how to format windows partitions from linux?
 

I fu**d up partitions on my hard drive and I want to format windows partitions (maybe and Linux partitions) but I dont know how to do that?
This is how my partitions look like:


Disk /dev/hda: 240 heads, 63 sectors, 7941 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 15120 * 512 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 647 2069 10757880 f Win95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hda2 2070 7941 44392320 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda3 1 134 1013008+ 82 Linux swap
/dev/hda4 * 135 646 3870720 83 Linux
/dev/hda5 781 2069 9744808+ 83 Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order


thank you
rasko

if you just want to format:
mkfs -t ext3 /dev/hda1

I want to format them but also I want to be able to install windows/linux again on those partitions?
is that the way of doing it?

you gotta know what you want to use a partition for in order to know what filesystem to create on it....

sounds like you might need to decide what you want to run, and make a clean install (delete all partitions and start over)

ok...
but when i do that i got this error msg

linux:/mnt # mkfs -t ext3 /dev/hda1
mkfs.ext3: No such file or directory

??

if you're using an older linux flavor, use ext2, not 3.

you're running this as root, right?

yes i am doing it as a root..
but now i am getting this msg

linux:/mnt # mkfs -t ext2 /dev/hda1
mke2fs 1.26 (3-Feb-2002)
/dev/hda1: Not enough space to build proposed filesystem while setting up superb lock

??

If your going to wipe both Windows and Linux by formating why not just delete all the partitions and start from scratch, rather than trying to squeeze everything back into existing partitions - its probably easier to just start from scratch. (back up what you want first though)