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General discussion

Starting Over...

Jun 11, 2004 5:46AM PDT

I aquired a tower from a friend who said it was trashed. Actually it seems to have been partitioned incorrectly. It's a 15gig HD however available space is only 2gig. I've used FDISK & FORMAT before but what I'd like to know is whether there is a way to ensure that system settings can be saved and implemented after using FDISK? I know that some system settings are preset at factory so that all components talk to each other. I just don't know which ones they are or even how to go about resetting them. I had a packaged computer once and a family member suggested I reformat the HD- they did -and ever since my graphics and sound hasn't worked the way they used to. If at all possible I'd like to avoid the same problem this time. Also, The HD that needs to be repartitioned uses WinMe OS, however I only have access to Windows 98. Will this be a concern if I need to transfer files back after FDISK and FORMAT? Thanks for any advice.

Discussion is locked

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These are a lot of questions.
Jun 11, 2004 8:26AM PDT

1. Delete the 2 Gb partition (fdisk should work, otherwise use delpart freeware), and when making a new one take care to answer YES to the question if you want large disk support (15 Gb is LARGE).

2. After formatting the hard disk, and installing the OS, you may need to install drivers for things like graphics and sound. If they are old enough (but not too old ...) they might be recognised by the New Hardware Wizard (you only know if you try ...), but if they aren't you'll need to find out what things you have and get the correct drivers for it (download from the manufacturers site). If the machine is still running, Device Manager might tell enough. Otherwise, download a program like aida32 to get more information.

After the format you'll lose everything that's on the hard disk. So I see no issue with transferring files back, because there will be no files to transfer. Unless, of course, you burn them to CD before doing so. Then the rules are: programs need to be reinstalled, data can be copied.

Hope this helps.


Kees

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Re: These are a lot of questions.
Jun 11, 2004 8:57AM PDT

I apologize, I tried to keep it brief. My main concern is that after I FDISK & FORMAT will Win98 regognize my various components. In the senario I described before - after the machine was reformatted I lost the use of 3D from my video card. From browsing through CNets various forums I've gotten the feeling that FDISK & FORMAT by themselves are simple to use, it's getting the correct drivers for your components that is the real problem. If that's the case then I was wondering if there is anything I can do to ensure that my components will work exactly the way they did before I used the FDISK and FORMAT?

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Re: These are a lot of questions.
Jun 11, 2004 9:50PM PDT
I was wondering if there is anything I can do to ensure that my components will work exactly the way they did before I used the FDISK and FORMAT?


y'all....


Only if "you" provided them. Windows may provide a very generic type for certain components such as the video and CD-ROM, but little else.

Bill Gaston

Pardon ma ACKsent, ah'm frum Austin, Tex_As, USA

....its been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies.