Windows XP Format

**GiganticDays** · February 3rd, 2003, 11:30 AM

Does anyone know if you can getn direct access to the fdisk & format utilities on the Windows XP installation disc. Basically I want to use them to create and format FAT32 partitions without going through the installation process (which only seems to allow NTFS partitions)?

**Martoch** · February 3rd, 2003, 11:34 AM

Originally posted by GiganticDays
(which only seems to allow NTFS partitions)?

Hmm...FAT32 partitions can also be created during Win XP install. The default setting is NTFS, but you can change it to FAT32.

You were never prompted with a file system selection to format with?

EDIT: The screen looks like the first screenshot in this link:
http://www.windowsreinstall.com/inst...resh/page2.htm

**woodbutcher** · February 3rd, 2003, 11:52 AM

You can use a win98 disk to fdisk and format as fat32 and then install XP on top of that.
Martoch is correct though as you should be presented with an option.
This is also true if you fdisk and format with a win98 disk, upon installation of XP it will see the formatted drive as a FAT32 system and ask you if you want to change it to NTFS or leave it as FAT32 .

WB

**tmx468** · February 3rd, 2003, 11:54 AM

The XP loader allows only NTFS partitions when above 30Gb. Just use a win98 boot disk, fdisk and format the hard drive with Fat32, and then load the XP cd. it will ask if a format is required, and simply say no!

**joker_927** · February 3rd, 2003, 12:05 PM

You may have a problem though. If your disk is in NTFS now, you won't be able to use win98 Format.exe because it can't read ntfs. Even fdisk has problems.

**GiganticDays** · February 3rd, 2003, 12:16 PM

The only options I have been offered are NTFS (Quick) or NTFS, unless the HDD has previously been formatted using FAT32. The reason I want to use the Windows XP format is the Quick option. I am usually dealing with newly created partitions (usually on brand new drives) so the /q option doesn't work when using a Win98 disc. I just want to save myself a bit of time formatting 80Gb drives.
I'll explain the scenario and maybe someone can come up with an alternative solution.
I'm building pc base units for sale to my customers, usually without an O/S. I test them using Windows XP, but I need to format the HDDs after testing. Formatting using a Windows 98 startup disc takes a long time as I cannot use the format c:/q command. This is because I have created an NTFS partition with Windows XP then have to delete it and create a new FAT32 partition so I can format with the floppy. Any thoughts on how I could speed this up?

**phil_monk** · February 3rd, 2003, 12:37 PM

Yet again windows is trying to be too clever............. there is no way i know of getting to them but get a normal startup disc of a win 98 or ME computer and use that that is all i can say.

**BobViper** · February 3rd, 2003, 12:58 PM

ALOHA
I don't have my XP running at the moment,However this should apply with both w2k and xp~

Set up a removable HD tray and just drop in the drive you want to adjust.
Go to contol panel Administration tools and run computer management\Disc Management and you can see and adjust any drives............

Just make sure you don't fdisk\format the wrong drive\s...

Aloha

**Ace McGirk** · February 3rd, 2003, 01:02 PM

Why not just delete the partition with Win 98 boot disk using fdisk,then recreate it and format c: /q?

**batmeat** · February 3rd, 2003, 01:38 PM

Two words, Partition Magic

It will take care of it for you. I believe you can download a demo somewhere. Or just goto www.hotfiles.com and do a search for partitions.

**GiganticDays** · February 3rd, 2003, 02:01 PM

Ace - That's what I do at the moment except you cannot do a quick format on a new partition using format c: /q so I end up doing a full format which takes bleeding ages.
Batmeat - Can I use the Emergency Repair floppies I created with my own installation of PM to manage partitions on other drives?