I got two viruses and sort of trashed C drive. So my expert adviser came over and we tried to format C and reinstall W2K...it said hit D key to delete C partition but it would not. So we "installed" the OS from there. Then I had to reinstall drivers for vid,sound and internal DSL modem. If I go to C/progam files I find all my old programs that were not wiped. They are NOT in the start up menu, or in Control Panel Uninstall programs. I can of course go to a folder in Program files and start the program that way. So....how do I really format/wipe C and reinstall W2K Pro? Seems everyone talks about like it is easy but has me baffled.
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Format C and Reinstall W2K Pro ???
- Thread starter Toonah
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #3
Toonah,
You say you couldn't delete the C: drive partition from the win2k install last time. Did you start the install by booting from the 2k install CD (that's the best way to do it - it should allow deletion of partition in this case)? Or did you start it from within windows? (in this case it can copy installation files to hard drive during the first phase which prevents it deleting the partition in the second phase).
Also, the D: drive - is it in an extended partition or is it a primary partition? (if its an extended partition, I'm not sure you don't need a primary partition to be present, which might be causing the problem deleting it). Do you need it as is (eg, could you copy its contents to G: drive, then remove both D: and C: with the 2k partitioning tools. Then create a new C: drive (leaving room for D
- install 2k and when its installed, create new D: and copy data back from G?).
As Rascii mentioned, you could use fdisk to remove C: (ie, boot from win98 boot floppy - if you haven't got one - and run fdisk from dos prompt. Enable large drive support and then use option 3. The ntfs partition should show up as non-dos & it should allow you to delete it - although again not sure if D: is in extended partition).
You say you couldn't delete the C: drive partition from the win2k install last time. Did you start the install by booting from the 2k install CD (that's the best way to do it - it should allow deletion of partition in this case)? Or did you start it from within windows? (in this case it can copy installation files to hard drive during the first phase which prevents it deleting the partition in the second phase).
Also, the D: drive - is it in an extended partition or is it a primary partition? (if its an extended partition, I'm not sure you don't need a primary partition to be present, which might be causing the problem deleting it). Do you need it as is (eg, could you copy its contents to G: drive, then remove both D: and C: with the 2k partitioning tools. Then create a new C: drive (leaving room for D
- install 2k and when its installed, create new D: and copy data back from G?).As Rascii mentioned, you could use fdisk to remove C: (ie, boot from win98 boot floppy - if you haven't got one - and run fdisk from dos prompt. Enable large drive support and then use option 3. The ntfs partition should show up as non-dos & it should allow you to delete it - although again not sure if D: is in extended partition).
CharlieJax
MIS
Boot from the Windows 2000 CD or from a Win98 bootable floppy and you will be able to fdisk (or repartition) the hard drive and format it again. CJ
Don't drink and post, save that for driving home!
Don't drink and post, save that for driving home!
- Thread starter
- #7
You can also take your Win2K cd to another computer, browse to the bootdisk folder, and run makeboot. It will make a series of boot floppys (4 of them) for installing 2000 fresh. These disks will let you repartition and format your existing HD.
You can choose FAT or NTFS. Good luck, and Happy Computing
You can choose FAT or NTFS. Good luck, and Happy Computing
- Thread starter
- #9
I think from reading all of the above we did start the cd in windows. We went into the bios to change the boot order to cd first and I don't think my expert figured that out. So that's maybe why the "delete partition" did not delete like it should when you hit the D key. Now I find in the MoBo manual the section on boot order setting in the bios. So if I change that to "cd first", put in the W2K cd, restart the computer....it will partition and install the correct way this time? . This whole thing seems like some secret ceremony when I discuss it with the so called "experts". When you have not done all this it sounds a bit daunting.Thanks for your patience
Toonah - that should work. Watch when its booting from CD, as you will get a message - hit any key to boot from CD (if you don't it will go on to next boot device! Only stays there 10-15 seconds).
PS. My possible reservations about removing C: if D: is in an extended partition still hold (ie, if it won't let you delete C: this time, its probably because you need to delete D: first. So as before - backup D: first, then you can delete it if you need to during the install process).
PS. My possible reservations about removing C: if D: is in an extended partition still hold (ie, if it won't let you delete C: this time, its probably because you need to delete D: first. So as before - backup D: first, then you can delete it if you need to during the install process).
- Thread starter
- #11
Hmmm...I went into the bios and changed the boot sequence, and then when I did a restart the cd did not spin up so W2K just tried to start normally. Did I miss something or ?? Is there a point/method to do this starting from Windows itself like other programs install?
sometimes it won't accept many partitions, so you can try with one partition.
For this is best, and go for the appropriate bootup floppy, and then install some OS. XP is best for timebeing. and then from XP OS, you can try to install whichever you want later.
Try to use bootable CD.
cheers,
vroute
For this is best, and go for the appropriate bootup floppy, and then install some OS. XP is best for timebeing. and then from XP OS, you can try to install whichever you want later.
Try to use bootable CD.
cheers,
vroute
Didn't you start install from within windows before? (which is why I suggested booting from install CD). You can also create a set of 4 floppies to start install. Just run makeboot or makebt32 from the \bootdisk folder on the install CD.
- Thread starter
- #14
We did the first "install over" from Windows with the only cd I have of W2k. At that time we did not have the bios set for boot cd first. Last night I changed it to cd first, and the cd would not spin up, but Windows would proceed to start after the reboot. If I run "makeboot" from the cd, is the rest obvious? Does Microsoft tell me the steps? Do I have to light candles? Thanks for all this help so far.
Toonah,
Per my earlier post on the 4th, take your install CD to another unit, and make the bootdisks on it.
Put disk one in the floppy, make sure you re-set your BIOS to boot from floppy first, and it will guide you through the steps. You will be able to delete existing partiions, create new ones, choose FAT32 or NTFS, etc. Good luck, and Happy Computing
Per my earlier post on the 4th, take your install CD to another unit, and make the bootdisks on it.
Put disk one in the floppy, make sure you re-set your BIOS to boot from floppy first, and it will guide you through the steps. You will be able to delete existing partiions, create new ones, choose FAT32 or NTFS, etc. Good luck, and Happy Computing
If it was a virus that caused all of this, you might want to fdisk your master boot record before re-installing w2k. Boot to a 95 or 98 floppy and type "fdisk /mbr". It only takes a few seconds. And you don't need to make your A drive the primary boot drive in the Bios -- leave it as CD first, A drive second, and hard drive third. Then you'll be able to boot to any device that you need.
If you want to do a manual format, as you did in past days, you have to boot with the CD or boot floppy disks of windows 2000, then you choose repair, manual repair (i think shell repair) in that shell you can type format C: and it´s done
Nowadays i use the delete partition and i create a new one with the windows 2000 CD, dont use FDISK if your hard drive is too large or has NTFS.
Nowadays i use the delete partition and i create a new one with the windows 2000 CD, dont use FDISK if your hard drive is too large or has NTFS.
- Thread starter
- #18
Finally.....got it done. Made the four discs with cd on another box. Deleted both partitions on the first HD and only made a C drive out of it. Another expert at work said no real reason to make a C and D on this 40gig HD. So C is NTFS and the storage HD of 40gig is FAT. Does this sound ok?
Now comes the reloading but that is easy. Thanks again for all your help and answering dumb questions. Now I know how to do something useful.
Now comes the reloading but that is easy. Thanks again for all your help and answering dumb questions. Now I know how to do something useful.
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