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How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

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I bought a used drive (IBM Deskstar 80.3 Gb)on Ebay. When I installed it on my Win 98 machine, it shows in CMOS and in Control Panel/System (as a disk drive, but no assigned drive letter) BUT NOT in DOS (no d:\ prompt), Windows Explorer or My Computer.
My BIOS has a screen when you hit f8 that asks where you want to boot from (floppy, ide-0,
ide-1). When I chose ide-1, I get a screen that gives two choices…linux or linux up.
Either goes through a lot of text and then dead ends and I have to reboot to move.
All I want to be able to do is re-partition and reformat this drive to use on my system. How can I do this?
PLEASE EMAIL ME an answer!

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How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

In reply to How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

Ok, well boot into win98 then click start->run Type fdisk This should bring up the Fdisk menu giving you several options, first you need to select the hard drive with linux on it, if you look at the drive information it will say that the partion type is Non-dos. Once you have selected the drive then delete the partion, then install a new partition. Once that is done exit fdisk. now go back to run and type format d:

How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

In reply to How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

My first post here and even though this helped, it didn’t solve my problem. so I guess I have to rate unacceptable so I can get some more answers. Here’s what happened. Did fdisk and deleted primary partition (pri par). Still had an extended partition (ex par). I tried to delete it, it said it couldn’t while there was a logical drive (log dr). So tried to delete log dr, it said there was none! Tried again, Nada! So went ahead…got a pri par of 4960, an ex par of 12993 and another number shows as 8009??? So formated. After format, CMOS shows 82.3 Gb,format showed 70,478.94 and My Computer shows 68.8 Gb! Tried to access, it said inproperly formated. Trie running spinrite, it fails! I noticed setup show different #’s for cylinders,heads, etcthan sticker on drive. fdisk still shows no defined log drives! Now runing Win scandisk. Any ideas?

How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

In reply to How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

There are at least 3 ways you can wipe out partitions from your HD.

1). There is a utility called CLEAN1K.EXE from Dell. This will wipe out any partitions from a HD. To be careful, connect only the HD you want to reformat, and then run the utility program. Then use FDISK to create a partition and format it.
This utility program used to be available on the Website. Unfortunately, I could not find it. But I do have one. Please post if you need it.

2). Use debug command from Windows 98 startup disk.
For further information, go to

http://tinyurl.com/bmlt

and read the ?Run the Debug Script? section.
Again, this is from the Dell.
This is essentially same as Clean1k.exe as above.

3). Run gdisk command with appropriate key from Norton Ghost. This is not a freeware.

Any of the above should work. I should know. I tried them all before.

How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

In reply to How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

Your FDISK may not recognize a HD bigger than 64GB (or 68,719,476,736 bytes).
Go to Microsoft Knowledge Base

http://tinyurl.com/bmno

for further information and getting around it.

How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

In reply to How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

Without a service tag, I can not access the dell site. Please email me a copy of cleank.exe and email me the debug section as well. I have a large email limit and a cable modem, so it should be no prob to send to me from my side. Thank you, I’ll trythose. My drive shows 70,478.94 bytes and 68.8Gb so I doubt that #3 is the deal…

How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

In reply to How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

Thanks WCP, your suggestions and kind help solved it! I am most greatful to you…and to you, Techrepublic for your wonderful service and users!

How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

In reply to How to reformat Linux drive for Windows

Point value changed by question poster.

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