Is it possible to uninstall Windows 2000 on a Win 98/2000 dual boot?

[Eug]

I want to do a fresh install of Windows 2000, but want to maintain a dual boot system. I have some software which just won't work on this machine, but they work fine on my other Windows 2000 machine (which is a much fresher install).

I don't want to have to reinstall both OSes. As a last resort I could scrap Windows 98, but I would prefer not to have to do that.

Windows 98 is on Drive C, and Windows 2000 is on Drive E.

 

[bacillus]

have a look here!
good luck.

 

[Eug]

Thanks but those seem to be ways of deleting both Windows 2000 and 98 from the same computer.

 

[erub]

yup, it should be easy, just delete the win2k partition, startup with a bootdisk, install win2k, and it will detect the existing windows 98 install, and add that to your boot menu. It may add your old install to the boot menu, giving 2 things named Windows 2000 Professional, but all you have to do is edit boot.ini and delete the old name.

 

[robg1701]

I assume that your using NTFS and so cant format from win98, but it does not matter either way for the way im gonna recommend you do it.

What i would do is take out a Win98 boot floppy, run the sys command to replace the startup files with the standard 98 ones, thus crippling the win2k boot loader, then simply run the win2k setup by booting off the cd. Go through setup, and when it asks you where you want to install, simply select E: and tell it to format the drive. You may have to go through some crap about repairing current win2k installs, just bulldoze through them to the formatting bit

This wil result in a new copy of win2k, and leave win98 as-is. The boot loader will come back exactly as it was before.

You can run the sys command by typing the following after booting from the floppy:

sys c:


This should workfine, done it a few times, though everyone feel free to correct any mistakes or offer a beter alternative.

 

[erub]

i think the sys command is

sys A: C:

 

[robg1701]

Isnt it just sys c: if youve already booted to an A: prompt ?
ive never used an A: in my applications of it, but ive never used dos much other than for things like formatting and ghosting, anyone else got a take on this ?

 

[Rectalfier]

Why don't you just boot into win98. Then Re-install win2k from there. I have done this several times and it has not effected my dual-boot.

 

[The Wildcard]

I would just format the win2k partition and reinstall win2k from win98.

 

[The Wildcard]

Ahh wait, you are using ntfs parittion, lol, oops then you can't format that easily...hmm and you want a fresh clean install...then just run win2k setup cd from win98 and instead of having it repair or something, just ignore that and have it reinstall win2k to the same parition by reformatting it.

 

[Eug]

Thx for the responses.

Actually, it isn't NTFS. I installed it as FAT32 because at the time I wanted access to it from Win 98, so a format E: might just be fine. Maybe this time I'll do NTFS too because I don't use Win 98 much.

I'll have to think about it, but I may reinstall Win 98 afterall... I have three partitions on that drive but only need two - one was for a Linux install, which I've since reformatted over. Or maybe I'll use Partition Magic or something.

Damn this is a waste of time. I just hope the Windows reinstall solves my software problem.

 

[Noriaki]

Well since it's FAT32 boot with a boot disk and type FDISK /mbr

that will restore your Win98 boot record (use the win98 fdisk obviously), then format E: and install Win2k as normal.