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Technical Help & Discussion => Windows PCs & Software: Help, News & Discussion => Topic started by: David^ on July 10, 2004, 20:33

Title: Dissapearing C: Drive! :(
Post by: David^ on July 10, 2004, 20:33
Hi there!

Me and my mate are in a bit of a pickle. He has brought his PC over to my house to re-format his PC and we did all the necessary backups and so forth. So we loaded into DOS using a Windows 98 Boot Disk, and on reaching the DOS prompt we can't access the C:. It doesn't seem to exist.

Any help in finding this would be appreciated, or just how to format the HD another way

Thanks

Dave + Elliot
Title: Re:Dissapearing C: Drive! :(
Post by: Simon on July 10, 2004, 20:37
Have you tried using FDISK from the 98 boot disc?  You should be able to delete any existing partitions, then when you load the 98 CD to reinstall (hoping it's 98SE), it should allow you to format C Drive and load 98 onto it.  I think.  It's a long time since I did it!   ;D ;D
Title: Re:Dissapearing C: Drive! :(
Post by: David^ on July 10, 2004, 20:42
I already have XP installed but using the 98 disk is the only way i know of getting into DOS. I can use FDISK to remove some partitions but I don't want to be messing about because i could break it :( Anymore help?
Title: Re:Dissapearing C: Drive! :(
Post by: Simon on July 10, 2004, 21:08
Just to clarify, are you saying you already have XP installed, and want to install 98 as a second OS?  Hopefully a proper techie will be along later to give you a hand.   ;)
Title: Re:Dissapearing C: Drive! :(
Post by: David^ on July 10, 2004, 21:12
What i want to do is format the Hard-disk. THe only way i know to do this is to use a very old 98 Boot Disk to get into the DOS prompt, and then type "Format C:" in there. This usually works, and after formatting i would re-install XP. The only thing I have for Windows 98 is this boot disk, I do not intend to install 98 at all, just use this boot disk to get into DOS.
Title: Re:Dissapearing C: Drive! :(
Post by: Adept on July 10, 2004, 21:22
Hi David^ :welcome:

Try booting off your XP CD. You may have go into the BIOS to enable this.

When the XP CD boots, it will ask you to partition and format your HDD.

Hope this helps :)