Removing XP

[TurboMike]

Got a free PC that has XP. I want to remove it and install 2000 PRO. The PC didn't come with a XP disk and I can't get to the control panel or bios to format the hard drive. How can I remove this from my PC? Will a Win98 startup disk work?? thanks in advance.

 

[AristoV300]

well I know when you install xp again you can format the os partition and reinstall the os.

 

[Jeff7]

If you can boot off of the 2000 Pro CD, I'd imagine that it would have an option in there to partition and format the drive.

 

[TurboMike]

I tried the 2000pro disk and it said it disabled the access to it. I tried booting from win98 floppy and it said the C drive didn't exsist. I just won't let me access anything I could change.

 

[earthling30]

Will it boot up using the Win 98 startup disk into prompt? If it will then try running fdisk and deleting any partitions present. Reinsert your Win200PRO CD, restart, and hopefully it will pick up from there as a new install. There is a possibilty that if it doesn't see the HDD then it could be bad or not hooked up properly.

 

[TurboMike]

yes it will, but when i was on A: prompt I typed format C: and it said it couldn't find the drive.

 

[ITJunkie]

That's because the drive is probably formatted NTFS and a 98 boot disk will not read that. What is the brand of the system you have...usually the manufacturer sends a Restore CD along with it and that has the operating system on it.
If you can't use a Win2k Pro CD to format, I am not sure what your alternative is.

Never mind...I see you say you received a "free PC".

 

[Canterwood]

Try using the Win98 startup disk and use the FDISK utility to delete the non Dos patition.

 

[TurboMike]

I was able to change a jumper on the MB and clear the bios. Once I did that I could go in and have it boot from the CD. Put in my 2000Pro and went to work. Thanks guys!

 

[earthling30]

Originally posted by: earthling30
Will it boot up using the Win 98 startup disk into prompt? If it will then try running fdisk and deleting any partitions present. Reinsert your Win200PRO CD, restart, and hopefully it will pick up from there as a new install..........

Originally posted by: Canterwood
Try using the Win98 startup disk and use the FDISK utility to delete the non Dos patition.

Good suggestion!