Problem reformating 98 with NTFS on file system

I've finally upgraded to XP; and have discovered that NTFS works so much better with my large files. However I feel I have made a mistake in my conversion and I want the option to reformat my HDD. My origional OS is 98 however and I can not reformat with my current floppy boot disk. Is there any floppy I can download/make with which I can format my C: drive again while the FS is NTFS and not FAT32?

 

If I understand you correctly, you want to format your C drive and reinstall WinXP as a fresh install instead of an upgrade using the NTFS file format.

If this is correct you should first make sure your version of XP can do a direct install. Sometimes upgrade versions will only do upgrades.

If your sure it will install as you want, you can use your Win98 boot floppy to remove all exsisting partitions. Then boot the XP CD and do an install.

Or you can boot the XP CD and tell it to do a fresh install and when it asks which partition to install to, clear all partitions and start fresh. You can then create a new partition and format it using NTFS.

I hope this was helpful.

 

Not quite, yes I want to reinstall XP but I have to reinstall 98 first so I can then upgrade to XP.

 

you should be able to use your regular boot disk. then run fdisk. when you get to enable large disk support do that. Go to delete partition usualy option three, then chose non dos partition. Then choose create partition use full disk space. then it will ask you if you want to set it active say yes. Then reboot, format c: and install 98.

 

I would suggest trying to install XP without the 98 installation. Sometimes it will work but requires you to prove that you own the older software by inserting the disk and allowing it to read it. If that doesn't work then you would need to boot the Win98 floppy or CD and use fdisk to remove the non-dos partition(NTFS) then do a regular installation of 98 and then do the upgrade. The installation of 98 will create the FAT32 partition for the 98 installation. Then you can convert to NTFS after the XP upgrade.

 

Sounds promising. Tell me; can I then convert the fs to NTFS while the upgrade is in progress? I want to get rid of this partion I see on my graph when I defragment. I assume this is the partition from my earlier enept conversion.

 

Oh yeah, another thing. After I do this, will I have to go back to my BIOS and CMOS and reset them again?

 

I'm not sure but I think you have to wait until the upgrade is complete before you can do the NTFS conversion. I don't do upgrades so I'm also not sure if it maintains a FAT32 partition as a backup or something. The extra partition could also be a service partition setup by the computer manufacturer. Sometimes they use them for restoring software or supplements to the BIOS.

This shouldn't require any changes in the BIOS

 

You Dont need to reinstall 98, Dont it's waste of time.

You can use the XP upgrade CD to format, choose format useing the NTFS file system





To gain full benifits of NTFS file system, you need to format using the NTFS file system during the install of windows:
Make sure in Bios your CD is set to boot before your HDD.
Insert XP CD reboot PC, choose to boot from CD.
Windows setup begins
The CD will detect existing Windows Install, is OK, you will choose to Format using the NTFS file system.
During install you will be asked to insert the previous version of windows, do so, the XP setup just see the previous windows no files are copied, the install continues, you wll have to re insert the Upgrade CD.

Thats it, no reinstall of 98 needed

 

I told you how to do it. Now I have never used an upgrade disk, so I didn't know if it will boot from the disk. because I remember some of the older upgrades of windows wouldn't boot so you had to install an earlier version. I have only used the full boot version.

As for the second part of your question, when you upgrade it should cange the filesystem on it's own. As Xp opperates only on NTFS. So once you upgrade it will do it all on it's own. Now if you can boot from the upgrade disk and enter the win 98 COA later on DO THAT.

I hope this helps

 

Other than asking during setup for a CD of a previous version of windows, my experience has been that upgrade disks work just like full install disks. The only non-bootable windows disks I've seen are un-licensed ones I've downloaded through various online sources.

 

gasp- a bootleg copy of software, never.

 

Sorry this is wrong, xp runs on fat32, just not as well.

 

Really! I stand corrected. I have never attempted it. I will now to test it, but it's not even an option in the format box, it was on 2k.


All these smart people come flocking out of the wood work to help with simple problems, but mention the word server and you are talking to yourself. I say this because my sanity is hanging by a thread and my thread is going unanswered.