get rid of linux

~~loser~~ · #1 (**permalink**) 02-20-2007, 04:36 PM

I have posted something about this problem already. Now I have a different question.

I have two partitions(25Gb and 25 Gb). One had windows XP on it and the other had Linux. I formated drive C

Windows XP) and I wanted to format drive D

Linux).
When I am in command prompt and I type in "format D:" it says, "cannot format network drive".

What do I have to do to be able to format drive D:?

**Ash** · #2 (**permalink**) 02-20-2007, 04:40 PM

You might want to simply perform a low-level format on your computer, using fdisk. This will remove everything on your drive. Is there any data that you need on the drive?

~~loser~~ · #3 (**permalink**) 02-20-2007, 05:53 PM

Fdisk will not delete the extended partition that linux is on. I try to delete the extended dos partition and it says that it can't because there is a logical drive. I try to delete the logical drive, but it says there arent any.
I try to format the drive but it says it can't format a network drive.

What else can I do?

guyladouche · #4 (**permalink**) 02-20-2007, 06:27 PM

Well, I think the least troublesome way would be to pop the HD into an external drive enclosure and format the sucker on another computer in Windows--there should be no problem with this as Windows will see the drive as a mass storage device, and shouldn't identify it as anything other than that. But that relies on you having a second computer and an external drive caddy. But that's probably the easiest way.

~~loser~~ · #5 (**permalink**) 02-20-2007, 06:35 PM

I don't have any of those things that you metioned.

Isn't there anything else I can do to be able to format that drive?

guyladouche · #6 (**permalink**) 02-20-2007, 06:51 PM

Okay. Well...give this a try. Are you able to install windows at all? If so, install windows on the C partition. Then you should be able to simply format the other partition within windows (right click on the drive -> format). Not actually sure if this really will work since fdisk doesn't even work in DOS though. Maybe you can try a partitoning program. Here's a link to a free one that apparently works quite well (haven't used it myself though). It's an ISO, so you'll need a CD burner and a burning program. Download of the Day: GParted live CD - Lifehacker

~~loser~~ · #7 (**permalink**) 02-20-2007, 06:58 PM

Thanks. I'll try what you said and see what happens.

in2media · #8 (**permalink**) 03-06-2007, 11:23 PM

i use linux and find powermax best for sorting out hard drive issuses
its alvailable for free from the maxtor website
just rip to a floppy or get the cd iso version and boot from the disk and tell it to low level format
i found this the best

robputt796 · #9 (**permalink**) 03-07-2007, 07:37 AM

OK,

Download the Windows 95 boot disk from here Bootdisk.Com then make it onto a floppy on a windows machine (its a self extracting exe). Then boot to the floppy disk in the computer you want to format. When you are presented with

Code:

A:>

at that prompt type

Code:

fdisk

Then you will be presented with a list saying some options, select option 3...

Code:

3. Delete partition or logical DOS drive.

You will be presented with another list. Select option 4...

Code:

4. Delete a non-DOS partition.

Then select the Linux partition. This may be named in an odd manner or may be known as unknown, there may be more than one of them. Delete them all.

Then put in your operating system install disk, and perform your installation. Remember youll need to reset up any partitions that you deleted. For example if you still wanted to partitions you would need to create these. The Windows setup allows you to make FAT32 and NTFS filesystems so the full size of the disk, or to a specified amount. Linux installations also allow something similar.

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