Re: reformating and fdisking help

Tech Tip: Click here to run a free scan for Windows Errors and optimize PC performance

From: Phil (I.fix.probs_at_for.you)
Date: 05/21/04 

Date: Fri, 21 May 2004 13:04:21 -0400

Michael Stevens wrote:
> Phil wrote:
>> Michael Stevens wrote:
>>> Phil wrote:
>>>> Uhhh......... please re-read the original question. The op wanted
>>>> to know if they can fdisk and format a partition that is using ntfs
>>>> file system. You sure can, the file system does not matter to fdisk
>>>> or format. It will do it no matter what the file system is. No one
>>>> said anything about installing win98 on ntfs, as we all know you
>>>> can't do that.
>>>>
>>>
>>> FDISK can only delete a non-dos drive or partition, and FORMAT from
>>> a floppy disk cannot even see NTFS files or format them.
>>> The XP CD recovery console would use diskpart and format and fit
>>> your description.
>>
>> I'm not sure what your point is here. Fdisk can delete a partiton
>> using ntfs, a non-dos partition. Then you use fdisk to create a new
>> partition, then you use the same win9x floppy boot disk and run
>> format on that partition. Not sure what your trying to say here.
>>
>
> The point was that the file system does matter using FDISK.
> Click on or copy and paste the link below into your web browser
> address box. Remove XP and install 98/Me
> http://michaelstevenstech.com/xpfaq.html#how5

How does the file system matter? Fdisk will delete any partition you tell it
too no matter what file system is on that partition. Fdisk does not care. If
the drive is ntfs, you boot to the win9x floppy, run fdisk, delete the
partition, create a new partiton, reboot to floppy and format. I've done
this a zillion times. That's exactly what your instructions from your site
says.
Below is right from your site. It's exactly what I've been saying. I don't
see what the problem is here. I don't understand why people feel the need to
correct someone when we're saying the same thing.
  1.. Boot from Startup Disk.
  2.. Load FDISK by typing "fdisk.exe" at the "A" prompt without the quotes.
  3.. Say yes to large disk support <Y-N>...........? [Y] ENTER
  4.. Enter choice #3 to "Delete partition or Logical Dos Drive" Press ESC
to return to FDISK options
  5.. Enter #4 to "Delete Non-DOS Partition". Select the Non-DOS partition
by typing the number and then ENTER. Press ESC to return to FDISK options.
Note you cannot delete a NON-DOS partition located inside an Extended
partition. You can use the DOS utility called delpart from a DOS boot up.
  6.. Reboot with startup disk and load FDISK.
  7.. Say yes to Large disk support as above.
  8.. Enter choice #1 Press ESC to return to FDISK options
  9.. When asked if you want to use the maximum size for the partition and
make it active, type Y if you want to use the whole drive, or N if you want
to set a maximum size for the partition.
  10.. After accepting the max size or setting the size, reboot.
  11.. To install another OS; reboot: Type format X: at the A: prompt;
where X is the drive/partition letter designation.
  12.. Insert your Win 98/Me CD.
  13.. Reboot from boot disk with CD-Rom support.
  14.. Type sys c:
  15.. Type X: for CD drive location where X is the CD drive location.
  16.. Type setup.exe
  17.. Follow setup prompts

Relevant Pages

  • SUMMARY: Moving /usr From Under Root "/" To Its Own Partition
    ... One of the reasons for doing this is to end up with a smaller root ... Install the boot block and boot off the new drive. ... " In order for the root partition to be fscked and remounted ... D> temporarily on the existing disk. ...
    (SunManagers)
  • Re: laptop - new HD - no CD or floppy drive
    ... I put the laptop HD back in the PC and I could boot from it. ... If the primary partition has an incorrect boot sector. ... If the disk geometry is incorrect. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)
  • Re: laptop - new HD - no CD or floppy drive
    ... I put the laptop HD back in the PC and I could boot from it. ... If the primary partition has an incorrect boot sector. ... If the disk geometry is incorrect. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)
  • Re: Can I boot of an XP System disk, nested in a logical volume
    ... I'll boot of Partition Magic or some other kind of magic and fix it that-a-way. ... It's been a long time since I messed with partitions like this, but in the back of my head I have this fragment about boring registry hands-on editing, 'derived Disk ID's' and the 'Master Boot Sector' -- that's S as in 'Senile'. ... One reason for the drive letter change on cloned drives is to keep the parent drive hooked up the first time the clone is booted, being that the clone has the same Mount Manager database, and being that the Mount Manager *always* respects drive letter assignments, it will see the parent drive and its valid disk signature and assign the C: drive letter to the original C: drive, so there will be no C: letter available for the clone. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
  • Re: Fedora Core 2/Windows XP dual boot: selecting Linux doesnt work
    ... grub is installed on the /root partition, which is the first partition on hdc: hdc1, or in grub notation. ... Stage1 is the unpatched 512-byte file, that is patched and copied to the boot record during setup. ... This byte is initialized to 0xff in the stage1 file, but patched to 0x81 in your setup, to say "we are booting from disk." ...
    (comp.os.linux.setup)