Can't create new primary partitions, only logical drives. ..

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

Hi there!

I've been trying for the past hours to delete two logical drives so as to
obtain some unallocated space that I could (in theory) transform into two new
and shinny primary drives, on which I wish to reinstall XP, one as my main
partition, the other to try out new programs.

Of course, things didn't work out that way!

So, now I'm stuck with my system on a logical drive (C {Boot},

some free space which I can only turn into a new logical drive

and my data on another primary partition without Windows on it, but still
saying (E {System}

Whenever I try using Fdisk from a floppy to create new partitions, they
always show-up as logical drives...

Any ideas? The worst thing is that I've done this many times in the past and
can't figure out what I'm missing today!

Thanks,

Eric

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

Apparently, you are attempting to reformat your drive
the old fashioned way. Read the following for an easy
procedure:

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect the
EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your main
hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.

1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.

3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.

4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete all the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall.
==> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

9. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the following resources:

How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310064

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.mspx

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Djaighan" wrote:

| Hi there!
|
| I've been trying for the past hours to delete two logical drives so as to
| obtain some unallocated space that I could (in theory) transform into two new
| and shinny primary drives, on which I wish to reinstall XP, one as my main
| partition, the other to try out new programs.
|
| Of course, things didn't work out that way!
|
| So, now I'm stuck with my system on a logical drive (C {Boot},
|
| some free space which I can only turn into a new logical drive
|
| and my data on another primary partition without Windows on it, but still
| saying (E {System}
|
| Whenever I try using Fdisk from a floppy to create new partitions, they
| always show-up as logical drives...
|
| Any ideas? The worst thing is that I've done this many times in the past and
| can't figure out what I'm missing today!
|
| Thanks,
|
| Eric

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

Hi Djaighan
Try useing XP cd. XP cd is bootable and will do partioning and formating.
Hope this helps

--
Carl G
"Djaighan" <Djaighan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:16056EF5-4BC0-4A42-83D2-1CCA64DE927B@microsoft.com...
> Hi there!
>
> I've been trying for the past hours to delete two logical drives so as to
> obtain some unallocated space that I could (in theory) transform into two
> new
> and shinny primary drives, on which I wish to reinstall XP, one as my main
> partition, the other to try out new programs.
>
> Of course, things didn't work out that way!
>
> So, now I'm stuck with my system on a logical drive (C {Boot},
>
> some free space which I can only turn into a new logical drive
>
> and my data on another primary partition without Windows on it, but still
> saying (E {System}
>
> Whenever I try using Fdisk from a floppy to create new partitions, they
> always show-up as logical drives...
>
> Any ideas? The worst thing is that I've done this many times in the past
> and
> can't figure out what I'm missing today!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Eric

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

Is the E partition on a different physical hard drive or is it a partion
on the same physical drive as C? If it is on the same drive as C, don't
rush ahead. If it's on a different physical drive, see Carey Frisch's post.

--
Bob Dietz

Djaighan wrote:
> Hi there!
>
> I've been trying for the past hours to delete two logical drives so as to
> obtain some unallocated space that I could (in theory) transform into two new
> and shinny primary drives, on which I wish to reinstall XP, one as my main
> partition, the other to try out new programs.
>
> Of course, things didn't work out that way!
>
> So, now I'm stuck with my system on a logical drive (C {Boot},
>
> some free space which I can only turn into a new logical drive
>
> and my data on another primary partition without Windows on it, but still
> saying (E {System}
>
> Whenever I try using Fdisk from a floppy to create new partitions, they
> always show-up as logical drives...
>
> Any ideas? The worst thing is that I've done this many times in the past and
> can't figure out what I'm missing today!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Eric

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain (More info?)

Exactly how committed are you to the current drive contents?

First thing is dump fdisk. It has no business around modern hardware and is
of only minimal use around NT kernels when used on hardware for which it was
intended.

If you're not committed to current drive contents, then boot the XP CD,
delete all partitions and start over. This time, create an initial primary
for the OS *only* at this juncture. If you create more than one partition
within the setup engine it will be created automatically, and with out any
control from you, as a logical volume. Within the context of XP supplied
disk management tools, you have to use the diskmgmt snap-in in order to
create multiple primary partitions. Once you have the base OS installed and
up you then use diskmgmt.msc to create additional primaries.

Then there are 3rd party solutions, but rereading what you said, you have no
interest in retaining current drive content...

--
Walter Clayton
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.


"Djaighan" <Djaighan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:16056EF5-4BC0-4A42-83D2-1CCA64DE927B@microsoft.com...
> Hi there!
>
> I've been trying for the past hours to delete two logical drives so as to
> obtain some unallocated space that I could (in theory) transform into two
> new
> and shinny primary drives, on which I wish to reinstall XP, one as my main
> partition, the other to try out new programs.
>
> Of course, things didn't work out that way!
>
> So, now I'm stuck with my system on a logical drive (C {Boot},
>
> some free space which I can only turn into a new logical drive
>
> and my data on another primary partition without Windows on it, but still
> saying (E {System}
>
> Whenever I try using Fdisk from a floppy to create new partitions, they
> always show-up as logical drives...
>
> Any ideas? The worst thing is that I've done this many times in the past
> and
> can't figure out what I'm missing today!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Eric