Hello again folks,
I solved the problem of formatting my hard drive, after a lot of searching through Microsoft Knowledge Base articles, found out I could not use simple boot with the startup floppy, had to be startup without CD support, something like that, and there were a couple of other tricks, anyway, I was able to partition, using fdisk, and then format...but...

When I then tried to reinstall Windows, it appeared to reinstall properly, except that it insisted on installing to the extended partition, not the primary one! Which meant that on completion, it refused to boot up! I tried many things, making the extended partition the active one, before installation, I tried it after installation, as well as the original plan of having the primary partition as the active one. Nothing worked. I even tried having no primary partition. It wouldn't let me do that.

There's got to be some way of making that recovery disk target the primary partition...OR, getting the computer to boot up from the targetted partition (it insists on targetting the extended partition). Is there some kind of Dos command to do that?

As always, all good ideas and comments welcome, your patience much appreciated. After I jump this hurdle (the format hurdle was ROUGH), and whatever other hurdles to get dual boot going, and thereby get Linux going, then maybe I'll be able to figure out what my Affero policy should be. Anyway, please comment!

beginnerx

Lets fill in the blanks.

Are we talking about Windows 98 or XP. Do you have any operating system running?

I think it's Windows ME.

Hi michaelk,
I'm talking about Windows Millenium. When I do fdisk partitions, and then format, this erases the drive. I doubt very much that I could do this, while Windows is running. Even if I had some idea of creating new partitions while Windows is running, or installed, the various fdisk authorities have already stated, that to create new partitions, one has to erase the old ones. This might not be true of adding more logical partitions to an extended partition, but I don't think that matters, because its not the problem right now. That recovery disk is targetting the wrong partition unfortunately. I tried to set up just two partitions on the hard drive, and succeeded, but the windows recovery CD wants to target the wrong partition. Bummer!. I'm tempted to try a partition that creates a huge primary partition, and a tiny extended one, to FORCE the recovery disk to choose the primary partition, but I'm not that desperate yet. I doubt if tbat would work anyway. There's GOT to be a better way. So far, no luck with the Microfsoft Knowledge Base articles on this.

sincerely,
beginnerx

Heh....
That's exactly why I always kept my DOS6.2 install-disks around and in good shape ; MSDOS 6.2 never heard of Windows M(ultiple)E(rror) (or '95 or '98 for that matter)and thus doesn't take that entire FAT32 thingagamagoochy into consideration....
Format=FORMAT.(period)
Ofcourse , I no longer need that , ofcourse , since I'm running a Linux-only-box since about two years.
(And still know about nothing of it.....)

Well did you ever try our suggestion of using the recovery disk and then resizing the windows partition?

hi Megamieuwsel

Thank you for your reply regarding Dos 6.2. I don't even know how to find out what version of DOS or MSDOS my computer is using. There just does not seem to be an About DOS, or etc., button around to find out.

My next step will probably be to check the Master Boot Record. I have been hunting through the internet to try and nail this problem of the correct partition. They sure don't make it easy. In one of the forums the comment was made regarding this approximate problem I'm having: "this is Bill Gates's revenge on logic"

Thanks again,

beginnerx

thanks for your reply michaelk,
I constantly reinstall windows Me, but am unable to partition, AND reinstall. I am onlly able to reply to your, and other replies, post new threads, etc. because I am able to reinstall. As for repartitioning WITH windows already installed, all the repartitioning instructions I have seen everywhere seem to make it clear that old partitions must be deleted, and the new ones formatted, which would and does, wipe out windows anyway. Besides, surely I should be able to assign new partitions, and then reinstall? Yes? No?

My next step will be to check on Master Boot Records, maybe there's some hope there. By the way, do you know how I can find out what version of dos or msdos my computer is using? There does not seem to be any about buttons anywhere.

