Hello. (my enter button isn't working, please excuse the bad formatting) I have a copy of Ark Linux on a computer, but becuase of some office needs I am forced to put Win98 back on it. When I try to install it though, and it starts deleting the partitions , the screen goes grey, and nothing happens. Does anybody know the cause of this? How could I delete the harddrive? I have a boot disk and CD, so I'm fine with that. I'm being pressed by my boss, and have no clue what to do here. Any help would be great. Maybe a step-by-step walkthrough? Thanks.

hmm...first let's try this:

1) boot with your windows cd/bootdisk, that has fdisk in it (cd is good I think - 'boot computer with cd support' or something is the right choise)

2) from the command prompt run fdisk

3) if it asks you something about big harddrives or something, hit yes

4) see if fdisk can see all your partitions. if it does, simply delete them all and create new one(s) - REMEMBER to make one partition ACTIVE or you can't use your HD to install anything after this you can jump the next sections to the part "WHEN DONE" which is further below....


now - if fdisk can't see your linux drives, which is possible, get your linux running. find it's partition program, I guess it's called fdisk too, and start it (it should be in /sbin/fdisk). now:

1) you'll only need console for this. start fdisk like this (don't write $ or # because they only indicate command prompt signs here):

$ su
<type root password and press return>
# fdisk /dev/hda
(Command below means the command prompt of fdisk. so on the next command, just press m)
Command: m
(now you'll see a help list)
Command: p
(now you'll see your partition table)
Command: d
(it asks you the number of the partition, you'll see the numbers in the partition table above like hda1 hda2 hda3 etc. - the numbers correspond them like 1, 2 and 3)
Partition number (1-5): 5
(you might have a different number of partitions, but just select the last number and after it just hit d again and give new number until all of them have been removed)
Command: w
(this WRITES the changes and exits! BE SURE YOU DID EVERYTHING ALLRIGHT)

2) boot your PC with Windows install disc and start windows's fdisk

3) create the partitions you need with it and then set the 1st primary partition ACTIVE.
4) after you're done, quit and reboot with windows installation disc

:::WHEN DONE:::

-> after booting with windows install disc, install it. HD erasing should work.

WARNING: using fdisk (either windows's or linux's) means that you really REMOVE or EDIT your partitions! the changes you do CANNOT BE RECOVERED after you've WROTE THE CHANGES! so if you want something to be saved, do it before fdisk.

By the way, you may need to format your MBR, depending on how you installed your bootloader. If so, then insert a windows boot floppy, and issue:
fdisk /mbr
That should do the trick

for my case when linux is uninstalled still there will be some linux stuff resciding on the mbr ...then fdisk /mbr worked ...

I think this can help u...

LOL beat you to it

hey hey ho_10


I haven't seen u r reply at first.. Don't think U r born to answer
and no body else knows any thing
R itself u should feel sorry for u r deed

Woa, calm down there. It was just a joke, and I'm sorry if it was taken the wrong way. I wasn't intentionally trying to be arrogant or smite you in any way, it was just meant as a bit of friendly banter.

yup, mbr "formatting" is indeed needed in that case. I didn't even remember that (good you did) because I've got used to installing bootloaders to disk partitions...removal of linux and possibly reinstalling windows is much much easier when one doesn't install bootloader into mbr.

and naren, yea don't take things so "personally" one might say something about dudes who shorten words by typing letters "cu@9" but on the other hand, one might not. don't take this personally either..

the main point is that help can be asked and got, with as less problems as possible...that's my opinion.