Formatting NTFS

[Markoman01027]

Hey everybody...

Just a question out of the blue ..

Let's say you are running WIN2K, and your drive is NTFS.

You want to format the drive, but keep the partition.

Can you just pop in a WIN98SE boot disk, and run FORMAT and type in Format C:? Will it work? Even though the drive is NTFS?

I know there is another way to format the NTFS drive by using the OS CD method..But I want to know if it works on what I have asked about.

When I ran WIN98SE, I used a boot disk that allowed me to enter FDISK.

I went into DOS, and put in the boot disk that I used with WIN98SE, and when I type in FDISK, it would say "Incorrect MS-DOS version" is this because I am running Windows 2000 Professional?

I am not trying to format/repartition the drive...Just questions about it thats all.


Thanks guys!

[Nuclear Krusader]

Without using FDISK first? I don't think you will be able to do it.

But I could be wrong.

[Hpro]

Hi there,
1.No it will not work as Win98 is not able to READ, WRITE,CONVERT nor FORMAT any NTFS Partitions.!

2.. The incorrect MS-DOS version you got because of that the FDISK Utiltity you use and the boot disk version you use is of differend version - has nothing to do with Windows 2000 as WINDOWS 2000 isn't DOS BASED - it's command line - but not DOS and
3.You boot with the Bootdisk so Win2K hasn't even loaded - and Win2k on it's own has NO FDISK.EXE utility..

Hope this explains it..
Hpro

[Nuclear Krusader]

It's kinda weird that NT has the Format command but not the Fdisk, isn't it, Hpro?

[RJ]

Hi,

just boot from your Win2K system and start installation. Somewhere at the beginning of the setup you will be able to intall Win2K on an existing partition and you will have the choice whether to format it or not. That's how it works in Win2K.

RJ

[Markoman01027]

So I would have to get a better win98se boot disk, and boot up into DOS way before WIn2K even loaded, and then I would be able to enter FDISK right?

[RJ]

What do you want FDISK for ?
FDISK = program of the DOS/Win9x era = thing of the past

Anyway, yes, you can boot from the Win98 CD or disk and start FDISK, you'll be able to remove the NTFS (non-DOS) partitions if you want to go back to Win9x.

RJ

[Markoman01027]

I don't need to format/fdisk anything. It was just something I wasn't really sure for how to do with WIN2K/WINXP.

Thanks for the help guys!

[Hpro]

Hi Matt (hope you don't mind)
OK as for WinXP and also for Win2k it's very simple to fdisk or format a new hard drive - if you already have setup your OS (einter Win2K or WinXp )- if not then it's like RJ wrote - only he forgot when he needs to add a new hard drive and he likes to format it NTFS he sure doens't want to install XP or Win2K again just to get that drive working - no sure not - and to Fdisk and format Fat16 - 32 you know we can take Win95 - WinMe so now to our point -

To format a new installed hard drive in Win2k / XP is very Easy I explain only the Full format not Partitional formats - means multipartition -

While your computer is shutdown - connect your new hard drive to a free IDE connector - make sure that the jumpers are set right - then start your computer boot to Win2k or WinXp - it will find your hard drive and install it for you - here is the point it will check how much diskspace you have but it will not give that space free as it hasn't been fdisked and formattet..

It will ask you to restart - so you do and then when you booted back into desktop you rightclick my computer select Manage then in the new window wich opens you select Storage - Disk Management and then you need to select the new drive - rightclick on the drive and there select Format - and wait till finished - no need to restart - the drive is ready to use right away... and BTW you can do all this also on the COMMAND LINE booting of the CDROM or from the Recovery option if installed - and there the command line to fdisk is MKPART (= FDISK) and then regular Format - easy enough..
Have fun
Hpro

A small note to RJ - DOS will never DIE - believe me..

[Nuclear Krusader]

DOS, like good old floppy disks is amazingly and stubbornly clinging to life it seems.

[RJ]

A small note to RJ - DOS will never DIE - believe me..

But what about WinNT/2K/XP then ? They don't have DOS inside, do they ? They sure have a console, but the true DOS not, or am I wrong

RJ

[Hpro]

You see RJ you misunderstand one thing many other misunderstand also - or may it's me - you never know -

D = DISK
O= OPERATING
S= SYSTEM

Now Win2K/Xp where they reside ? on a Disk ? right - so it's also a diskoperatingsystem only they changed the name to Windows..

