Reformatting/installing with Win2k as main, dilemma

[PliotronX]

I've been dualbooting Win2k and 98SE for quite a while, the Win2k partition being NTFS, and have had no problems with just deleting the Win2k partition and reformatting during the Win2k install process. However, now that I've Win2k as my main OS (good riddance 9x), and ACPI is giving some major probs (I forgot to press F7), I can't simply delete the main partition to reformat, I can't boot with a Win98 boot disk because it doesn't support NTFS How should I go about reformatting?

 

[IBuyUFO]

Bootup with your win 98 disk and fdisk your drive to remove the ntfs partition. Create the partition back and you're read to reinstall windows 2000

 

[PliotronX]

Thanks for the suggestion, I just tried, but FDISK said ?Cannot delete Non-DOS partition?. Is there a switch to use of some kind?

 

[Dark]

If you just want to remove the ACPI support you can do that from device manager and change the computer to Standard PC. No need to reformat.
Or why don't you use win2k installation process to reformat your NTFS partition, I don't understand where the problem is...

 

[PliotronX]

<< Or why don't you use win2k installation process to reformat your NTFS partition, I don't understand where the problem is... >>


Setup can format it? Really?? Sweet, I'm going to check it out

I would just switch to Standard, but I'm weary of what it could do. A lot of people who've switched in Device Manager have had problems, and I'd like to just switch on the clean install. I also forgot to install the Intel drivers from my chipset, so it'll be good either way. Be back in a few hours.. hehe

 

[JonHolman]

I have a program called killdisk. It deletes the partion table from within dos. You can just put it on your win 98 boot disk, boot up and run killdisk. After that you will be able to fdisk it with no problems. Fdisk will show that there are no partions so you can just create a primary partition. After I finish posting this I will go upload this program to my web space at http://www.mindspring.com/~jonathan_holman/ it's a small little utility that is very useful.

 

[IBuyUFO]

fdisk should be able to delete ntfs partitions. I've done it before.

 

[Shuja]

There is not possible to delete or even access the NTFS prtition through FDISK and WIN 98 boot disk. Only optoion is to use WIN 2K installation process. But the question here is why frequently you remove the partition you are having minor problems, and can be remedied easily. If you still want to remove the NTFS partitions or re-installing the WIN 2K, simply use setup of WIN 2K. Or second option is Mount your HDD on another PC having WIN 2K or WIN NT OS.

 

[stash]

Thats not actually correct. You can use FDISK to remove NTFS partitions, they just arent called NTFS. They are usually called non-DOS partitions. PliotronX said FDISK didnt remove the non-DOS partition, which I dont understand, but it should work.

Anyway, win2k's setup is a much better choice.

 

[Dark]

Well fdisk SHOULD be able to remove non-dos partition but sometimes it just can't don't ask me why but I experienced it myself a couple of time (Partition magic did it but fdsik couldn't).
Here is a neat trick to the ACPI->Standard PC. Save the system state using NTBACKUP and reinstall win2k, don't forget to press F7 this time. Then you can restore the system state and you're done. This is the official way by Microsoft if you need to move your win2k to different hardware (Like changing Mobo or something major).
Another trick is to change it from ACPI to standard PC and if you experience problems. use the recovery console. Here is the link you should always bookmark

 

[JonHolman]

What does pressing F7 do? Sorry for the dumb question.

 

[Dark]

It's not a dumb question. It let you choose if you want to install the pc as acpi, standard, multiprocessors etc...but if you want standard HAL, you should have previously disabled it in the bios.

 

[JonHolman]

Ok, thanks. When do you press it?

 

[Dark]

When it asks you if you want to install any scsi or raid drivers. Instead of pressing F6 is my memory serves me well you press F7. Then you gonna be presented with the HAL menu.