Trying to delete my hard drive to start new.....

[Eric Hudson]

Can anyone giv eme step by step instructions how to deteing my hard drive to start new using the same hard drive. I've tried re-loading windows and using the delete partion command but when I press "D" to delete the partion nothing happens. Can anyone Tell me how to do this using DOS. Or ANY way as a matter of fact. PLEASE USE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTION AS I UNDERSTAND COMPUTERS BUT NOT TO THIS LEVEL. SO PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU

[Eric Hudson]

Or can maybe point me to a site with instructions to do this. I'm running WINDOWS 2000 pro

[Mac]

Try using the wxpboot.exe bootdisk which has DELPART.EXE on it which should delete stubborn NTFS partitions.

DELPART BOOTDISK

If you also make up the OLDBIOS BOOTDISK you just need to put the floppy in the A: drive and the XP SP2 CD in the CD-ROM drive and boot. The floppy will redirect the boot to the CD-ROM drive to save you making changes to the BIOS.

XP Clean Installing
XP Compatability Test
XP Partition Management
XP Installing Recovery Console

RAM Knowledge Base
RAM And What it Does
RAM Virtual Memory Paging
RAM Reseating & Fitting PDF File

Processor Temperatures
Service Pack Slipstreamer
Power Supply Wattage Calculator
Everest Home Edition Computer Diagnostic Program

[eric hudson]

Does it have to be to a floppy? Could I burn it to a CD??

[Eric Hudson]

And what do I do with the delpart boot disk?? How do I use these? Thank you for answering

[Eric Hudson]

OK Tried that... And not sure if this matters but you said use an XP SP2 Cd . Well I'm running windows 2000 pro. And I tried using the oldbios boott disk and if I read you correctly you said burn it to a floppy. Put the system disk in along with the floppy and re-boot correct? Well I got a non system disk error. Or boot error. PLease help.

[blue_caddy]

i use 98 bootup floppy works everytime on a floppy and make sure in your bios it boots from a first

[Computer_Commando]

Or can maybe point me to a site with instructions to do this. I'm running WINDOWS 2000 pro

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000544.htm

[eric hudson]

Where would I ge tthe 98 floopy disk from?

[Mac]

98 BOOTDISK

[Eric Hudson]

thanks and how do I use it?? What do I do. please help

[Eric Hudson]

OK I mad ethe disk.. Rebotted my PC with the disk in the A: drive. I got a "NON SYSTEM DISK OR DISK ERROR" error.. and I would not let the PC boot. What am I doing wrong??

[Mac]

I hope that you didn't copy the file to the floppy...

You need to use a formatted floppy, and with the .exe file on the hard-drive double-click on it and it will make the bootdiskette for you. Same procedure for all bootdiskettes made from image files.

You should be able to get to a prompt and type delpart and when you need to delete a partition press the DEL key.

Sorry, I should have added more info.

When you boot to the diskette you should see a screen which lists your CD drives and it should say press any key to continue.

At the prompt type: A:\>dir and press Enter to see the DELPART directory and all of the other commands available on the bootdisk.

You need to get into the DELPART directory so type:

A:\>cd delpart , where cd means change directory. You'll now see:

A:\>DELPART> , and you should type A:\>DELPART>delpart and press Enter.

The Delpart GUI (screen) should now load with a DIRE warning!!! ... press Enter.

You can then see the partitions on your drive. Delete them in reverse order deleting the C: boot partition last.

Now you should be able to re-start and boot directly to your Windows 2000 SP4 CD.

If your CD does not have SP4 then it should be slipstreamed usiong AutoStreamer 1·0 (freeware) so as to incorporate the service pack and so that you save time updating.

[Eric Hudson]

Thanks for more details. I thought I knew alot till this.

[Mac]

No problem. I started out on Windows 3·1 on dial-up which I used for some 10 years or so trouble free, even with no anti-virus.

Later systems have all had many problems as they became more sophisticated. Many have forgotten most of what they knew but DOS commands are simple and easily referenced.

Especially here on this forum: DOS COMMANDS