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Conference noted::ibmpc-95

Title:	IBM PCs, clones, DOS, etc.
Notice:	Intro in 1-11, Windows stuff in NOTED::MSWINDOWS please
Moderator:	TARKIN::LINND

Created:	Tue Jan 03 1995
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	3023
Total number of notes:	28404

3002.0. "Trying to Fdisk and format c:" by CSCMA::MACVICAR () Thu May 01 1997 01:20

    This must be in the notesfile somewhere but after searching for
    awhile, I couldn't find anything.  If already in this notesfile, 
    please direct me.  Thank you!
    
    Problem:  I'm trying to format my hard disk and currently have a
    Primary Partition and  and extended DOS partion.  I want to get rid
    of the Extended Dos parition and when I try to delete it, FDISK says
    I have logical drives.  I try to delete the logical drives and I get
    a message "No logical drives defined".  The primary partition has
    150 mbytes and I want to get to the other 545 in the extended DOS
    partition.  (I want to create a partition for my NetWare Installation).
    
    How do I delete and/or get the space in EXT DOS?
    
    When I do a a:\format/s c:
    I get the error "Drive C error.  Insufficient memory to read all 
    system info.  There was an error created the format recovery file. The
    disk cannot be unformatted.  Proceed with format? (Y/N)
    
    When I proceed, it just formats the first 150 mbytes.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
3002.1		WRKSYS::TATOSIAN	The Compleat Tangler	`Thu May 01 1997 02:18`	19
	The problem with the format command not working is that version of format has "unformat" recovery built-in. Add the /u qualifier - which tells the format command not to build recovery information for the drive. As for the partitioning problem: I think you have to delete all logical DOS drives/extended partitions before deleting the primary partition, So, at the primary FDISK screen, select the "Delete Partition or Logical DOS Drive" option. At the next screen select the number shown on the screen for the kind of partition you want to delete, and then press Enter. Follow the directions to delete all of the extended partitions/logical drives. Then delete the primary partition. Finally, create a new primary partition. It ought to work - as long as you created the logical drives/extended partitions using the same version of fdisk that you're using to delete same. /dave
3002.2		WRKSYS::INGRAHAM	Andy	`Thu May 01 1997 10:32`	9
	The last paragraph in .1 may be key. If the logical drives were created by something other than DOS Fdisk (or maybe just a different version??), you can't delete them except by using the same Fdisk program that created them. For example, if they were created for a different OS, you must use that OS's Fdisk to remove them. If all else fails, try the shareware program EDPART (I think that's the one).
3002.3		TARKIN::LIN	Bill Lin	`Thu May 01 1997 11:30`	6
	Edpart's a good solution. PCBUHD::SYS$UTIL:[000000] EDPART.ZIP;1 27/28 22-APR-1992 22:13:32.00 (RE,RWED,RE,RE)
3002.4	will try	CSCMA::MACVICAR		`Thu May 01 1997 12:41`	3
	Thanks, I'll give it a try. I think the partitions may have been created by different fdisk's I'm trying to use DOS V6.22 and the machine had WIN95 and NT3.51 on it.
3002.5	other partition is ntfs	CSCMA::MACVICAR		`Thu May 01 1997 12:51`	8
	oops, just remembered that I made the extended DOS partition NTFS. I am studying for my Server Exam and had a dual boot machine with NT installed. I needed to convert the DOS partition to NTFS to do some exercises. Now I have formated the C: so I have no boot for NT. Hmmm..will see what edpart.zip can do for me. thanks!
3002.6		TARKIN::LIN	Bill Lin	`Thu May 01 1997 13:21`	7
	re: .5 by CSCMA::MACVICAR >> will see what edpart.zip can do for me. Edpart will happily (and blindly) delete any partition you wish. /Bill