Format hard drive / delete NTFS partition (Windows XP)

[DivGradCurl]

Folks,

I'm running Windows XP, but now I need to format my hard drive. The only potential difficulty that I foresee is having to deal with the NTFS partition. I'd like to get rid of it, install Windows ME and then upgrade it back to XP.

I've read that the only way to delete any NTFS partition is to use either "WIPEOUT" or "DELPART". I'm skeptical when it comes to downloading executable files that I have never heard about. Could you please give me some advice? Is there a better (and safer) way to delete the NTFS partition?

Thanks!

 

[dduardo]

Pop in windows xp cd and use the partition tool to delete the partition and reformat it nfts.

Question: Why would you want to install windows ME and then upgrade back to XP? Why not just install XP?

 

[DivGradCurl]

Question: Why would you want to install windows ME and then upgrade back to XP? Why not just install XP?

I've never installed XP immediately after formatting my hard drive. Since I have only used my XP cd to upgrade the system, I'm not sure it would work otherwise. Maybe, my cd is just for upgrading. I don't know.

Pop in windows xp cd and use the partition tool to delete the partition and reformat it nfts.

My windows xp cd does not boot, even if I use the BIOS to change the 1st Boot Device to be the cdrom. So, I can't just pop it in. By the way, how is the partition tool called? Is it either "WIPEOUT" or "DELPART"?

Thanks

 

[gnome]

Maybe the suggestions on this page will help (see "If Your CD Won't Boot"):

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:FhDCLijhWq8J:www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/expert/honeycutt_02october07.mspx+clean+install+%22windows+xp+upgrade%22&hl=en&start=1

 

[dduardo]

By the way, how is the partition tool called? Is it either "WIPEOUT" or "DELPART"?

It just looks like this:

http://www.blackviper.com/Articles/OS/InstallXPHome/images/image1_8.html

 

[zefram_c]

I've read that the only way to delete any NTFS partition is to use either "WIPEOUT" or "DELPART".

You were misinformed. Fdisk can do it - that is, it can delete any partitions (even those it doesn't recognize, such as NTFS). Of course, it can only create FAT/FAT32.

 

[DivGradCurl]

Thank you guys! The boot problem has been resolved, and now I understand how to deal with the partition tool.