Can't delete logical drive with FDISK

[Rick Barnett]

I'm trying to format a 250 GB Maxtor hard drive, in order to install Windows XP on it. It was previously used as a secondary storage drive.PROBLEM: In the step before formatting: (FDISK says there is: 1 EXT DOS Partition, No logical drives defined),(FDISK then says: Cannot delete Extended DOS Partition while logical drives exist)(However when I go to delete the logical drive: (FDISK says: No logical drives defined))How can I delete the "logical drive" and the "EXT DOS Partition", so I can end up with a completely empty hard drive to install Windows XP on?Thanx, Rick

[muckshifter]

suggestion, create a smaller (4 - 8 gb) partition and load xp onto it.

huh?Suggestion, just make one partition.

[Jeber]

If you have a single extended DOS partition that is the size of the drive, and no logical partitions, you have an empty drive ready to be used. Windows has to have at least one extended active partition (your DOS partition). Within that you can create any number of logical partitions.Right now your extended partition will become your C:\ drive once you install Windows.Maybe this TechNet article will describe it better.

[b2cm]

You do not need FDISK. As Temmu suggested, use the XP setup to detect and delete/create partitions. Windows XP needs an active primary partition (what Microsoft calls a 'system' partition) to install boot files. You can install XP on that partition or on another partition, primary or logical.

[ross549]

huh?Suggestion, just make one partition.

If you create a small partition for the OS and programs, and use the rest of the drive for data, it makes reinstallation much simpler, because the data will be untouched when you reinstall.;)Adam

[Gus K]

Maxtor supplies some very nice HD utilities, try them.

[Peachy]

The reason FDISK isn't working is because the drive is too large. It's a known limitation of MS-DOS. XP's installer can do all the disk partitionning for you.

[Guest LilBambi]

Welcome Rick Barnett!Can't go wrong with just using the install disk for XP to do the partitioning. :thumbsup:I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how easy it really is.

[epp_b]

Just to add a note about the partitioning. I would suggest that you make two partitions...C: (primary, bootable) to store Windows and your installed softwareD: (logical) to store your personal data, downloads, application data*, etc.The sizes that you make these partitions largely depend on what you use your computer for.* = Many applications allow you to specify a location in which to store user settings and configurations (at least those that manage their settings the right way with files rather than storing them in the registry -- yuck!). Eudora, Firefox and FlashFXP are a few examples of these types of programs. The big advantage to this is that, when you need to re-install your operating system, your application data will still remain intact (not to mention, anything else you have on D: ) and you will not need to reconfigure those programs or restore clumsy backups. In such a situation, backing up is still recommended, but that's for those "just in case" times.