How do I Fdisk and format

I have a brand new Hard Drive that was replaced from Hitachi for an IBM Hard Drive that crashed and burned. They just replaced the hard drive but no format disk is anywhere......so I went to a friends and he used a format disk he had. However,,,, I am having nothing but problems installing and running programs.
I want to wipe the disk and start over with the proper equipment. What is the best path to take for this to happen?
All I have is my Windows 98SE disk.

 

Do a search for fdisk on this BBS. It has been outlined many times.

 

You can probably do it with the Windows CD disk. But I've never done it. Make a Startup Disk. You do it through the Add/Remove Programs > Startup. Have a formatted floppy handy.

1) Boot the computer with the Startup Disk. You may have to go into the BIOS to set the floppy into the boot sequence. Maybe not.

2) Choose with CD ROM support

3) After booting, there is no need to fdisk. It's fdisked already. Just format.

a:\> format c:/s/v

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It'll be easier and faster if you get all the .cab files from the Windows disk on the hard drive and run the installation from the setup. Also, in the future, you won't have to insert the Windows disk for this or that installation.

After you format:

1) c:\ <enter>

c:\>md win98

c:\>cd win98

c:\win98>copy e:\win98\*.*

(assumes e is your CD ROM. The Startup Disk will move your CD ROM down the food chain one letter)

The cab files should copy. After they copy

c:\win98>setup.exe

The installation should start.

 

Thank you for the answers to my questions.
My main problem IS,,,,,,,, I am a beginner and I really do not understand much of what was said. I need step by step instructions on most things. I do not know how to make disks or floppies or extract files or ????????
What I want to do is start from scratch.......write 0's to my drive and wipe it totally clean like when I received it.
Then I want to format it in partitions with only 2500 MB on drive C so that nothing but my Operating system is on C.
I have a 61 Gigabyte Hard Drive so I will want to split the rest of space between drive D & E.
Is there a reputable site I can go to that has these tools available? Or do I have to go to the manufacturer of my Hard Drive to get the proper format disk????

 

Here is how to use fdisk and format to ready the HD for Win98.
Boot with Startup disk
At windows Startup Menu select without CD-Rom support
At A:\> type fdisk enter
press "Y" enter for large disk support
at FDISK Option select "1" enter
at Create DOS Partition or logical DOS Drive select "1" enter
Verifying drive integrity, **%
press "Y" enter at do you wish to use the maximum available size for Primary DOS Partition
and make the partition active (Y/N)..?
If you want to partition the disk set the size of your primary.
Verifying drive integrity, **%
you then get a message to RESTART your system for changes to take effect
To create a second partition, you must create a extended partition and then create the logical drive(s) or other partitions.
YOU MUST REBOOT and format AFTER FDISK.

Press Esc and then Ctrl,Alt,Del, with bootdisk/Startup disk still in the floppy drive
At windows Startup Menu select with CD-Rom support
at A:\> type format c: (this will only format the HDD)
At WARNING, ALL DATA WILL BE LOST PRESS "Y "
Formatting and the size of your HDD (i.e. 19,09.84M for a 20Gig)
after format enter a name for the HDD or just press enter you can name it later
Install Windows.

 

Markp62,,,,I donot have a Start Up disk. How do I get one?

 

Assuming you havn "t wiped your harddrive yet and still have the ability to boot into windows.

1)Click "Start ">Scroll to "Control Panel ">Dclick "Add Remove Programs ">Click "Start Up Disk" tab......and I think you can take it from there.

Test startup disk after you create it to make sure it functions as desired.

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The updated "fdisk " can't hurt. Just copy it over to your startup disk and replace the one that's on it:

http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/Q263/0/44.ASP&NoWebContent=1

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Personally, I'd give the OS a bit more than 2.5 GB. You have a big hard drive, give it 5 GB. It needs some room for swap files, etc.

 

blakston6286 The Startup Disk and the FDISK program located within it are the proper way to partition and format a disk. Since your hard drive is less than 64 MB, your stock Startup Disk is all you need. You don't need the update patch at this point.

Just print out this thread. You'll be alright. Just go with a regular format right now. Writing zeroes needs another utility. It isn't needed to get "good" partitions.

Create Startup Disk:

1) Format a floppy.

To do this, Open My Computer. Stick a floppy in the A:\ drive. Click on the A:\ drive. From the Toolbar > File > Format > Follow instructions, you want full format, no volume label at the end.

Don't ask any more questions about formatting a floppy until you try it. The whole process is menu driven and you can't mess it up!

2) Create a StartUp Disk

Go to the Control Pannel > Add/Remove Programs > Startup

Choose Create Startup Disk. Put the formatted floppy in the A:\ drive. Follow the instructions.

Again, don't ask any more questions about creating a startup disk until you try. This process simple. You just follow the instructions. You can't mess it up!

