Building a New system...

[Dazman1]

when i build my system, and install a new blank HDD, can I use my bootdisk to get to dos then partition, then format.....
I only want one partition, or maybe even two...

What would be the steps of doing this....???

starting from then drive being installed ready to power up!

(I thought it was this)

1. Power up, enter bios, check auto-detect.
2. Boot down into dos..partition....then re-start
3.Then go back into dos, set as active partition.
4.Then back into dos to format....
5. Then install Win98

yes, no??

[RayH]

1) During boot from floppy, enter BIOS > Auto Detect > Make sure the drive has been detected by going into the specifics of the drive;

2) Exit BIOS and continue booting with the floppy

3) a:\>Fdisk

Create DOS Partition

Create PRIMARY DOS Partition
4 or 5 GBs is more than sufficient for Windows and Applications. Be sure you enter either the KBs (yes KBs) or % correctly. If you want to use %, be sure to use % sign!

Make that Primary Partition Active

Create Extended DOS Partition (use all)

Create Logical Partitions inside the Extended. The amount, if using percentage is amount LEFT!

Reboot

Format each partition

Load Windows

[Dazman1]

So if i install my 20gb drive, i dont want to have loads of paritions, I just want to split it....like 5gb/15gb is that alright???

Do I have to make the partition with win98 on 'active', as well as the extended partition, or is it just the partition with the operating system on I have to make active?

Another query....If for example i was to install a second Hard drive, would I partition it and format it inside windows, or would I have to boot down into dos and do like a fresh partition and format there!

Thanks

[RayH]

For your 20 GB drive, you can format it for 5 and 15. I have something similar with mine. The C is active. D is not. When you make the extended DOS partition, just answer use all available space. Then make that EXTENDED DOS partition LOGICAL using all available space.

For your second hard drive, you have to go into the BIOS and get it detected. I'd use the floppy to format it.

Beware, that the order that the computer will see the drives is:

Primary drive First Partition
Second physical drive First partition
First (Primary drive), successive partitions
Second phycial drive successive partitions

That means, in your origina hard drive of C/D, it will become C/E and the second hard drive will become D/F +........