trouble formatting drive

M

monroe

I'am installing w2k on a older win ME box. using the
recovery console i'am trying to format the drive. i type
in the format command..get the typical "all data will be
lost" proceed? y/n...i type in y, hit enter...and nothing
happens! it just goes back to the command prompt(c:\winnt>)
any ideas why its not responding to the format command??
i've also tried format c: /q and format c: /fs:ntfs....
thank you in advance for your ideas,
Monroe
 
L

Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]

monroe said:
I'am installing w2k on a older win ME box. using the
recovery console i'am trying to format the drive. i type
in the format command..get the typical "all data will be
lost" proceed? y/n...i type in y, hit enter...and nothing
happens! it just goes back to the command prompt(c:\winnt>)
any ideas why its not responding to the format command??
i've also tried format c: /q and format c: /fs:ntfs....
thank you in advance for your ideas,
Monroe

Why are you using the recovery console, rather than just booting from the
Win2k CD, choosing a new install, deleting/recreating the partition,
formatting (NTFS, ideally), and doing a clean install?
 
D

Dave Patrick

To do a clean install, either boot the Windows 2000 install CD-Rom or setup
disks. The set of four install disks can be created from your Windows 2000
CD-Rom; change to the \bootdisk directory on the CD-Rom and execute
makeboot.exe (from dos) or makebt32.exe (from 32 bit) and follow the
prompts.

When you get to the point, delete the existing NTFS and or other partitions
found. After you delete the partition(s) abort the install, then again
restart the pc booting the CD-Rom or setup disks to avoid unexpected drive
letter assignments with your new install.

--
Regards,

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

:
| I'am installing w2k on a older win ME box. using the
| recovery console i'am trying to format the drive. i type
| in the format command..get the typical "all data will be
| lost" proceed? y/n...i type in y, hit enter...and nothing
| happens! it just goes back to the command prompt(c:\winnt>)
| any ideas why its not responding to the format command??
| i've also tried format c: /q and format c: /fs:ntfs....
| thank you in advance for your ideas,
| Monroe
 
M

monroe

-----Original Message-----


Why are you using the recovery console, rather than just booting from the
Win2k CD, choosing a new install, deleting/recreating the partition,
formatting (NTFS, ideally), and doing a clean install?


.
I did at first,but on start-up I got a msg to choose
between which OS to start....so I thought I was running
dual OS....so I decieded to format the drive and start
fresh.

BTW I've reloaded w2k again...I still get the msg on start-
up which windows to start, w2k or windows ?????
 
D

Dave Patrick

Probably because you did a quick format. The second startup option doesn't
work does it? You'll need to delete the options you want removed from the
boot.ini, it's a system, hidden file in the root of the system partition. So
you'll need to show-all-files in Explorer. Explorer|Tools|Folder
Options|View, then radio button for "Show hidden files and folders" *and*
also uncheck the box for "Hide protected operating system files". You should
end up with something like this (below). The timeout value is not functional
when there is only one startup choice.

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect


--
Regards,

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

:
|
| >-----Original Message-----
| >monroe wrote:
| >> I'am installing w2k on a older win ME box. using the
| >> recovery console i'am trying to format the drive. i type
| >> in the format command..get the typical "all data will be
| >> lost" proceed? y/n...i type in y, hit enter...and
| nothing
| >> happens! it just goes back to the command prompt
| (c:\winnt>)
| >> any ideas why its not responding to the format command??
| >> i've also tried format c: /q and format c: /fs:ntfs....
| >> thank you in advance for your ideas,
| >> Monroe
| >
| >Why are you using the recovery console, rather than just
| booting from the
| >Win2k CD, choosing a new install, deleting/recreating the
| partition,
| >formatting (NTFS, ideally), and doing a clean install?
| >
| >
| >.
| >I did at first,but on start-up I got a msg to choose
| between which OS to start....so I thought I was running
| dual OS....so I decieded to format the drive and start
| fresh.
|
| BTW I've reloaded w2k again...I still get the msg on start-
| up which windows to start, w2k or windows ?????
 

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