Possible boot floppy to format NTFS ???

[jmichna]

I'm going to be rebuilding a RAID-0 array (new mobo) starting from scratch (clean WinXPPro OS installation).

Is it possible to create a (possibly WinXP) boot floppy that will allow me to format my RAID-0 drives using NTFS at a cluster size I select? Something like:
FORMAT X: /A:16k /FS:NTFS

I want to be able to set my NTFS cluster size to be the same as my RAID-0 stripe size (right now leaning toward stripe/cluster of 16k, but still researching). WinXP defaults to NTFS cluster size of 4k during OS setup/installation, so I want to format the hard drives before I begin the OS install.
Thanks,
jmichna

[Midknyte]

As far as I know, you cannot format floppies with NTFS. sorry

[BipolarBill]

You can, however, use Partition Magic 7 floppies to do this.

[Midknyte]

I just gotta eat my words. Here is a freeware program to format floppies with NTFS:

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/ntfsfloppy.shtml

I'm imp enough to admit when I'm wrong. Hehehe :D

[jmichna]

Originally posted by Midknyte
As far as I know, you cannot format floppies with NTFS. sorry Midknyte...
That's not quite what I'm trying to do. I want some sort of a bootable floppy (whether or not it is NTFS itself) which would permit me to then fdisk my hard drives (in RAID-0 array) and format using NTFS file system, to a cluster size I want (16k, in this particular case).
Perhaps some sort of "fdisk/NTFS format" utility that can fit on a bootable floppy?
thanks,
jmichna

[jmichna]

Originally posted by BipolarBill
You can, however, use Partition Magic 7 floppies to do this. Bill,
Short of purchasing PM7 can you think of any other options? I just need something bootable via floppy, with some sort of utility that will let me fdisk and format using NTFS file system my "virgin" new C: and D: partitions in the new RAID-0 array that I'm going to create.
Thanks,
John

PS: I suppose another option would be to install a single HD on one of the standard IDE controllers, install XP Pro, then install the two drives that will form the raid array, create the raid array in BIOS, then boot up into XP Pro from the single HD, partition and format the newly created raid array drives using NTFS (I'm pretty sure I can select cluster size when doing it this way), assign them drive letters C: and D:, then shut down, pull the single HD, and (re)install XPPro all over again to the now NTFS-formatted raid array... trouble is I don't have a spare third drive, and even if I did, that is a lot on Mickey Mousing around, sheesh!

[BipolarBill]

Free:

http://www.ranish.com/part/

Don't ask me how to use it! The Readme is there. I think that this is just what the doctor ordered!

[jmichna]

Originally posted by BipolarBill
Free:

http://www.ranish.com/part/

Don't ask me how to use it! The Readme is there. I think that this is just what the doctor ordered! I'm loooking at it... it seems as though it may do what I want... but I sure as hell can't figure out how to use it (yet, anyway)...
might be easier to borrow a 3rd harddrive.
jmichna
:(

[jmichna]

<<<<<< BUMP>>>>>

Any one else have any ideas?

jmichna

[mcjamesk]

check out ZBOOT Manager it may do what u need $$ major geeks.com drive utilities, free to try