Hello,

I am starting to get really frustrated with this problem I have. My goal is to format a 40GB harddrive to a FAT32 system; it has 2 Windows XP OS installed on it (dont ask me why) I have installed the recovery CONSOLE as a boot option (I dont have the XP CD). I type in format C: /fs:fat32, then Y, however it just goes back to the dos prompt and does nothing else.

I also have Partition Magic 7, howeve with it I can not do anything either. If I want to create a new partition I get a message :

The selected disk contains one or more partitions which cannot be moved.
To complete this task use the Operations menu rather than a wizard.

The harddrive shows up as Dynamic Disk in Partition Magic.

Also I am can not really use alot of the utilities that are on the net for because the computer does not have CD/floppy drive. So I cant really make a boot disk.

Any HELP would be great. Thanks
If the computer has not CD drive, then how did you get Win XP installed TWICE?you need a win98 boot disk to format fat32 on a 40 gig HDD , XP wont let you because its a bad idea, fat32 dosent support more than some thing like 16GIGs , its by use Vfat that they achive shuch big disks to day, it basicly means you use more than 1 file table, and whit a 40 gig disk you be useing 4 that would be bad , and dont ask me for a reason , but i know all to well what the problem whit that is , i used to Sell and matain DVR's for security systems. and data can decide that it dosent exist for no apparnt reason Firstly i don't think you can format a 40GB HD into one FAT32 partition. My opinion to you is that create TWO partitions of 20GB each. The first one C: should be used for installing your OS and the second one D: should be for your files and usefull data. So in future when you need to format and re-install xp, just format C: without having to touch your data or loose your data in D:

Secondaly you have mentioned you are trying to use DOS to format your HD. i would like to know which DOS version/mode are you using ? Are you using it from within windows xp or you have a bootable floppy ? I just re-read your post you don't have a bootable floppy as you don't have a floppy drive or a cd drive. In that case your using windows xp cmd/dos and offcource you cant format the drive because your running your windows xp from it and using a program (cmd/dos is on that drive) to format itself, which is not possible. My question to you is same as soybean "If the computer has not CD drive, then how did you get Win XP installed twice?"Hes Trying to use the XP recovery console , it not realy dos , and dosent work as well

and i can think of two ways one would have xp twice

1 he had a CD-rom and it broke
2 he copyed the I386 folder and install'ed of that

or he my have installed over a network, there are many ways to install windows, even off another HDD or a flash card a usb merory stick

or even Aleins! wat no that was startreck....
I don't he knows all what your implying as he does not seem to have the knowledge.your right im sorry i have a habit of skiping to step 4 when trying to help people , and it can case confusion

You wont Be Able to format in the recovery console at all ever.

you will Need a Boot Device

and i do have to wonder haow you got XP on there in the frist place.check to make sure all of your pins are in the driveHow many drives are on this machine total and how are they PARTITIONED?

So you have no XP CD, but you have a CD drive? What make and model of machine is this that you got no XP CD?