Reformat problem

[Guest]

This is part of a long and frustrating sequence of events. I've condensed it
here.

Because of recurring Windows XP Home problems on my PC (still under
warranty) that required reinstallations of Windows and, too often, everything
else, I purchased a large external USB hard drive and Norton Ghost. I
decided that I wanted Ghost to write a "known good" image to the external
drive and I wasn't sure that's what I had currently.

To reach that goal I put my PC through a destructive system recovery that
entailed a reformat of the internal hard drive. (At the time I had believed
that nothing could survive a format.) Then the real trouble began.

Once the system and Windows XP had been recovered, or so I thought, I
started reinstalling everything else beginning with my printer. The printer
was installed as expected. Then the registration process began. At the time
I didn't see a way to stop this process so I filled in the form and submitted
it just to see what would happen. (I hadn't yet reinstalled my DSL service.)
I was quite surprised when the program got on the Internet and registered
the printer.

Next I clicked on Internet Explorer. I wasn't surprised that I immediately
got on the
Internet and could check my email. I reported this to the manufacturer's
tech support. They replied that the format hadn't been completed and that I
should try again with all non-essential peripherals unplugged. This time the
(destructive) recovery never got past the fourth recovery CD. I reported
this. They replied that I should use FDISK to remove all partitions and
start over. Since the C partition was formatted in NTFS, I asked if they
hadn't meant DELPART. They told me I could use it. That left me with the
question set forth below.

I replied with that question. They advised me that because of heavy traffic
and a
technical problem they would get back to me. That was five days ago and I
haven't received an answer. I decided to contact this forum. The question
is:

My hard drive has two partitions: C (NTFS) and D (Fat 32). Will DELPART
delete C while D still exists? If not, can it remove the Fat 32 partition?
Would I have to use FDISK to remove D?

I have a boot CD with DELPART on it and the latest UBCD with FREEDOS, etc.

I just want to really wipe my hard drive clean and start afresh. Can you
tell me how to proceed, including which partition to remove first.

PS: I have been using the second set of recovery CD's that I received from
the manufacturer under warranty after the first set failed. Maybe this set
also has failed. Right now I can't tell.

 

[Pop`]

This is part of a long and frustrating sequence of events. I've
condensed it here.

Because of recurring Windows XP Home problems on my PC (still under
warranty) that required reinstallations of Windows and, too often,
everything else, I purchased a large external USB hard drive and
Norton Ghost. I decided that I wanted Ghost to write a "known good"
image to the external drive and I wasn't sure that's what I had
currently.

To reach that goal I put my PC through a destructive system recovery
that entailed a reformat of the internal hard drive. (At the time I
had believed that nothing could survive a format.) Then the real
trouble began.

Once the system and Windows XP had been recovered, or so I thought, I
started reinstalling everything else beginning with my printer. The
printer was installed as expected. Then the registration process
began. At the time I didn't see a way to stop this process so I
filled in the form and submitted it just to see what would happen.
(I hadn't yet reinstalled my DSL service.) I was quite surprised when
the program got on the Internet and registered the printer.

Next I clicked on Internet Explorer. I wasn't surprised that I
immediately got on the
Internet and could check my email. I reported this to the
manufacturer's tech support. They replied that the format hadn't
been completed and that I should try again with all non-essential
peripherals unplugged. This time the (destructive) recovery never
got past the fourth recovery CD. I reported this. They replied that
I should use FDISK to remove all partitions and start over. Since
the C partition was formatted in NTFS, I asked if they hadn't meant
DELPART. They told me I could use it. That left me with the
question set forth below.

I replied with that question. They advised me that because of heavy
traffic and a
technical problem they would get back to me. That was five days ago
and I haven't received an answer. I decided to contact this forum.
The question is:

My hard drive has two partitions: C (NTFS) and D (Fat 32). Will
DELPART delete C while D still exists? If not, can it remove the Fat
32 partition? Would I have to use FDISK to remove D?

I have a boot CD with DELPART on it and the latest UBCD with FREEDOS,
etc.

I just want to really wipe my hard drive clean and start afresh. Can
you tell me how to proceed, including which partition to remove first.

PS: I have been using the second set of recovery CD's that I received
from the manufacturer under warranty after the first set failed.
Maybe this set also has failed. Right now I can't tell.

Lots of confusing information there and some of it contradictory.

If you let Ghost make a complete backup, then Restore the entire, complete
thing, not just part of it. If you don't restore everything and don't know
what you 're doing, a partial restore of only some things is going to result
in a lot of problems here and there. So do a complete restore, assuming you
did a full backup.

Delpart, freedos, etc: Whoever got you into all that has taken you way off
track. At the moment it appears what you need to do, if Ghost won't do it,
is a complete reinstall of the system using the CDs provided by whoever sold
you the machine. You need to start right from the beginning; delete,
recreate and format a new partition and keep following the instructions.

Pop`

 

[DL]

Me thinks your PC tech department was dreaming when they gave that advice.
Assuming your restore cd's have an option for a destructive recovery, I
believe some allow for a repair or destructive process, and you selected the
destructive option, then on completion the first thing you should do is
install AV / Firewall software if you have such, then connect and run
winupdate, do NOT use winupdate for drivers.
Only then should you think about your periferals/mail

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your response. I agree that my situation is confusing and
contradictory.
However, I think there may have been a misunderstanding. I had intended to
use
Ghost to copy a "known good" configuration to the externel drive to avoid
just the
kind of problem I have now. Before making the backup image I decided that
it would be best to wipe the internal drive and reinstall Windows and
everything else and make the backup then. Unfortunately, I haven't been able
to get that far (or
anywhere near it).

Tech support advised me as follows:

"This system may connect to internet if the full restore is not performed
correctly. If full restore is not performed thoroughly, some entries of
the software may be present and result in connecting to internet."

......and then told me to use FDISK to remove all partitions. That was
partially
wide of the mark as FDISK cannot remove an NTFS partition, though they never
acknowledged the error.

I have UBCD - FREEDOS - FDISK work-alike to remove D (FAT32) and DELPART to
remove C (NTFS). I did a little research to refresh myself about DOS. I now
think that I'd have to remove the extended partition (FAT32) before I could
remove the primary partition (NTFS). I haven't done this yet as I am afraid
I might do something wrong and end up with an unbootable drive.

Do you have any thoughts?

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your response.

Alas, I never was able to complete a proper destructive recovery. It
stopped with CD 4. I was advised to use FDISK to remove all partitions.
That couldn't work completely as FDISK cannot remove an NTFS partition. I'll
use DELPART to remove C (NTFS), but I now think, after refreshing myself
about DOS, that I will first have to use UBCD - FREEDOS - FDISK work-alike to
remove the extended partition D (FAT32).

I haven't taken these steps yet because I'm afraid that I might make some
mistake and wind up with an unbootable drive.

Do you have any further advice?