delete partition

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Guest

Wanted to reinstall xp on C drive but when I go to delete the partition it
tells me that it can't because of tempoary files being there that are
neccesary for the installation and what little free space on the drive that
is left is not big enough to install onto.
 
Bob said:
Wanted to reinstall xp on C drive but when I go to delete the partition it
tells me that it can't because of tempoary files being there that are
neccesary for the installation and what little free space on the drive
that is left is not big enough to install onto.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you are trying to install Windows from within Windows (while
it is running). This is equivalent to trying to saw off a tree limb whilst
you are sitting on it.

See the first link for exact instructions how to install Windows:

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#reinstall_Windows - What you
will need on-hand

Malke
 
To do a clean install, boot the Windows XP install CD-Rom. Setup inspects
your computer's hardware configuration and then begins to install the Setup
and driver files. When the Windows XP Professional screen appears, press
ENTER to set up Windows XP Professional.

(Note: If your drive controller is not natively supported then you'll want
to boot the Windows XP CD-Rom. Then *F6* very early and very important (at
setup is inspecting your system) in the setup to prevent drive controller
detection, and select S to specify additional drivers. Then later you'll be
prompted to insert the manufacturer supplied Windows XP driver for your
drive controller in drive "A")

Read the license agreement, and then press the F8 key to accept the terms of
the license agreement and continue the installation.

When the Windows XP Professional Setup screen appears, all the existing
partitions and the unpartitioned spaces are listed for each physical hard
disk. Use the ARROW keys to select the partitions Press D to delete an
existing partition, If you press D to delete an existing partition, you must
then press L (or press ENTER, and then press L if it is the System
partition) to confirm that you want to delete the partition. Repeat this
step for each of the existing partitions When all the partitions are deleted
press F3 to exit setup, (to avoid unexpected drive letter assignments with
your new install) then restart the pc then when you get to this point in
setup again select the unpartitioned space, and then press C to create a new
partition and specify the size (if required). Windows will by default use
all available space.

Be sure to apply SP2 or at least these two below to your new install before
connecting to any network. Internet included. (sasser, msblast)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...be-3b8e-4f30-8245-9e368d3cdb5a&displaylang=en

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-043.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-049.mspx

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| Wanted to reinstall xp on C drive but when I go to delete the partition it
| tells me that it can't because of tempoary files being there that are
| neccesary for the installation and what little free space on the drive
that
| is left is not big enough to install onto.
 
Bob said:
Wanted to reinstall xp on C drive but when I go to delete the partition it
tells me that it can't because of tempoary files being there that are
neccesary for the installation and what little free space on the drive that
is left is not big enough to install onto.
Click to expand...

How exactly did you start the installation process?
 
Pegasus (MVP) said:
How exactly did you start the installation process?


OK this is the storey. I wanted to do a clean reinstall of my system but when I tried using the cd that came with my Dell it did not have the sp2 on it so it (I thought) would not work. Wrote to Dell they sent me a new disk, very nice of them, with the sp2 on it, but when i set the the boot sequence (F2) it just keeps going to the windows and not the cd, and when I tried using the boot Menu (F12) it tells me "error loading OS". When I just put the CD in there is a window with the option to install windows, I selected the option and followed the prompts it even restrts the computer into setup mode, but it will not let me delete the drive and obviously it will not let me install two operating systems, I have a second drive (slave), but I do not want it there. I guess the first comment in this discussion make sence, something about cutting off the limb your on, but the CD seemed to be a work around for the problem.
Click to expand...
 
when I tried using the cd that came with my Dell it did not have the sp2 on
it so it (I thought) would not work. Wrote to Dell they sent me a new disk,
very nice of them, with the sp2 on it, but when i set the the boot
sequence (F2) it just keeps going to the windows and not the cd, and when I
tried using the boot Menu (F12) it tells me "error loading OS". When I just
put the CD in there is a window with the option to install windows, I
selected the option and followed the prompts it even restrts the computer
into setup mode, but it will not let me delete the drive and obviously it
will not let me install two operating systems, I have a second drive
(slave), but I do not want it there. I guess the first comment in this
discussion make sence, something about cutting off the limb your on, but the
CD seemed to be a work around for the problem.

====================

I do not know what sort of a CD you received from Dell.
If it is a WinXP installation CD then it will be clearly
marked "Windows XP with Service Pack 2". If it is a
Service Pack 2 CD then it will be marked "Service Pack 2".
There is a big difference.

You can, of course, delete all existing partitions by other
means. Here is one of them.
1. Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk (www.bootdisk.com).
2. Run fdisk.exe and delete all existing partitions.
3. If you can't then get a copy of delpart.exe
(http://www.russelltexas.com/delpart.htm), copy it
to the Win98 boot disk and use it to delete all
partitions. It will do it unconditionally.
 
