deleting 2000 and installing 98?

[blackjack]

I am currently running windows 2000 and want to change it back to 98. First do I use a boot disk to delete the partition and than create a new one. Then format it and run the win98 cd. After that it starts setting up and I came upon an error message (error 65) stating that it had problems copying the file and I am stuck there.
I need some help on getting rid of my OS and installing win98 not sure if my steps are wrong and how do I correct this error message

Thanks

[Kubie]

If you have a Win98 boot disk, use it to FDISK the drive. In other words, delete the partition, reformat and the reload Win98.
W2K is usually using NTFS and Win98 uses FAT32, so you will have to remove the W2K.
Carl

[blackjack]

this may be a dumb question but how do I get rid of w2k

[GaryRouth]

I'm not sure if Win98's fdisk will delete the 2k NTFS partition - if it can, just boot the system with a Win98 bootable floppy or CD, and type the fdisk command from the command prompt. You'll choose the delete options from the menu. If there are Logical partitions, they go first. Primary goes last. Then recreate a Primary DOS Partition and mark it active.

If Win98's fdisk can't delete the NTFS partition, there are tools at download.com that can http://download.com.com/3120-20-0.ht...=10&search.y=8

Another option is to use the disk utilities from the hard drive manufacturer's website & "zero-write" the drive = that erases absolutely everything, and the utilities are usually free downloads.
. . . Gary

Late edit: P.S. --- I took a quick look at Win98 Setup errors, & I can't find an "error 65". Can you post more of the error message? [it might make it easier to find]

[Kubie]

Morning Gary,

I mentioned Win98 being able to delete a NTFS partition because I recently had the opportunity to do it. I didn't think it would but it deleteed a partition with W2K using NTFS.

Carl

[crjdriver]

Fdisk can delete an ntfs primary partition. It cannot delete an ntfs logical drive that resides in an extended partition.

[raftero]

i use the zero write that gary mentioned,may be my imagination but it seems to work better when i install on a clean HD.

[TeenPcknowit]

Put 98 start up disk in drive, at a: prompt type "format c:" ('c' being the drive win2k is installed.)
After its formated, delete the partition in "fdisk"
(Some say to just delete the partition without formating. It tends to work better when formated first.)
Create new partion in fdisk, or your hard drive utlity program, format it, install windows 98.
Note that most dos commands will only work from the 'a:' prompt. This is because all the commands are on the start up disk located on your 'a' or floppy disk drive...

Here are a few simple dos commands.
cd xxx ( 'cd' changes directory)

Format x: ('format' erases and prepares a partition for use)

dir ('dir' shows the contents of a diretory)

edit xxx ('edit' opens a word processor that you can use to examine 'help' files or any other text with. exp. 'edit win98help.txt'



GOOD LUCK!

[Doobie]

Originally posted by TeenPcknowit Put 98 start up disk in drive, at a: prompt type "format c:" ('c' being the drive win2k is installed.) After its formated, delete the partition in "fdisk" (Some say to just delete the partition without formating. It tends to work better when formated first.) Create new partion in fdisk, or your hard drive utlity program, format it, install windows 98. Note that most dos commands will only work from the 'a:' prompt. This is because all the commands are on the start up disk located on your 'a' or floppy disk drive... Here are a few simple dos commands. cd xxx ( 'cd' changes directory) Format x: ('format' erases and prepares a partition for use) dir ('dir' shows the contents of a diretory) edit xxx ('edit' opens a word processor that you can use to examine 'help' files or any other text with. exp. 'edit win98help.txt' GOOD LUCK!

That doesnt work. You CAN NOT format ntfs partitions with a win9x boot disk and if you could why would you format then delete partition then just to format again when you create the new partition?

[pillainp]

Originally posted by TeenPCKnowit

Put 98 start up disk in drive, at a: prompt type "format c:" ('c' being the drive win2k is installed.) After its formated, delete the partition in "fdisk"

I hate to disagree with you, but if he/she has Win2K installed on an NTFS partition, what the Win98SE startup disk will see as C: will be the first FAT32 partition after the NTFS ones. In Win2K, that may be D: or any other drive.

I suggest you run Delpart to delete your partitions.

As has been mentioned before, FDisk can delete Primary NTFS partitions, but cannot help with logical drives in NTFS extended partitions.

[TeenPcknowit]

Originally posted by Doobie That doesnt work. You CAN NOT format ntfs partitions with a win9x boot disk and if you could why would you format then delete partition then just to format again when you create the new partition?

Is that so? I could vow I have formated my win2k drive using a 98 start up disk. I'll have to try this again sometime, thanks for informing me. Lol, formating gets the job done right, formating then deleting partition is just the way I have been doing it when I reformat/partition my drives. Thanks.

[TeenPcknowit]

And yes I always install win2k under a NTFS partition.

[glc]

Sounds like you are formatting the ramdrive or the first FAT partition it sees - a 98SE bootdisk can't even SEE a NTFS drive.

[holocube]

Can you not just pickup a win2k boot disk from bootdisk.com or suchlike and format with that?

(A boot disk can also be created by running the 'makeboot' program on your win2k CDROM.
DOS command = "\bootdisk\makeboot a:")

[glc]

Makeboot makes FOUR disks - and those are for doing an install when you can't boot with the CD.

Formatting a 2k drive before installing 98 is not necessary and not advised. It's best to remove the partition(s) with whatever works - 98's FDISK, Delpart, or a zero fill - and treat it just like a 98 install on a new drive - which is what you essentially will have after removing the partition(s).