Cannot see other partitions in DOS

[JeffPr]

I have windows XP on one hard disk and I have a second hard drive with two partitions. I can see these partitions when I run command or cmd in windows XP no problem. I made a bootdisk (I don't know how to boot from DOS instead of loading windows XP, something like holding down the shift key or something), anyways, when the command prompt comes up I can only view the C: and D: drive which is on my secondary hard drive, I cannot view the E: and F: drive which are on my primary hard drive. Its weird because both partitions are not hidden and I can view them when windows XP is running, I just can't view them in DOS. Do I have an older version of DOS on my boot disk or something?

Do you think your friend could feed my cat? Heisenberg wasn't sure. ~ Erwin Schrodinger talking of his revolutionary paradox

 

[wolluf]

your post is a little confusing 'I don't know how to boot from DOS instead of loading windows XP, something like holding down the shift key or something' - what does this mean? (you normally boot from a boot floppy - win9x/ME to get to dos prompt on XP machine, as XP doesn't have this as an option (but it does have safe mode command prompt).

What filestore are your partitions? And are you booting from a win9x/ME boot floppy? Dos can only see fat/fat32, not ntfs - so if E: and F: are ntfs that would explain that. But would like to know what you're doing.

btw - if you created a boot disk in XP by right clicking on flopy and formatting with system files, that's a cut down ME boot disk you've got.

 

[JeffPr]

Thanks for your post, I am not really doing anything, just experimenting with tools like fdisk and stuff, anyways you answered my question because the partitions E: and F: are NTFS and not FAT32, so I will have to change that. I also thought there was a key you could hold down that will boot your computer to the DOS prompt incase Windows XP wouldn't load correctly, but maybe I read something wrong.

Regards

Do you think your friend could feed my cat? Heisenberg wasn't sure. ~ Erwin Schrodinger talking of his revolutionary paradox

 

[bcastner]

No key you can hold down.

Wolluf is right that NTFS volumes are unveiwable under DOS. There are alternatives.

Knoppix discussion:

http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,7018905~root=winme~mode=flat

Knoppix Download:

http://www.knoppix.net/get.php

Ultimate Boot CD:

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ity/incident/blast.asp

Bart's PE Builder:

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/m/ity/incident/blast.asp

But wolluf's essential point is still unaswered by you. Why do you need to "fix" things at a DOS prompt. Those are the issues that are really important, as you rarely need to "fix" things this way.