Reformat and install Win2000 and Linux on Fat 32
 

Hi,

I want to install SUSE LINUX with Win 2000. So, I decided to format the whole desk as FAT32 and reinstall Win2000. Then Install LINUX.

I just noticed that the CD included with my computer is a "Recovery CD" not Win2000 OS.

So, How can I use FDISK and Diskpart to format and partition the HDD without the Win2000 CD?

Should I buy another copy of Win2000 pro?
Or do I need Partition Magic -or- both to do that?

ALF.

You can use a program like Partition Magic 7.0 to resize the fat 32 partition, and then on the free space you created install Linux.
This way you will not loose data.
Hope this helps

Chris

most computers you buy these days do not come with a windows disk only a restore disk. the restore disk should restore the system. The question is will it use the first partition available or will it repartition the disk.

See if there is some documentation on the disk. You might just want to try it and see. Create a partition for Windows and try to install it, see if it uses the whole disk.

if you don't have a restore disk then you will need to buy windows. If you do and it recreates the partitions using the entire disk then you could resize the partition with partition magic.

You could also use fips if you make the partition fat32

Yes, That's the CD that I have - an Image CD - nothing else.

I have to reformat the HDD first to FAT32. Is PM is the only way out to do that?

I though I could us a supplied utilities such as FDISK and DISKPART to do that?

you could create the partitions and try the windows disk. It should just install to the first partition.

fips works on fat32

create the partition size you want for windows and reimage it. If it use the whole disk anyway then use fips to resize it.

Your restore disk will probably blow away any partitions you make and recreate its own partitions before installing the OS image. Your best bet is to get Partition Magic and resize them your self. Look on your CD and see if the i386 directory is on there. If it is let me know and I will walk you through an install from that.

The Recovery CD conatins and EXE and a folder with a CD image. Nothing else.

I think it is to restore the exact image of the computer in case the the HDD crashes.

I guess I have to get a copy of PM and resize the NTFS partition as you said then reformat new one as FAT32 (or EXT3 ?).

I have such an image fo rwindows 2000

It is not likely that it is the same as yours, but it will install to the first partition it finds