Can not format second drive from XP drive

[Tim]

Running XP Pro SP3. Have my original W2000 on drive D:: When I try to
reformat D: from either properties or disk manager...I get a error saying
can not format because some files in the volume are in use

Far as I know there's nothing being shared...and regedit reports no D:\
drive entries ?

How do I reformat the D: drive in XP Pro from the main XP C: drive ?

Thanks, Tim

[Shenan Stanley]

Is it a separate hard disk drive or a partition?

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

[Sardine]

If you are sure you want to re-format the drive (or drive partition) I'd
try going to Windows Disk Management and delete the partition, re-create
the partition, and then format it. If that doesn't work, try it from a
booted Bart CD or similar.

Sard

[Rich Barry]

Tim, if you are in a dual boot with Win2K, the bootloader might be on
drive D: Do a search for boot.ini and ntldr.
"Tim" <tri...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:upD5Y8oi...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

[philo]

Rich Barry wrote:
> Tim, if you are in a dual boot with Win2K, the bootloader might be on
> drive D: Do a search for boot.ini and ntldr.

Though it would be unusual for the boot loader to be on D:

that's what it looks like to me.

If that's the case...then D: *cannot* be formatted

however, the old Win2k installation can be simply deleted
while booted to XP

of course do not delete ntdetect.com ntldr and boot.ini

[Doum]

philo <ph...@privacy.net> �crivait
news:8vOdnfvn2uJqTqDW...@ntd.net:

> Rich Barry wrote:
>> Tim, if you are in a dual boot with Win2K, the bootloader might be
>> on
>> drive D: Do a search for boot.ini and ntldr.
>
>
>
> Though it would be unusual for the boot loader to be on D:
>
> that's what it looks like to me.
>
> If that's the case...then D: *cannot* be formatted
>
>
> however, the old Win2k installation can be simply deleted
> while booted to XP
>
> of course do not delete ntdetect.com ntldr and boot.ini
>
>
>
>
>

Question...

How about deleting everything on D: (deleting the partition from DM) and
then doing a repair install of XP booting from the XP cd installation?

Just curious.

[Tim]

Thanks guys...sorry about the partition stuff...should have included that.
Both C: & D: have only one partition. Had looked on MS site and found info
on boot.ini. Search showed no boot.ini on C: On D: there is a
'boot.ini.backup' in D:WINNT\pss only.

This was not set up as a dual boot system...at leas intentionally. I get no
choice of drives when I boot up...always goes to C: XP ? But...if I have a
lock up or freeze or something..occasionally...but not always...the reboot
starts 2000. Have to shut down computer...go to bios...and reset the C:
drive as the 1st drive.

A little nervous now..don't care about 2000 on D: drive....want to clone
transfer my working XP on C: to D: drive when my Win & Pro upgrade arrives.
Definitely don't want to mess up XP though. Obviously...the current C:
drive is the larger/faster drive...so that' why I want XP ( now on C: ) to
go to D: and clean D: to make room for XP.

Please re-comment on procedures...assuming the boot.ini IS on the D: drive
now...

Thanks

"Doum" <m...@domain.net> wrote in message
news:XnF9CF35819DF4...@207.46.248.16...

[philo]

You could disconnect the HD with Win2k on it

then boot with your XP cd and from the repair console
issue the command fixboot and fixmbr

If that works then you can wipe the entire D: drive once you re-attach it

[Tim]

D: drive boot.ini.backup

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect

[Doum]

philo <ph...@privacy.net> �crivait
news:O72dnUA9Bs0ekKPW...@ntd.net:

I'm not the OP but the subject interests me.

The OP didn't mention if D: was a separate HD or a second partition on a
single HD.

What if C & D are on the same physical HD would the procedure suggested
in my first post would work?

Thanks

[me]

First disconnect the D: drive and see if you boot into XP witout it.
Are you showing system files? I believe boot.ini is normally hidden.

[Tim R]

Doum...tried that before posting...thru DM and I still get the same
error...volume (D: Drive) is in use. However..there was an option for
deleting partition/formatting D: drive anyway with the warning that "some
applications on original Drive C: may not function"...!...so I posted

Tim

"Doum" <m...@domain.net> wrote in message

news:XnF9CF36992BCE...@207.46.248.16...

> philo <ph...@privacy.net> �crivait
> news:O72dnUA9Bs0ekKPW...@ntd.net:
>
>

[db]

what you might try to do
is to install a second copy
of xp onto the d drive.

if I recall you will likely
get the option to reformat it.

further, because of the second
installation,

your boot menu will be modified
to be dual booting.

not sure if the above will help but
certainly worth a try.

--
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DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>

"Tim" <tri...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:upD5Y8oi...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

[Andy]

Check the status of the C and D partitions in Disk Management. If D is
not System or Paging, then it should be formattable in Windows.
To look for boot.ini, open a Command Prompt window, and execute the
command, dir c:\ /a
To see the contents of boot.ini, right click on My Computer and select
Properties, Advanced tab, Startup and Recovery Settings, and Edit.

[Tim]

Here's update...I have all three: ntdetect.com , ntldr , and boot.ini on
both C: ( active XP ) and D: ( old W2000 ). In XP Disk Manager D: is
listed as Active, but not System or Paging as Andy mentioned.

All three files are different when comapred side/by side. The 2000 boot.ini
is as follows:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect

XP Pro is:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Should I still follow philo's advice as follows...particularly the : "from

the repair console issue the command fixboot and fixmbr"
>
> You could disconnect the HD with Win2k on it
>
> then boot with your XP cd and from the repair console
> issue the command fixboot and fixmbr
>
>
> If that works then you can wipe the entire D: drive once you re-attach
> it

and proceed from there...

Thanks all, Tim

[Doum]

"Tim R" <tri...@cox.net> �crivait
news:#xh6rdwi...@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:

Ok, missed it, but again:

How about deleting everything on D: (deleting the partition from DM) and

then doing a repair install of XP booting from the XP cd installation? If
ntldr and boot.ini and ... are on D?

It's not a solution, it's a QUESTION,

So, I post!

[Andy]

Based on the status of the partitions in shown in Disk Management and
the contents of boot.ini, Windows XP is independent of drive D. Try
booting XP with drive D disconnected, and see if you run into any
problems. If not, then format D with something other than Windows.