Hello everybody! My newest problem is this: recently i formatted my computer through the windows xp installation bootable cd. The thing is that i only wrote "format c:" and after answering with yes (y/n) it started formatting. What i dont understand is how it deleted everything i had from my f:\ partition and after uniteing them, converting it to a NTFS file system. I was shocked. Lost a lot of stuff because of this formatting procedure. .................Now after installing Winodows Media Center ai wanted to convert my NTFS file system(i want to make it FAT32 because i know for sure that from the boot disk i can format ONLY c: for sure.......but with an NTFS file system it wont let me......it says "format not supported".......that's why i tried formatting through the bootable windows xp cd........otherwise i wouldn't have done it) to a FAT32 with Partiotion Magic software. I tried version 7 PRO and 8 but after it restarts and starts convertion just after 5% it stops tellin me:" Cannot lock drive Erorr executing Batch Press any key to restart". After restarting if i let it, it could do this in a loop restart and then start over.


My question is...........how can i convert it to fat32 succesfully and how can i format only c:\ if the bootable disk doesn't let me???(ohh .....i have a p4 at2,8ghz with 512ram, seagate hdd and windows xp OS)


Thank you! You're the best!

You've already discovered the fun of going back to FAT32. This page covers your grief, I think. (http://faq.arstechnica.com/link.php?i=1820) I think it is for win2K but the idea is the same. Here's MS page on formatting under XP (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=309000)

(NTFS is much better. I'm not sure I understand why you feel you need a FAT32 partition. See instructions above if you want to format a partion under NTFS.)

Not to try to dissuade you from changing back...however if you are into making or converting video (as in re-editing VHS into a DVD through an All-In-Wonder or creating videos for DVD) you might want to stay with the NTFS as FAT32 is limited to LESS than 4.0 GB file sizes. What that means is that a SINGLE file greater than 4.0 GB is NOT supported by the FAT 32 operating system. NTFS handles these files easily though. As I said I was not trying to dissuade you from converting back...just pointing out a small advantage. Good luck whichever way you decide to go...

Hilbilly

hello
hilbilly and steve 244 are correct
i am a scratch builder of many pc's
and have found that in only taking a hard drive back to square one;
that means good as new 0 boot sector and all.
however a word of caution ""segate drives are very touchy"
maxtor drives are easily taken back to square one"
i suggest checking data arangements on segate site for your'e particular drive.
good luck
tinker