If you look very close to the console and the commandline option - I'm sure you will even find the word DOS in the 32bit files of Win2K or and WinXP - and then you will also find the Version number - I can assure you - the big difference between all the other systems of Microsoft (Microschrott)against Win2K and WinXP is only that both of them run 32bit right after Start - - this is when you see the Switch from the Windows startup Logo - but when you are on the console - again there you can use LFN compared to Win9X where you can't - then you may take a look at the Winnt\system32 folder - and you will see (this accounts for Win2K only and this is what makes WinXP so much BIG TIME CRAP
that there you can not find any *.VXD files in Win2K - VXD are Virtual Device Drivers - better spoken 16 Bit drivers which will be compiled (forgot the actual word - I think it's Thunked ) to 32 bit when in need - and therefore you will need DOSor any othere likewise 16 bit instruction set to communicate with the rest of the hardware...to make the changes while running 32bit above them

Then you will also notice that there is no such thing as Win.ini or system.ini - you can safely delete them - try to delete one of them in Win9X and then you will find out very fast, that you have done a very wrong thing.. .

I could go on - but this is the major reasons that DOS never will die - and also every other OS is using DOS as well - at least partwise...
Hpro

[Nuclear Krusader]

So, the VXDs exist in XP?

[Hpro]

Yes - make a surch for *.VXD in the Windows folder and you sure will find them even on a soley clean install - otherwise it wouldn't be possible to enable [Compatibility mode]
Hpro

[Markoman01027]

Originally posted by Hpro It will ask you to restart - so you do and then when you booted back into desktop you rightclick my computer select Manage then in the new window wich opens you select Storage - Disk Management and then you need to select the new drive - rightclick on the drive and there select Format - and wait till finished - no need to restart - the drive is ready to use right away... and BTW you can do all this also on the COMMAND LINE booting of the CDROM or from the Recovery option if installed - and there the command line to fdisk is MKPART (= FDISK) and then regular Format - easy enough.. Have fun Hpro A small note to RJ - DOS will never DIE - believe me..

Will I be able to PARTITION from WIN2K aswell?

You need to partition the new drive before you can format it. So I can partition in WIN2K and then format it so I am able to read/write.

also

Question: If I put in the slave drive, it is not partitioned/formatted, and I put in win2k cd, boot up into setup, will setup detect the new drive and ask me to partition/format\install if I were to go duel booting?

[Hpro]

There is for sure the one or the other way - the one I know is from the Recovery Console using MAKEPART - once on Windows desktop it will be somewhat difficult.. - may this pic Explains it -
Usually I Partition my drives with a regular win98 Bootable CDROM - there is where DOS comes in - and then partition every partition which is NOT NTFS if I have to install a NT OS - afterthat as RJ so nicely put it let the OS do the work -- it will not touch your other partititon unless you tell the OS to do so..

http://www.thedebug.com/pictures/manage.jpg

Note that there is a SOLARIS BOOT on a 10Mb Partition and besides that is a 4 GB data Partition for Solaris on the same drive
If the partitions already have been given on the drive then you will be able to format the partitions from within Win2K or XP if not then you will need to use a third party utility to repartition again -
so most easy is if you set up your partition before you install Win2k or WinXp as I can't think of any otherway to split partitions once those OS's have been installed except using a third party program..
Hope this answers your question..
Hpro

[Markoman01027]

ohh ok got ya..I can use the recovery console to format/partition the new drive.

But it would do that automaticly if I were to choose to install an OS on the slave drive.

So I can just use the recovery console to format/partition the drive into NTFS without even installing the OS?

All of my questions deal with a slave drive. I know how to do everything with the master drive, but just the slave drive.

[Hpro]

Yes if and only if there is a MASTER OS INSTALLED on the Master drive say C:\

Do as follows - if you haven't the recovery console installed then just boot with the Win2k/XP Cdrom - there select repair option then select Recover manual - this will log you into your master Windows drive - usually C:\ , after you have given the Administrator password.
There type helpenter to have a list of available commandline options - or just type MAKEPART D:\ or whatever drive letter you like - or have - which you like to Partition - follow the instructions on the screen - then restart into Windows to format the drive.. - you can use as well the format option in the recovery console - but I can't tell you the necessary commandline options as I use them very seldom - .

BTW - if the drive has been partioned already with FAT32 and you like to change it to NTFS then all you need to do is connect the drive boot into Windows click Start > Run type convert [drive:] /fs:ntfs [/v]

hit OK and the you can convert to NTFS is even more easy -.
Hpro

[Markoman01027]

Thanks...That answers all of my questions..

Happy New Year Hpro!

[Hpro]

Please note the change inBTW line - I gave you a wrong Commandline and have corrected it - it's too late here almost 1 Am . I made it BOLD so you just use this one..
Hpro