How to remove Win2K and get Win98SE back again

LS.,
In order to install specific software that obviously demanded some lines in Win2K rather then Win98SE I installed Win2K on a laptop which is not suited for it. Now that the software is not working I want to get back to Win98SE. I cannot find a way to remove Win2K. I have tried to format the C-drive from a floppy, or whatever tricks that I could think of, but nothing worked. Is somebody able to give me a clue for this?

Willem

 

I believe when you installed W2K, you ended up with the NTFS file system. Your 98 boot floppy currently cannot do anything with it. Microsoft has made a utility specifically made for deleting NTFS partitions, but they no longer have it available from them.
http://www.juliatexas.com/delpart/delpart.htm
Download Delpart from the above link, and copy onto your 98 boot floppy. It is 123 Kb in size and will fit on it. Boot with the floppy, and type "Delpart" at the prompt to start it. You'll see it is very simple to use, be sure to Save the changes. Press ALT, then F to access the File menu so you can Save your changes. You must reboot after using, when you exit Delpart properly it should reboot anyway.

 

Thanks,
I'll let you know when I succeeded.

Grtz,

Willem

 

Hello Markp62,

Could you give me a clue how to manage the partitions. I'm a little scared of what I see on the screen. I'm not sure what to do.

(I'm going on a short vacation, so it can take some time that I give some response)

Grtz,

Willem

 

A partition on the drive is actually one of your drives. Since you seem to be seeing more than one partition, you have in effect more than just a C: drive, maybe a D: also.

When the computer is up and running, how many drives did you see? Just a C: drive?

I have the thought that maybe you have a Restore drive, where there is a program on it that would install the original operating system, the system drivers, along with any OEM software that came on the laptop when you bought it. If you have a manufacture's CD that came with the laptop this maybe the case. It is rare for this as laptop manufactures didn't really start doing this until WinME. If you do have one of these CD's and not a Microsoft CD, please advise as what Delpart is reporting and skip the following paragraphs. The type of information would be such as MBR 1, EXT 1 and their sizes.

http://mirror.href.com/thestarman/DELpart.htm

There is the possibility you may have accidently created a partition on some unknown free space on the drive. Use delpart to delete all partitions on the drive, the above link has instructions on how to use Delpart. After you have deleted the partitions, reboot with the floppy still in the drive.
Type in "Fdisk" at the prompt. Do the following at each step you come to in Fdisk.

Select Y for large hard disk support. This is what allows for FAT32 partitions

Select 1. Create DOS partition or Logical DOS Drive

Select 1. Create Primary DOS Partition

Select Y (the default) to use the maximum available size for a Primary DOS Partition and to make the partition active.

Wheb done, exit Fdisk and reboot again with floppy in the drive, and now you can format the drive.