removing a partition

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike

I've been dual-booting win2k and win98 for a few years, but
never use win98. I would like to format my hard drive
regarless, but I am unsure how to remove the partition at
the same time?

thanks.
 
If it's the system partition, you can't remove it.

You can backup your reg and create the ERD by going to;
Programs|Accessories|System Tools|Backup, then choose ERD, then if you check
the box for "Also backup....", then the reg will also be backed up to
%windir%\repair\RegBack
leaving the
%windir%\repair\
directory files intact as original installation.

If you format the partition, then you'll need to boot the recovery console
and from a command prompt issue the command;
fixboot

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%

Also before hand create a boot disk. For the floppy to successfully boot
Windows 2000 the disk must contain the "NT" boot sector. Format a diskette
(on an NT machine, not a DOS/Win9x, so the NT boot sector gets written to
the floppy), and copy ntldr, ntdetect.com, and boot.ini to it from the root
of the system partition. Then boot the floppy to test.
 
Well, easiest way is to proceed to install Windows 2000. During setup, it'll
ask what partition you want to install in. On the screen where it asks you,
it will allow you to use the keyboard to move up and down and select the
partitions. You can, from that screen, delete and create partitions at well.
Just delete them all, and then select to install in the Unpartitioned space.
It'll format it to NTFS (or give the option for FAT32 if it's not a very big
drive).

The other way is to use a Win98 startup disk with FDISK on it, and use it
and remove all partitions.... it treats any NTFS formatted drive as a
"non-dos" partition.

Tim
 
Appears I mis-read your post. To do a clean install, either boot the Windows
2000 install CD-Rom or setup disks. The set of four install disks can be
created from your Win2k CD-rom; change to the \bootdisk directory on the
cd-rom and execute makeboot.exe (from dos) or makebt32.exe (from 32 bit) and
follow the prompts.

When you get to the point, delete the existing NTFS and or other partitions
found. After you delete the partition(s) abort the install, then again
restart the pc booting the CD-Rom or setup disks to avoid unexpected drive
letter assignments with your new install.
 
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