Thank you,

beginnerx

Beginnerx:
Don't even think about using any of the DOS-es , that come with the Winblows-versions ; They'll be no good , since those are designed to be subservient(sp?) to the shell.
I could mail you the floppy-images of MS-DOS6.2(just dug 'em up) , but I'm not sure of the forum-mail-feature would allow attachments(1.44MB/floppy).

btw,- If it's just for formatting-sake , the first disk would suffice ; Just boot up with it , exit the installation and run fdisk.
It's a sure way to get REALLY rid of WinME.
Interested?

Ofcourse , If you have a Linux-bootCD handy , that would do the trick as well.

hello again Megamieuwsel

Gosh, can't get this box to tab! Heh! Anyway, your reply was useful. Maybe I should download some non windows dos's from the internet. I've tried fips, and Ranish partition manager, and got NOWHERE, fast. And those utiltiies won't boot up as startup diskettes anyway. They come up as invalid disk, remove, and press any key. And Gnu parted can't even be downloaded apparently.

If you want to try emailing me a dos program, fine with me, in fact I'd be grateful!

Formatting was/is just one of many hurdles, and there are many reasons I want to find out how to repartition the drive, and then install or reinstall OS's thusly.

If I succeed in this, on a freeware basis, its going to seem more like I climbed Mount Everest, than jumped 20 high hurdles.

-beginnerx

Could you turn it on please?
If you don't want that feature on , you could mail me your adress : MeGaMiEuWsEl@spl.at (But replace all the capitals for underscores. spam-bot-protection , y'know)

You can find all types of boot disk and utilities at www.bootdisk.com

Old partitions do not have to be deleted. Resizing is not the same thing as repartitioning. You can create new parititions if you have available free space on the drive without deleting existing partitions. You can also resize and sometimes move partitions without deleting existing partitions.

There are certain cases where the above is not true and it depends on what kind of filesystems and types of existing parititions are on the drive.

I never used ME but this was the first home version of windows that is not just a shell over DOS i.e. you can not boot or shut down to a DOS prompt.

Hi Megamieuwsel,
I have good and bad news. The people at Hewlett Packard, and at another forum have advised me that the problem lies with my recovery disk, which is very different from an installation disk. I did not fully understand, but now I do. The recovery disk will do exactly what it wants, including set its own partitions, the installation disk would do what I WANT, if I had one for Windows Me. But, I haven't given up! There are numerous other strategies, including some newly suggested. michaelk has given be a boot disk link, and explained that I CAN resize partitions, etc. even while windows is installed. I'll be looking into that, and someone on another site has stated that I can make my own OS CD from the Setup files of my already installed Windows! That would be GREAT! I could probably evolve it, and produce better and better OS CD's, with all the junk like Trellix and Quicken removed!......And of course, having my own Windows OS CD would lead to installing Linux on a dual boot basis, one of the things I want.

Anyway, I think I better pursue these options. No need to email me the Dos stuff, but thanks anyway! As always, your help appreciated!!

sincerely,

beginnerx

hi michaelk,
Thank you for making it clear that you are CONFIDENT, that resizing etc. can be done with Windows continuing to be installed. I will have to look into that very carefully, experiment etc. And I will have to check on that bootdisk link you gave me too!

Someone on another site suggested that I try to make my own Windows CD from the setup files that my recovery CD installs in my computer. Cab files, setup files, stuffl like that. It would be GREAT if I could do that, and do it repeatedly. I could get rid of horrible junk like Trellix, Quicken, etc.

They also explained, as did the Hewlett Packard support site, that it would be HOPELESS to try to get a recovery CD to install to new partitions, because it will simply reassign the partitions the way IT wants! An INSTALLATION CD is apparently vastly different from a RECOVERY CD, I never appreciated how significant the difference is, until now.

Anyway, looks like the new experiments will keep me busy for several days!

Someday I'll get that dual boot going, Linux, and my OWN EVOLVED OS CD's somehow! Thanks again and until next time..

sincerely,
beginnerx