Pegasus (MVP) said:
when I tried using the cd that came with my Dell it did not have the sp2 on
it so it (I thought) would not work. Wrote to Dell they sent me a new disk,
very nice of them, with the sp2 on it, but when i set the the boot
sequence (F2) it just keeps going to the windows and not the cd, and when I
tried using the boot Menu (F12) it tells me "error loading OS". When I just
put the CD in there is a window with the option to install windows, I
selected the option and followed the prompts it even restrts the computer
into setup mode, but it will not let me delete the drive and obviously it
will not let me install two operating systems, I have a second drive
(slave), but I do not want it there. I guess the first comment in this
discussion make sence, something about cutting off the limb your on, but the
CD seemed to be a work around for the problem.

====================

I do not know what sort of a CD you received from Dell.
If it is a WinXP installation CD then it will be clearly
marked "Windows XP with Service Pack 2". If it is a
Service Pack 2 CD then it will be marked "Service Pack 2".
There is a big difference.

You can, of course, delete all existing partitions by other
means. Here is one of them.
1. Boot the machine with a Win98 boot disk (www.bootdisk.com).
2. Run fdisk.exe and delete all existing partitions.
3. If you can't then get a copy of delpart.exe
(http://www.russelltexas.com/delpart.htm), copy it
to the Win98 boot disk and use it to delete all
partitions. It will do it unconditionally.


Thank you for replying. The CD is labled Reinstallation CD Windows XP Home Edition, Service Pack 2.
Click to expand...
I still don't understand why it will not boot and why I have to go through
all these gyrations to do something that must be very simple but for some
reason is not working on my computer. I would like very much to understand
why and what will remedy the situation for the future.
 
I still don't understand why it will not boot and why I have to go through
all these gyrations to do something that must be very simple but for some
reason is not working on my computer. I would like very much to understand
why and what will remedy the situation for the future.
Click to expand...

It will not boot because you probably don't have your computer set to boot
from the cd drive. When you start your Dell, you should see a prompt that
says something like "Press F12 for boot order". You should do this and
you'll get a little box that allows you to specify which device the system
should boot from. Choose the cd drive where you will have previously placed
the XP install disk.

It isn't that this function isn't working on your computer - it is that you
are doing this wrong. Once again, please refer to the step-by-step
instructions for doing a clean install here:

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Do not forget to install the drivers afterwards. You should have received
the Dell Resource CD and that will have the drivers, or you can go to
Dell's website for your specific model computer and download the ones you
need.

Malke
 
Thank you again for writing back. I don't know why you are telling me to
change the boot sequence when in my last response I told you that I went into
the bios(F2) and set the CD-rom to boot first and when that did not work I
went to the boot menu (F12) and selected the CD-rom to boot up with the CD
and at that point got the message "error loading OS". I have read many of
these tutorials for installing the software and there are not many
differences just the lack of address concerning my particular problem. Thanks
for trying.
Bob
 
Even after you change the boot order in cmos setup you still need to watch
the POST screen. It will echo at some point "Press any key to boot from
CD-Rom"

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| Thank you again for writing back. I don't know why you are telling me to
| change the boot sequence when in my last response I told you that I went
into
| the bios(F2) and set the CD-rom to boot first and when that did not work I
| went to the boot menu (F12) and selected the CD-rom to boot up with the CD
| and at that point got the message "error loading OS". I have read many of
| these tutorials for installing the software and there are not many
| differences just the lack of address concerning my particular problem.
Thanks
| for trying.
| Bob
 
I get that and it is in the directions, but since it never shows up, the
information is not going to help me. The computer will not boot from the
CD-Rom.
Bob
 
Yes, it will.

Have you called Dell support?
Warranty Support 1-800-873-1420
Fee-based Support 1-888-236-3355

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
|
| I get that and it is in the directions, but since it never shows up, the
| information is not going to help me. The computer will not boot from the
| CD-Rom.
| Bob
 
I have emailed them they sent me the new CD with the SP2 in the installer
and I just heard back from them after I described my situation to which they
replied I should upgrade my BIOS which I had already done to no avail.
Waiting to hear back from them. I think I am frustrating you and I appreciate
you taking the time to keep writing back to me, I am not trying to say your
wrong but I know what I have done and if any one can ask me the question that
would determine what I have done or not done that would cause this problem
with installing the software I would gladly rectify my procedure in order to
solve the issue. In most instances I always assume that in new areas of new
endeavor, when I am having a problem I have made an error, and that both the
technology and the people behind it want me to succeed.
Bob
 
No, not at all but sometimes it does help to have someone else look over
what you're trying to do.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
|
| I have emailed them they sent me the new CD with the SP2 in the installer
| and I just heard back from them after I described my situation to which
they
| replied I should upgrade my BIOS which I had already done to no avail.
| Waiting to hear back from them. I think I am frustrating you and I
appreciate
| you taking the time to keep writing back to me, I am not trying to say
your
| wrong but I know what I have done and if any one can ask me the question
that
| would determine what I have done or not done that would cause this problem
| with installing the software I would gladly rectify my procedure in order
to
| solve the issue. In most instances I always assume that in new areas of
new
| endeavor, when I am having a problem I have made an error, and that both
the
| technology and the people behind it want me to succeed.
| Bob
 
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