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OK, I partitioned my hard drive so I would have Linux on one partition and XP on the other.
I want to undo my partition, but I can't figure out how to do it.
I reformated the hard drive, thinking this would magically undo all that was done. It didn't :(
So now I am out of ideas; would I have to buy another Hard Drive?
Yea the HD is gone you have to buy a new one.... Send it to me, I collect them....
Dude, RTFM, whatever you sued to partition this thing HAS to have some form of documentation.
I think you may want to sit down and learn the basics of OS installs and partitioning before you start messing with things you don't understand.
Now, depending on what OS you're in, you're going to have to become friends with fdisk, unless you're in Linux, then you probably want CFdisk.
Delete all the partitions, then, grab your Windows install disk, and have it install on the HD, as you'll need to make a new partition table....
Actually this is taking to logn to explain.
Use fdisk and delete all the partitions.
Take a Windows or Linux CD rom and pop it in.
When it loads up, in Linux either tell it to use the whole HD, depending on distro (You didn't give NEARLY enough information)..
OR:
For Windows:
Put the CD-ROM in the computer, reboot, and when it says you have no partitions or whatever it says, and let it format and create them for you. Then you're done.
After this I highly recommend you get some books or read some online docs on basics of partitioning or you're going to end up screwing this thing up good.
Oh, and *Moved to OSs*
With XP disk...it should find the harddrive with the 2 partitions...may not recognize your linux partition....dont know
You should be able to delete the existing partitions and then format the whole disk...or create new partitions.
MLF
Couldn't I just run a magnet over the hard driver (first removing the hard drive from the box, of course), then install an OS onto it?
From what I know....it would have to be a pretty big magnet....and I think you just may damage the disk......maybe not the platters....but the board on the disk
Just use the windows cd........... :rolleyes:
MLF
Ummm did you not see my post? You rub a magnent on that thing you're most likely going to make it almost un-useable...
Hmmmm,
You would need an industrial strength electromagnet for it to work. The method is/was used to wipe backup tapes, it is not intended for hard drives as it either won't work, or it will be destructive, and you will have to buy a new drive.
Morgana~ and gore are quite correct. You have the solution right there.
1. Power up your machine
2. Insert your Windows CD
3. Reboot your PC. You should now get a prompt asking if you want to boot from the hard drive or CD. Select CD If this does not happen, take the "set up" option when your machine starts, this will bring you into your BIOS settings. There will be an option for "boot" or "Startup sequence" Set this to have the CD first then reboot with the Windows CD in the drive.
4. When it boots, it will prompt you for installation instructions. SELECT CLEAN INSTALL nothing else will work properly so don't even bother.
5. It will ask you about partitions you want. I believe the default is a single partition.
6. The partition file type you want for Windows XP is NTFS
7. Just follow the rest of the installation prompts.
8. If you are prompted if you want ctrl + alt + del to login say "Yes"
9. It will ask you to set an administrator password. Make this complex and write it down.
You will need your Windows product key to complete the installation.
You will then have to "activate" the product with Microsoft within 30 days.
:)
How bout a program like Partition Magic? or does that only CREATE partitions? not quite sure on that one....
Off topic........ sort of....Tex made me think about it :)
I recently have had a couple of 2000 installs fail....harddrive issue...
When I pop the drives in my machine....xp can see 2 partitions but cant recognize them.
Using a data recovery tool(ontrack) ...I get the data
Both these drives I used partition magic on.........many moons ago
Does a recent MS update wreck the partition management of PM.........renedering the OS unbootable...???
Almost exact same hardware...same date of purchase.....from my NT days I still split hardrives in some situations
Anyway.....
Just thoughts
MLF
Misstress Lefay (Tiger is probably to drunk to type right now, someone had to say it)
I recently had to do a restore on my laptop, I didn't use Partition Magic on these Partitions as I used Fdisk, but I did have trouble booting Windows back up again. Had to restore 5 tmies before it booted finally.
Its just really wierd that these 2 machines failed within a month...
...and I know used PM on them....both....
same thing....cant boot or repair...ms just doenst recognize the partitions... even slaved in another machine...need data off the machines because app is hugely hardware intense and runs better locally.....new products...no recent backup to server...(my fault.....)
Knowing you Mr Gore....you probably used a different OS then MS to partition the drive :D
there maybe a simulariity :cool:
MLF
Morgan:
Yes, I partitioned with SUSE. It's way easier than using the red headed step child version of Fdisk Windows comes with.
If you can and you've backed everything up, why not try installing Linux on one of those boxes just to see what happens?
Like maybe it's a peice of hardware JUST starting to fail.
And now that I've read more of your post... Hmmmmm. Do you have a Live CD? You can try noe of those, mount the HDs, and then use FTP to send the files to another server so you at least have a back up. It's what I do when I screw up. Lol ;)
I reformat at least one machine every week or so, my HDs get a good work out lol.
Though my mail system is going fine and has been up almost 78 days. and the other Slackware / Free BSD dual boot machine I have here has been up for just about 55 days.
I don't care abuot uptime anymore much, I just don't want to reboot because the mail system is the one with a bad HD... And the Monitor... So I don't want to install a new HD yet.
The other box I just leave up because I get alot of email and so that one checks another account. That email accoun gets so much mail I actually use it for that email address only and use Mutt to check it.
I have almost 40,000 emails right now. It's like 17 Free BSD Unix lists, a bunch of SUSE lists, and security lists, and all of them, every email sent, are archived on that machnie.
Far too busy with databases and accounting reporting sh1t right now.... :(
Not what I like to do.....or very good at...but learning fast...
accouting sh1t hurts my head............
funny that 2 different partition or disk managers...end up with the same results..same OS??
MLF
Well mine is Windows XP home, but I'm used to updates breakign things on Windows. Lol.
As long as Doom runs I'm cool.
OK, so I installed GRUB, and when I restarted my hard drive, the Ubuntu kernel was there as an option to boot to :eek:
So, I don't think I'm in such a big hole as I believed, but is there any way to undo all the partitions (there's only one) and get it back to its original state?
Yes, you previously had a dual boot HDD. The normal routine is to install Windows first and then a *nix. During the Windows install it created a partition(s) and like wise during the the *nix install. Many Windows' do not see the *nix partition(s) and can't delete them. However a *nix utility will most likely see all partitions and can delete, create, etc.
As was mentioned by Gore very early on, use a *nix utility to delete the *nix's partitions. At a minimum there will be two *nix partitions to delete, swap & /
Using the *nix utility you can do everything in one set and create your desired state.
cheers