formating hard drive

jhud

I am having a problem with formating a hard drive. I took it out of another computer. The hard drive I think has win xp on it but will not boot up. As i am running win 98 I want to format this to put into my machine. When trying to format this drive it say's something about NFTS ?? I have used win 98 disc to format hard drive and also ms-dos 6.22 but none of them will format the hard drive. Can any one help?

tman

you'll have to boot into dos and use fdisk to remove the ntfs partition.
my memory is a little hazy. but it should just be a case of inserting the windows 98 cd, choosing "command prompt", typing fdisk & then choosing to delete the partition.
once this is done, create a fat partition in fdisk.
then boot from the windows98 cd and format with that

jhud

Thanks for the reply tman. I cannot seem to get into ms-dos to do any of the above. Now I have connected them both to my pc but it dosen't show on the system as a drive letter so I cannot get into it at all. maybe i am wrong.

The Muppet

Run fdisk from a dos prompt in win98. select drive 2 delete partitions and ther make a new fat 32 partition.

MAKE SURE YOU SELECT DRIVE 2 IN FDISK AND BEFORE YOU DELETE ANYTHING MAKE SURE YOU ARE WORKING ON THE CORRECT DRIVE. IE THE NTFS ONE.

smeggle

Full proceedure

insert floppy
boot up and allow the pc to boot to the A: promt
type 'fdisk'

A selection of choices appears

To see the drive set up select 4

to delete the non logical partion (NTFS is classed as this) select option 3

new list appears
select 'Delete Non-Logical Partition'

Warning will appear type 'Y' and enter

NTFS/Non-Logical partion is deleted

Press ESC - returns to main fdisk menu

select 1 Create DOS partition

new list of four options appears
select 1 'Create DOS partition'

Follow the instructions

It will ask Do you wannt to make the partition active and also if you want to use 100% of disk space. Set the % here if you wish to add a logical/non-logical partition (Partition the drive into two in other words)
Allow process to complete.

If you have 'split' the drive (Partitioned) you next set the non-logical or logical partition.

Drive will then be 50% C: - 50% (use option 4 of fdisk to verify)


Once done esc/then esc again back to A: prompt

Type restart

computer will restart (Keep the floppy in the drive!)

On return to A: prompt type

'format c:/s'

This very important as it puts a zero point and basic system startup files to the hd.

computer will tell you 'All data will be lost on non removable disk' Do you want to continue? type Y and hit enter - disk will then be formated.

It will then ask for a volume label - simply hit enter for none or type a name and enter - your choice and makes no difference really.

job done

you should return to A: prompt here - when you do type Restart again to allow for the configuration changes. (You don't strictly have to but best if you do, again leave the floppy in place).

On restart, at A: prompt type 'setup' computer will then install windows 98

don't forget to select 'Start with cd-rom support' It's defaulted anyway and will select that option after 30seconds (This appears just prior to reaching the A: prompt)

Works every time for me - I do it at least 6-7times a month I suppose. I hate cleaning infested comps so just back every thing up/format and re-install. far simpler and saves time on crippled end user systems.

As I say I use it a lot - you can tell yeah? lol about the only good thing about windows 98 the startup disk was a killer! would be totally lost without it

mp3guy

if it's SATA you're ****ed

smeggle

mp3guy wrote:

if it's SATA you're ****ed

*Note* Proceedure above is for a standard ide hard drive *end note*

rancheros

Are you installing this as a second hard drive,?

if so make sure the jumpers are set correctly

also if it was formatted before you got it with win xp, then a 98 boot disk will do little good

smeggle

rancheros wrote:

also if it was formatted before you got it with win xp, then a 98 boot disk will do little good

How so? I've formatted pre-installed xp system on pre xp formatted drives with little problem by using the above proceedure. just treat ntfs as a non logical partition and it will fdisc and format after no problem.

rancheros

with 98 boot disk?

smeggle

rancheros wrote:

with 98 boot disk?

yes - used it on my own AMD spare comp the other night and on two clients pre-built, pre-installs this week. fdisked and formatted without problem. I allways use it even though yes you can format direct from cd-rom if you wish.

I prefer using that method, go into bios switch to boot from cd-rom only/ run basic set-up/at first restart (after setup files are installed) jump into bios/switch back to standard boot sequence and complete install.

works for me every time..

it's the 'FORMAT C:/s which is the important bit to keep windows stable (any build), which is why I do it that way.

rancheros

smeggle wrote:

yes - used it on my own AMD spare comp the other night and on two clients pre-built, pre-installs this week. fdisked and formatted without problem. I allways use it even though yes you can format direct from cd-rom if you wish.

I prefer using that method, go into bios switch to boot from cd-rom only/ run basic set-up/at first restart (after setup files are installed) jump into bios/switch back to standard boot sequence and complete install.

works for me every time..

it's the 'FORMAT C:/s which is the important bit to keep windows stable (any build), which is why I do it that way.

apologies, never read the first part about deleting the partition, i was just going straight to format, have a spare hd, i'll give that method a crack
cheers