Deleting an FAT32 partition

[Guest]

I am building a desktop at home and want to run WINDOWS XP.

The hard disk I have is partitioned: I have a 2GB of FAT32 and 36GB of NTFS.

How do I get rid of the FAT section so I can use the 38GB for WINXP?

Thanks in anticipation.

tom

 

[Mike Hall - MS MVP Windows Shell/User]

For info on a clean install and partitioning, go to this website..

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I am building a desktop at home and want to run WINDOWS XP.

The hard disk I have is partitioned: I have a 2GB of FAT32 and 36GB
of NTFS.

How do I get rid of the FAT section so I can use the 38GB for WINXP?

Assuming that there's nothing on the drive you want to keep, and you want to
do a clean installation, just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS
boot order if necessary to accomplish this) and follow the prompts for a
clean installation (delete the existing partitions by pressing "D" when
prompted, then create a new one).

You can find detailed instructions here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

or here http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

or here http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

 

[Guest]

I am still trying to format my hard drive and get rid of the partition.
Have followed the various advises like starting with the 6 floppies, no
option here to format:
Have followed the document describing how to manually uninstall XP and
format the drive on which it resided but even though this went thro the
motions, on start up I still was in the same position, e.g. still have the
dual boot of WIN98SE (FAT32), on 2GB and WINXP (NTFS), on 36GB.
To make it simple, if that is possible, what I want to do is revert to a
clean formatted hard drive with the full capacity of 38GB and no partition.

Please help again and thanks for the previous help and advise.

tom

 

[POP]

Your original XP install files are on 6 floppies? Are these
actual Microsoft created floppies, or something someone copied
for you? Do you have your Certificate of Authority (COA)?

If this is a legitimate question, and a legitimate copy of
windows XP, you'll have to add more information to get any help.
Something doesn't smell right about your post, so much more
detail will be needed.

Pop

 

[Glen]

Forget about the 6 floppies for now. Put the XP CD in the CD\DVD drive and
restart your computer. You should see a message come on screen that says
press a key to boot from CD (or something like that). If you dont get the
message you need to go into your BIOS and change the boot order so the CD is
the first boot device. Check you motherboard manual or look online or read
the screen as you start the computer for info on entering the BIOS.

Once you can boot from the CD you just need to follow the onscreen prompts.
During the install procedure you will be given the chance to delete any
existing partitions. That is where you will delete the FAT32 and existing
NTFS partitions. You can then create one new NTFS partition and carry on
installing XP. If you can't follow these instructions you would probably be
better off taking the computer to a competent repair shop or get a
knowledgeable friend to help.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I am still trying to format my hard drive and get rid of the
partition. Have followed the various advises like starting with the 6
floppies, no option here to format:
Have followed the document describing how to manually uninstall XP and
format the drive on which it resided but even though this went thro
the motions, on start up I still was in the same position, e.g. still
have the dual boot of WIN98SE (FAT32), on 2GB and WINXP (NTFS), on
36GB.

No floppies are required. Did you read my reply of yesterday? It told you
exactly what to do, and pointed to to three web sites with detailed
instructions on how to do it.

To make it simple, if that is possible, what I want to do is revert
to a clean formatted hard drive with the full capacity of 38GB and no
partition.

You've got the terminology wrong, and in this case, it may be what's
confusing you. You do *not* want to have no partition. There's no such thing
a formatted drive without a partition. A drive can't be used, not even
formatted, unless it has at least one partition. What you want to have is
*one* 38GB partition, rather than the two (2GB and 36GB) you presently have.

 

[Guest]

Ken,

Thanks again for the reply.
Yes you gave some great advise yesterday but as usual with me I read it too
quick and did not go thro the proper procedures. A little knowqledge is a
dangerous thing.
I was trying to get rid of my small partition and retain the bigger one
whereas I should have deleted both and made a new one as per your advise.
Have now done that and all seems to be good.
Thanks

To POP nothing illegal in what I was using, genuine XP CD and Floppies.
See my comments above.

Thanks to all
Will post a note when I am back to square one and in future I will read the
instructions first

:tom

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Ken,

Thanks again for the reply.
Yes you gave some great advise yesterday but as usual with me I read
it too quick and did not go thro the proper procedures. A little
knowqledge is a dangerous thing.
I was trying to get rid of my small partition and retain the bigger
one whereas I should have deleted both and made a new one as per your
advise. Have now done that and all seems to be good.
Thanks

You're welcome. Glad to help, and glad you got it accomplished.

 

[Guest]

Ken, just to let you and all who have helped that my Desktop is now running
fiine.

tom

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Ken, just to let you and all who have helped that my Desktop is now
running fiine.

Glad to hear it and thanks for posting back and letting us know.