[cipher]

hi all, i want to clean install win2k on a single partition ©, usinf NTFS file format. What i need to know is if win2k fuc** up, can I just reboot to DOS and use the good old FORMAT C: dos command to wipe everything like in win95/8 etc?? I.m worried that maybe an NTFS drive doesnt allow this command, and so am stuck with it!

[DosFreak]

No. Once you use NTFS on a partition you will either have to use Partition Magic on it to convert it back to FAT or you will have to Fdisk the partition.

[YuppieScum]

Bollocks.

From DOS, you can FORMAT x: /S any HD partition, no matter what was there already - NTFS, FAT32, Linux Swap, BeOS, whatever.

And before anyone asks - I've just tried it.



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SuperMicro P6DBS (dual UW-SCSI) BIOS 2.2, 2*Celery 300a @ 450Mhz, 384MB PC100 RAM
SCSI-A=4.3Gb+9Gb, SCSI-B=Tosh32x CD-ROM, Yamaha4416 CD-RW, Iomega ZIP100, IDE1=4.3Gb
IBM EtherJet 10/100 NIC PCI + Nortel ADSL "modem"
Matrox G400 DH 32Mb AGP + Quantum3D Voodoo2 SLI PCI (CL TNT1 AGP on a shelf)
SoundBlaster Live PCI (not Value)
Win2K build 2195 Retail (not 120-day eval)

[Reidyn]

Try using FDISK on a partition created with NT or 2000 or Linux.... Sure, you can use DOS FORMAT, but FDISK doesn't like these kinds of partitions. Like the other guy said, to do that you'll still end up having to use Partition Magic or something like it.

[Corinthian]

If you boot with the Windows 2000 cd you can delete any partition from the setup app.

[Palos]

If u use a Windows 9x boot disk, u will NOT be able to even see the NTFS partition. You will NOT be able to run Partition Magic's DOS binaries if u use that boot disk. If u have PMagic emergencies floppies, u're in luck...if not, tough