I'm thinking the unthinkable!

[euroslash]

I wont be popular for asking this........

How do i remove Linux Mandrake 7.1 from my hdd? I just wanna clean stuff out and start over.

I've tried formatting with a bootdisk but this leaves LILO and Linux, but deletes the win98 partition.

People suggested using partition magic and the like, but is there not a way of just deleting mandrake and its partitions without programs like that? or something?

thanks

(by the way ou conspiracists, i'm not cleaning my hdd pending a government search... maybe)

€/ :mad:

[MandK_10]

from your win98 bootdisk run fdisk /MBR. this will clean the master boot record. Now when you boot up you will boot to windows.

At this point if you are starting over just put your install CD in and begin the install. When you get to the part about setting your partions, use the existing partitions and make sure that you have the setup program format them. This will be an option in most all distros

Hope this helps

Mike

[euroslash]

Thanks mike, thats fantastic.

Now those capitalist slimes won't get their grubby mits on my top secret records...

Urm, I mean, now I can start a-fresh!

(phew, think i got outta that one)

€/ :D

[euroslash]

Ok, did fdisk /mbr, now it bypasses LILO, but now my 8gb hdd is still only showing 5.8gb in win98, cos linux is still taking up partitions.


If i just format the c: now, will it give me my 8gb back?
or do i need to edit partitions?

thanks

€/

[GovernerofTibet]

I say install mandrake8 (its what I've got, I'm not sure if the features I'm talking about are in 7.x, if they are, then just use that if you'd rather). Just download the cds off their site, its only 2.

The installer includes a really nice partition editor that lets you resize, remove, and edit all of your partitions before choosing which ones to put drake on.

[TheBrewMeister]

The only way I know of to erase the whole drive is to zero-fill it with the drive manufacturers utilities. It will be in the same state as it was in the box. No partitions, no nothing.

[Dave's not here]

How many partitions does it list when you go into fdisk? I had to remove partitions before, and all I did was run fdisk and then removed the linux partitions (after fdisk /mbr). Formatting C: might do it, but I would check fdisk to see if the linux partition still exists and remove if need be. Another thing to try is running both scandisk and defrag in win. They should catch the problem. Hope that helps...

[Linuxneophyte]

Go to fdisk and delete, then delete non-dos partition. Ta dah, now you have unpartitioned harddrive space. Which you can install Linux or whatever on. If you want to use it for Windows, you have to create a new partition (I guess extended), then it should show up in Windows and you can format it or whatever.

Or you can simply just reinstall a versino of Linux over that space from the installer. Most distros will do that for you.

[MandK_10]

euroslash,
What are you wanting to do? if you don't want any linux any more you will need to use a tool that will see the linux partition. Windows fdisk probably will not, so using it to fdisk and format may not give you your whole disk back.

If you are looking to put linux back on but with a different partitioning scheme, just insert your setup disk and it will have the utilities you need to change the ext2 partitions.

Is this too vague?

Mike

[euroslash]

Well, i run fdisk and it says i have an extended dos partiton. when i go to delete it, it says i cant. i think it says something about it not being able to cos it needs it.

its said that all along, even before i did fdisk /mbr

any ideas? sorry for lack of info. i'll try a few things later, like formatting now, and stuff.

thanks

€/

[bdg1983]

You've cleared out the mbr and all that's left is the linux partitions. Correct?

I've heard that dos/win fdisk will delete ext2 partitions if you select non-dos from the delete menu.

If that doesn't work, then use the Linux partitioning utilities such as fdisk, parted etc.

I guess you don't have a copy of Partition Magic. GNU Parted should do all you need. Get it at freshmeat.net

[euroslash]

my fdisk window says(where i put dots ive shrtened what it says):
1.Create Dos Partition......
2.Set Active Partition
3.Delete Partition or logical dos drive
4.Display partition information

when i select 4., it says:
(basically)
i have 2 partitions, 1 called pri dos and 1 called ext dos

it also says:
'the exteneded dos partition contains logical dos drives. do you want to display the logical drive info? y/n.

i select y.

it says:
no logical drives defined.

back to main screen:
i select 3.
i delete 'ext dos partition', it says, 'cannot delete extended dos partition while logical drives exist.'

i select delete logical dos drives in the ext dos partition.

it says:
'no logical drives defined'

i select delete non dos partition,
it says 'no non dos partition to delete'.

any ideas from that?

thanks muchly

€/


:confused:

[MandK_10]

Yes, you will have to use a linux tool to format the linux partition. windows fdisk will not see it...see above posts.

Mike

[euroslash]

Ok, mike, thats cool, but.......now that i did fdisk /mbr, how do i load linux? is that what i would have needed a linux bootdisk for?

wait, i think i have one - it has root.000 on it - does that sound like it?

hope so.

if i dont have a bootdisk - what do i do?

thanks

€/ :(

[Sawz]

hey bud - just use partition magic 6 - you can use it to delete any and all partitions that you dont want as well as simply resize your windows partition. or use a msdos based fdisk and delete all the partitions, create 1 main fat32 partition, format it and install windows again. Personally I would rather use partition magic, lucky for me - i just use linux for all my partitioning needs and it hasnt failed me yet...including resizing partitions without losing any data.

Good Luck

[bugfix]

Use your bootable 'drake CD and the installers partitioning tool to delete the partition. Presto, you're done.

Or... get a big magnet and leave it on top of the drive for a little while (making sure you're careful not to get it over the Windows sectors.)

[euroslash]

I like bugfix's idea the best - i just wish there was a switch on the hdd, that when you throw it, wipes the entire thing and allows you to do whatever with your box.

Ah well.

Just a thought, what would happen if i put a magnet on it? wouldnt it like corrupt some bits but not others and render it unusable, or could it actually wipe the whole thing?

Damn anti-capitalists...

€/ :eek:

[MandK_10]

Originally posted by MandK_10:
<STRONG>euroslash,
What are you wanting to do? if you don't want any linux any more you will need to use a tool that will see the linux partition. Windows fdisk probably will not, so using it to fdisk and format may not give you your whole disk back.

If you are looking to put linux back on but with a different partitioning scheme, just insert your setup disk and it will have the utilities you need to change the ext2 partitions.

Is this too vague?

Mike</STRONG>


OK I think I covered bugfix's idea a long time ago. I am not tryng to be a butt here, but pay attention to the answers to your questions.

Mike

PS if you use a magnet on your harddrive you deserve what happens.

[ 22 July 2001: Message edited by: MandK_10 ]

[euroslash]

Woo, ok, ok, sorry, but i didnt understand, you just if not... but didnt provide an alternative - however thats not a criticism, i need all the help i can get.

ANd the hdd thing, yeah it wasnt really a serious question, but you never know.

Sorry if this thread is p1551ng anyone off.

I'll go away now...

€/ ;)