Hi All,

Was hoping a wise soul may be able to assist me!

I am installing Win2K Pro over the top of Win98SE - I do not want to dual-boot, and do not want to simply upgrade from 98se to 2000 - I want to do a "clean" install, but on the same partition as where 98 sits now (that partition has been backed up).

I currently (under 98se) have a 40gig HD divided into 5 partitions, with 98' living on my C:, or primary partition, which is extended to cover the balance of the HDisk. If it's relevant, I initially set up the partitions with the Win98se FDISK etc.., but have subsequently rearranged them using Partition Magic 7.0

When I go to install 2000 Pro from the floppies, or boot from the CD, it gets to the bit about selecting drives/partitions etc but only lists ONE ‘unknown’ partition, being roughly the size of my entire HD.

What I wanted to achieve was to NTFS-format and then load 2000 Pro onto the C: drive ONLY, leaving the other 4 partitions, for now, on the old FAT32 - I can convert later if needs be. I have ESSENTIAL data on the other four partitions, and do not want them touched for now, and there's too much to back up - would take about 35-40 cd-roms etc...

Is there any way I can make the 2000 install "see" all 5 partitions, so that I can specifically format and install to the C: drive only?

I have tried to 'hide' the partitions using Partition Magic, but this did not work.

Any hints or tips greatly appreciated!

Can't see anything wrong in what you're trying to do. If you run Partition Magic 7.0, how do the partitions show up ? Presumably you have a 10Gb C: drive showing as primary and active, and then D:, E: etc.

What do you mean by 'unknown' partition. Is that what W2K is reporting ?

green_blade..

What PM shows is:

1st: My C drive as primary (7gig) and extended by 33gig - total 40gig HD
2nd: D, E, F, G drives of varying sizes, totalling the 33gig.

The "unknown" is what the Win2K setup program shows when it examines my storage media. ie, is writes a label of "unknown" and shows a drive of 39 and a bit gig - no recognition of any of the partitioning!

Weird, I could understand it if you were trying to view an NTFS partition from DOS are something.

If you've backed up your C: drive, maybe try formatting the drive as NTFS from within PM7 and then retry your 2000 install.

Thanks again green_blade... much appreciated.. I have tried just about everything I can think of, and have taken advice from mates and people like you too.. All to no avail, unfortunately, and I'm still concerned about blowing the important data I have on those partitions...

I am seriously considering your most recent suggestion (format C to NTFS then setup 2000), but my slight concern is if that doesn't work (gut feeling tells me it should), I'll have to reformat back to FAT32, whack 98se back in, and set everything up again - yes, I'm basically lazy - but I do have a lot to set up once I get an OS going...

I am going to try some diagnostics with PMv8.0 tonight, and if that doesn't halp, my decision is to go with your advice, or bite the bullet and spend some bucks on a 2nd HD to back everything up on, and nuke the current HD and start with a clean format of the whole thing... I suppose that a 2nd drive would be useful down the track... hmmmm....

Thanks again mate... We shall see how it turns out..

<.. says toecutter while trying to convince mrs toecutter we need a 2nd HD...>

If you've backed up your C: drive, all you will need to do is delete the NTFS partition, create a new one and either copy or ghost the 'old' C: drive back again. Your other partitions shouldn't be affected.

The only concern is, WHY are the partitions not being viewed correctly.

Ahhh shite.. You make me look stoopid... Of course, you're right - that'll save heaps of time.. Don't think I can see the bloody forest for the trees at the moment.. <toey hangs head in shame>

As for why the partitions won't show - it could be anything I guess - partition table, PM stuffing it, something corrupt or not formatted properly etc etc etc.. At this point I have assumed that trying to get the Setup program to recognise the partitions is a useless folly to pursue..

As I said before, I will take you earlier advice, or get-a-spendin'!!