How to remove partition "F"?

[Ray]

Hello,
Had a prob. A service chap didn't have Windows XP Home
with him, so loaded with Pro. Then computer caught a bug
and I found my Home disk and did an upgrade from that.
Luckily I found all my files - eventually!

Big prob. Not being very good, I somehow managed to create
an "F" partition and loaded all the operation system, on
that meagre 4mgs. Yes, it is now filling fast and I don't
even have enough room to do another upgrade to try to
delete the "F"partition. It won't allow me to move the
files to the "C" drive, format the "F" partition, or even
delete the "F" partition contents, to enable a format to
take place, anyway.

I could do a full installation, but that might mean a
total loss of all my years of work on the "C" drive. Can't
use the CD, because it somehow now feels it is a DVD drive
and won't record. Tried to load my ROXIO CD Creator 5, but
it can't seem to record the 55 CD's needed and seems to
prefer the "F" partition.

I've transferred all the files I could from "F" and even
compressed everything in sight, but cannot come anywhere
near the 335 MBs needed to do the upgrade installation
which says it preserves the files and data. That's what I
must have used when re-installing my Windows XP.

Hope someone out there has the answer, although I feel
I've screwed the machine up royally, this time. Can you
tell, I'm a newby?

Cheers,

Ray Cunningham.

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

You cannot format the F: partition, because that is your working operating
system partition. Boot with your XP Home CD and allow it to run. When
you're offered the choice of Setup or Repair, choose Repair. Repair the
installation on your C: drive. However, this will not necessarily get rid
of whatever bug you got, originally. Then you can boot into your C: drive
installation, even in Safe Mode and you can format the F: drive to backup
whatever files you need to save.

See www.dougknox.com, Win XP Tips, How to do a Repair Installation, for more
information.