Original Message-----
>Using third party tools (or win98 startup disk) you can
format the
>partition. But do not remove the partition and or
otherwise change the
>active partition. Then boot the recovery console and from
a command prompt
>fixboot
>to repair the Windows 2000 boot sector.
>
>To start the Recovery Console, start the computer from
the Windows 2000
>Setup CD or the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks. If you
do not have Setup
>floppy disks and your computer cannot start from the
Windows 2000 Setup CD,
>use another Windows 2000-based computer to create the
Setup floppy disks.
>Press ENTER at the "Setup Notification" screen. Press R
to repair a Windows
>2000 installation, and then press C to use the Recovery
Console. The
>Recovery Console then prompts you for the administrator
password. If you do
>not have the correct password, Recovery Console does not
allow access to the
>computer. If an incorrect password is entered three
times, the Recovery
>Console quits and restarts the computer. Once the
password has been
>validated, you have full access to the Recovery Console,
but limited access
>to the hard disk. You can only access the following
folders on your
>computer: %systemroot% and %windir%
>
>
>--
>Regards,
>
>Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in
newsgroup.
>Microsoft Certified Professional
>Microsoft MVP [Windows]
>http://www.microsoft.com/protect
>
>
>"Rich Abrams" wrote:
>| I recently upgraded from Win95 to 2KPro as a dual boot
set
>| up. Now, I'm ready to recover the space on my hard drive
>| that is taken up by the old Win95 system. I read how to
>| get rid of the dual boot option listed above but before
I
>| do that, is there a way to "erase" all of the files
>| associated with Win95? Or will I need to access Win95,
>| remove all the programs, dump the trash first? I only
have
>| safe mode access to Win95, which is why I upgraded. My
>| options are limited but simply deleting the Windows
>| folder, as one chap suggested, does not sound like a
wise
>| move.
>
>
>.
>

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