Oh dear. I seem to have done it this time friends. I'm running (or was?) windows 2000 server on my ibm thinkpad. I decided to install Windows XP. Upon doing this, I ran setup and did a full installation from within Windows 2000. Apparently I overwrited windows 2000 with xp. I decided that i would try to format the hard drive...and do a super clean install. This is probably where I should have seeked help. I made my other partion active (of course this partition has nothing on it) rebooted (as to format my C: drive somehow) now upon restarting I get this dreaded NTLDR is missing message. I suppose I should also add, that previously I tried to reformat my C: with my win2k bootup disks, which gave me this blue screen that babbled about it being a stop screen. I'm hoping perhaps a technology god out there could surely help me fix this wretched machine. Otherwise I'm doomed to a 166mhz 24ram PACKARD BELL. :-/

Okay, I managed to switch my active partition using an old win98 bootdisk. Now I can select between XP and 2000...which are both on the same disk. Now, here's my question...If someone is so kind to help is.. How can I completely reformat my c drive so That i can fully install XP. :-/

You can boot off the XP-CD. When it comes to the part of configuring your partition, delete the "C-Fat" drive. Create your NTFS partition. You should be good to go. Mitch

Thanks for replying, Mitch. When I clicked to delete my my C-fat drive it said, "Setup is unable to perform the requested operation on the selected partition. This partition contains temporary Setup files that are required to complete the installation" All suggestions welcome :) Jessica

I have not seen that error before. I would take your Win98 startup disk. Boot off it. when it's finished booting, type "fdisk". This will allow you to delete the "c". I am doing this from memory so bare with me. You want to delete that primary partition. It should say "c" drive. after you do that Try installing XP by booting off the CD. This should do it. Mitch

Just to clarify - this drive has two primary partitions? Regardless - using a'98 bootdisk with Fdisk/format utils you can delete the primaries and then reconfigure for W2K or XP; also preformat as fat32 if so inclined... Then install either OS, or even go for a dual-boot... Fdisk tutorials: http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q255/8/67.ASP http://www.compguystechweb.com/index.html If any partition = ntfs then it will show up via Fdisk inspections as " non-DOS ". As long as there is no Extended area ntfs then Fdisk will remove it from any/all Primary partition(s). (M$ version of) Fdisk will not remove ntfs from Extended areas. Other wasy to clear out drive completely - afterwhich reconfigure/format via '98 boot-disk, or either OS setup... use delpart.exe util. This is often faster/easier in some situations. Originally part of NT3.1 RK (that far back...) omitted from subsequent NT RK's... (why?); freebie download at: http://hercules.lss.ksu.edu/download/MSSTUFF/index.htm Save to the hard-drive, transfer to a preformatted floppy? Boot up with '98 boot-disk; change to delpart floppy; run util - follow on-screen prompts. Afterwards reconfigure/format drive via '98 boot-disk. You can also add the util to the '98 boot-disk and thus save a disk change. Another 'poster' here is having problems with a rebuild of a system; and a major concern has been 'some' loss of data as a consequence of the crash... (there was only one partition with 'everything' in it...) To avoid similar regrets... Perhaps reconfigure drive to have both Primary and Extended partitions. Primary for OS/apps/utils, Extended for data; even subdivide Extended into two or more logical-drives - for ease of data organisation/access. The dual partition approach means data is safe in event of crash of OS etc... It was how it used to be in earier days (tape-drives not withstanding); was a safe way then and is still so today... - even with CDR/RW backups...? If going for a dual-boot - perhaps post back for a couple of other tips/recommendations; again with safety in mind. If you decide to retain the two Primaries (why?) then set the first (physically on drive) as active when you come to install the OS.

Let me try to clarify a bit, I have two partitions and from the looks they are both primary partitions. So far, this is what I've done. (whether this was a good idea or not) I've installed XP (additionally) on to my other partition (e:)...Now when I restart the computer I have a choice (heh) between Winxp on E: also on C: and ALSO win2k that is also on C:. Is it possible to format my C: drive from here complete install of the OS and then delete my other smaller partition (e:) and live happily ever after?