3) Formatting and Partitioning your Hard Drive

1) Boot the computer with your Startup Disk. You can just leave your brand new Startup Disk in the A:\ and turn off your computer and turn it back on.

2) This first time Choose Without CD ROM Support. Later, you will have to reboot. When you reboot with the floppy, choose WITH CD ROM support. At that time, you will format your partitions and load Windows.

3) At the A:\> type (w/o quotes) FDISK. That is, the screen should be

a:\>fdisk

4) Answer YES to the wordy question about large disk.

5) The FDISK is MENU DRIVEN:

a) First you create a Primary DOS Partition. This is your C:\. You choose the size, use KB. You want 2500 KB. I recommend 5000 KB. It's your call.

b) Next, make the Primary DOS Partition an ACTIVE Partition.

Got it? The C is both a Primary and Active Partition.

c) Next, make an EXTENDED DOS Partition. Use all available space.

d) Next, you will make two LOGICAL partitions within the Extended DOS partition. You will make each logical partition one at a time. These logical partitions will be your D:\ and E:\

You choose the size. The first, choose a size (either % and be sure to use the % sign or by KB). The next, just use all available space.

e) There is an option to be able to view partitions you have created. If you make an error in sizing, just remove that partitions. Partitions are removed in the REVERSE order of how they were created.

Got It? The C is Primary and Active
The D and E are in the EXTENDED, each as a LOGICAL partition.

f) Exit Fdisk and reboot. Remember, this time select WITH CD ROM support.

7) Format the Hard Drive

a:\>format C:/s/v

After you format c

a:\>format D:/v

After you format e:\

a:\>format e:/v

8) load windows, either:

a:\>g:\<enter>

g:\>setup

Note: your CD ROM will be g:\, as the Startup Disk will create a virtual drive. Long story short, your CD ROM is moved down one letter during the Windows installation.

Or, go back up this thread and see my former entry about how to copy the cab files to the C:\

 

After all is said and done, there may be a descrepency as to the sizes of your partitions. You may find a couple of GBs missing total. It's alright. Different programs see the size of a of a GB differently.

The hard drive manufacturer will see it as 1000 KB. Other programs will see it as 1024 KB. So by counting by 1024, there will be less!

 

Goddez1,Ray H, Thank you very much for your specific instructions.
I would not be able to figure this one out without them. I thought I had to have a manufacturers floppy to do everything so I was stuck. I will follow your instructions and within a few days I will post the results.
Thank you again for your time and willingnes to help on my level.

 

A quick question.
My video card drivers are updated succesfully and are the only thing installed that is working correctly.
What process do I go thru to extract them from the system so I can reload them after I have cleaned up and reformatted the HD?

 

If you still have the file you downloaded to install the updated drivers, back it up to floppy or CD so you can use it again.

If you don't have that file, the best way, in my opinion, is to make sure you have the drivers for your modem saved or the settings for your cable or DSL written down (depending on which you use) so that after reformatting the drive and reinstalling Windows, you will be able to get online to download drivers.

Then go to the manufacturer's sites of the various components - video card, sound card, monitor, etc. - to download the latest drivers. Never, ever get driver updates from the Microsoft update site. While some work, many don't so I don't think using them is worth the risk.

However, if you don't want to do it that way, you can go to this site and download their free utility, WinDriversBackup, which will find and save all the drivers currently on your system...the video drivers will be among them.

Save what it finds to floppies or, if you have a CD writer, to CD.

Finally, the video drivers currently being used are listed in Device Manager. Go to Control Panel>System>Device Manager, click on the plus sign next to "Display Adapaters" then double click on the video card listed. Go to the Drivers tab, click on the "Details" button and the drivers will be listed. Leaving that windows open so you can see the list, you'll have to go into Windows (not Internet) Explorer, find each driver and copy each one to floppies or CD. It can be a long and tedious process which is why I suggested downloading them again once the system is back up and running after the format/reinstall.

 

http://www.jermar.com/

Go to the above site and get a freeware called WinDrivers Backup. It'll allow you to put ALL your drivers into one folder. You then burn this folder to a CD. You then will have all the drivers you need.

Did you install the CHIPSET (or motherboard) drivers when you did your initial installation?

If you have problems, particularly with multimedia programs, the problem may simply be that you have installed conflicting programs. Real Player via CompuServe and AOL are good for that! The drivers are usually OK.

Also, when you go for your new installation, remove the modem until you are finished with everything. Modems like to be detected at bootup or the installation goes wiggy.

Get your updates from the Corporate site. It'll allow you to save the files. After MS quits supporting Windows 98, you'll still have the files if you have to reinstall!

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp?corporate=true

You select the updates, then you have them downloaded to your basket. You choose the location the basket. Go up there to check it out first. It's not that hard.

blakston6286 Not to worry. This is a HELP board. We've all been there. Sometimes, I still am!