No possibility to delete partition during setup

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi!

I've screwed up my Win2K installation. Now I'd like to install a fresh
copy of Win2K on my system. My (one and only) harddrive has got 2
partitions, one for the system (C:/) and one for data (D:/). I like to
wipe out the C:/ partition during setup, but the Win2K setup doesn't let
me.

I've found now NTFSDOS (http://www.ntfs.com/products.htm) which I could
use to format the C:/ partition. But an additional Problem is, that my
Floppy Disk Driver seems not to be working (told you I screwed the
system up), so I can't create a bootable floppy.

Is there a way to either use NTFSDOS on a bootable CD-ROM and if so, how
would I create one? Or is there a different solution at all?

Since I need the Machine to work on, this issue is pretty urgent. A ton
of thanks for any replies pointing me into the right direction.

Matthias

Simply boot from the Win2K installation CD. You'll be offered the
opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as part of the
installation process. (You may need to re-arrange the order of boot
devices in the PC's BIOS to boot from the CD.)

If you're needing a DOS boot disk to use to flash your BIOS, Try
www.bootdisk.com.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Matthias S.]

Hi!

I've screwed up my Win2K installation. Now I'd like to install a fresh copy
of Win2K on my system. My (one and only) harddrive has got 2 partitions,
one for the system (C:/) and one for data (D:/). I like to wipe out the C:/
partition during setup, but the Win2K setup doesn't let me.

I've found now NTFSDOS (http://www.ntfs.com/products.htm) which I could use
to format the C:/ partition. But an additional Problem is, that my Floppy
Disk Driver seems not to be working (told you I screwed the system up), so
I can't create a bootable floppy.

Is there a way to either use NTFSDOS on a bootable CD-ROM and if so, how
would I create one? Or is there a different solution at all?

Since I need the Machine to work on, this issue is pretty urgent. A ton of
thanks for any replies pointing me into the right direction.

Matthias

 

[Matthias S.]

Hi Bruce!

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, Win2K setup does not allow me to
delete the partition C:/. I guess this might be, because when I first tried
to reinstall win2k, I ran the setup from my existing Win2K installation.
After I had set the first setup options, my machine was rebooted and the
regular (blue, ansi-style) setup continued. When it came to the screen,
where I decide what partition to install on, I can delete D:/, but not C:/,

Now, each and every time I boot my machine, setup wants to continue
(eventhough there is no boot CD in the drive).

Any ideas?

Matthias

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi Bruce!

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, Win2K setup does not allow me to
delete the partition C:/. I guess this might be, because when I first
tried to reinstall win2k, I ran the setup from my existing Win2K
installation. After I had set the first setup options, my machine was
rebooted and the regular (blue, ansi-style) setup continued. When it
came to the screen, where I decide what partition to install on, I can
delete D:/, but not C:/,

It sounds like you're trying to format the drive containing the
system volume from within Win2K. You can't. This would be the computer
equivalent of sawing off the tree limb you're sitting on, and Win2K is
"too smart" to allow this.

Simply boot from the Win2K installation CD. You'll be offered the
opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as part of the
installation process. (You may need to re-arrange the order of boot
devices in the PC's BIOS to boot from the CD.)

Now, each and every time I boot my machine, setup wants to continue
(eventhough there is no boot CD in the drive).

1) Click Start > Run, Type "Cmd" and then press <Enter>.

2) Type "Cd\" and then press <Enter>

3) Type "Attrib C:\Boot.ini -h -r -s" and then press <Enter>

4) Click Start > Run, Type "Notepad c:\boot.ini" and then press <Enter>

5) Edit the file to removed the extraneous line, save it, and then exit
Notepad.

6) Type "Attrib C:\Boot.ini +h +r +s" and then press <Enter>

7) Close the command console.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Kevin McNiel [MSFT]]

As Bruce states, if you can boot to your Windows 2000 CD, you should be able
to delete the C partition and then create a new on. However, if you're still
unable to delete the partition, you should at least be able to format
existing partitions during the setup process, which would allow you to
install to a clean partition.

Kevin McNiel, MCSE/MCSA
Platform Server Setup Group

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Please reply to the Group only, This address cannot receive incoming
messages.