Unformat a Windows XP HD

[Guest]

I have a computer that has a 10 gig HD with Windows 98 SE on it, I have
ordered a Windows XP upgrade for it. Now the question. I have a 30 gig HD, I
was given and it is formatted with Windows XP on it. I want to use it for my
NEW Master and the current 10 gig as a secondary Data backup. I want to be
able to restore from Windows 98SE if I ever have a problem and am not sure if
the Windows XP Upgrade will work. I tried to use the drive as is and it is
asking for a C.O.A. number to activate Xp or something to that effect. I do
not have a COA for that computer and only have a 98 to XP upgrade that I just
paid for. any ideas? Confused yet? I tried to reformat it with Win 98SE and
it won't even recognize it, so how do I get 98 on it and then upgrade to a
useable version of XP? I changed the jumpers on the drives and made it a
Slave and the 98SE the Master.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

With Window 98SE, use 'FDISK' to delete the partition. Then just install
Windows 98SE as you would normally do.

 

[John Barnett MVP]

It asked for the COA because the drive doesn't belong to your computer. As
far as window is concerned you have updated all the components on your pc
and need to reactivate it (you haven't, I know but xp thinks you have
because the drive was given to you from someone else's pc)
As for reformatting I assume you used a windows 98 start-up disk? It didn't
recognise the drive because it is formatted in NTFS rather than FAT32? If
this is the case then boot up your system with the windows 98 start-up disk
and at the prompt type 'fdisk' (without the quotes). First delete the
primary partition and then create a new one - you will need to read the dos
screens carefully. You should then be able to install windows 98 and the
upgrade to windows xp.

 

[LVTravel]

You don't need to load the 98 OS onto the drive first. Boot with the XP CD
and delete the current parttion. Recreate the new partition and when XP
asks for a previous operating system, simply insert the 98 CD in the drive,
let the install program recognize the 98 os then remove when prompted and
reinsert the XP CD to complete the installation.

Of course, you could also try an inplace upgrade of the current XP on the
hard drive by booting from the XP cd and do a repair install of XP using the
new COA received with the new XP upgrade CD.

 

[Guest]

Thank You everyone. I will do the FDISK.
I was asking because several years ago, I remember trying to recover a HD
back to MS-Dos from Windows 95 and Windows wrote FAT files using Windows
versus DOS and I had a bear of a time.
I will create a Windows 98 start up disk and then I will use fdisk to
eliminate the partition. Thanks again

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have a computer that has a 10 gig HD with Windows 98 SE on it, I have
ordered a Windows XP upgrade for it. Now the question. I have a 30 gig HD, I
was given and it is formatted with Windows XP on it. I want to use it for my
NEW Master and the current 10 gig as a secondary Data backup.

Disconnect the 10GB for the moment, and have the new disk plugged in as
Master so it boots. Then boot the XP CD direct. Enter Setup, and after
the license agreement take New Install. When it asks you to confirm
where, hit ESC; select and delete the current partition and make a new
RAW one to be formatted at the next stage

The important point is the delete. Without that it will just go ahead
and make a new install over the top of the old one

Once done. shut down and plug the 10 GB in as a slave, or on the
secondary channel. Then Control Panel - Admin Tools - Computer
Management, select Disk Management and look lower right for the graphic
of the drive. right click the existing partition (with 98) and Delete;
then r-click the Unallocated space and create a new one