Hello ALL!

It's me again! Yes, I'm back!
For starters, I was able to run NT4.0 with an 8.4GB partition about a year ago.
During that time, I backed up the (C:) partition to CDR discs which I still have.

I have reinstalled NT again with the FAT16 file system.

HDD /PARTITION STATISTICS:
Total hdd space: 1.99GB
Used space: 1.40GB
Free space: 609MB
HDD: Maxtor 30GB
C: PARTITION: 2GB
D: PARTITION: 2GB
E: PARTITION: 2GB
F: PARTITION: Utilities, misc files
UNALLOCATED: 21,116.7GB
There is no way for me to continue without converting this hdd to the NTFS.
The main problem is this: I've forgotten how I did this previously.
Moreover, Partition Magic 6 did not help, because it says the maximun allowed could not exceed the 2GB barrier.
What steps should I take to get back to the NTFS file system and use ANY amount of hdd i want?
If at all possible, I would like to convert the whole hdd to NTFS, exclusively running NT4.0 only.
Any help in getting started on this will be appreciated tremendiously.
Thanks in advance.
purdue112

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;214579

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;231756

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;119497

DO NOT BAN THE MESSENGER

If you're willing to start afresh...

Things to recall/remember

(Without going into all the reasons for it) Max (Primary) partition for NT is 7.8/8Gig (as ntfs); as fat16 it's 4Gig; it must also start within the first 4Gig of the drive physically (boot-code boundary). If the the Primary partition is created during setup it can be to a max of 4Gig - fat16/ntfs.

If you want to create/use the max 7.8/8Gig (ntfs) primary option it has to be created via another NT system Disk Admin (or possibly via PM/SC etc.?).

Other way to achieve what you want is to go the standard "workaround"; i.e. install a bare-bones NT to a smallish (200-250Meg) fat16 Primary. Use Disk Admin tools to configure the balance of the as Extended partition (formatted as ntfs) and install NT there (again). This Extended area can be in excess of the 7.8/8Gig limit as the boot-files will be in the small dos Primary, and also well inside the boot-code boundary for NT4.

The drive is in excess of 7.8/8Gig so you will need to apply the updated atapi.sys during NT set (each time); and probably again at the end... Also apply the appropriate sp. The updated atapi.sys is present in sp4 and later.

Finally make the ERD and keep safe/current.

This routine gives you a dual-boot NT/NT; I'd keep the bare-bones installation in C: (the smallish Primary) as it may well allow some uesful recovery options in the future?

A couple of more specific guides on this apporach...

http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=13894&DisplayTab=Article

http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=13922&DisplayTab=Article

(The latter one is courtesy of Wanderer - to his credit.)

There are variataions on this approach too.

However, you already have NT installed to a 2Gig fat16 Primary; balance of drive partitioned into a series of logical-drives? Presuming so, you could simply transform/reconfigure the Extended area into a single ntfs Extended partition/logical-drive (or two or more logical-drives) as ntfs, using Disk Admin tools (from NT in the Primary) to reconfigure the Extended partition afresh and reformat as ntfs.

Otherwise you can use the convert command to convert each of the fat16 areas to ntfs?

Generally there is little need to have an NT boot-partition (where the OS resides) in excess of4Gig (fat16/ntfs) be it a Primary or Extended partition - unless one is really into heavy/large apps/utils; main bulk of the drive would be given over to data etc...?

Thanks, trvlr.

Before I begin this reply, let me say that the install was a 100% goof.
STOP error: 0x00-000 [on and on.]
Inaccessible_Boot_Device...

The second install of NT40 merged with the first install on the (C:) partition.
Back to the reinstallation, NT4 reported "damaged" or "corrupted" hdd.
Running the MaxBlast V3 Boot CD afforded me the options of reformatting.
(C:) 250MB FAT16
(F:) DSK1_VOL2 [8197.2MB NTFS]
UNALLOCATED SPACE: 20,818.6MB

PLEASE NOTE: As the system asks for the three disks, the last one, (Windows NT Workstation Setup Disk #3 never loads as the others do. This 3rd floppy has never worked! I have 9 floppies, which
are duplicates of the required three disks. They all seem to work,except the 3rd one.
When prompted to do so, the MS Atapi SP4 IDE Driver disk is inserted and is recognized as such, but refuses any verification, e.g., it screams by saying there is no information on the system about this driver.
BTW, Disk Admin offered limited options. Therefore, PartitioMagic 6.0 was used for the most part.

Finally, I think the main problem has to be the status of Atapi.sys being loaded and configured with the setup, because it never asks for this driver again.

What can you suggest relative to this recalcitrant Atapi.sys driver?
There is no doubt in my mind that this IS the problem source.

Again, thanks for so much help.

Regards,
purdue112

Whilst I (and others too) ponder this one, check you have disabled any anti-virus util at bios level. If it's "active/enabled" it will usually produce the error you're geting during an installation of '9x/NT etc...

If as is it sounds you are able/willing to go a fresh start...

First I'd run a chkdsk routine via a '98 SE bootdisk. Presuming it is OK wipe the drive (use delpart.exe) and then reconfigure for the smallish fat16 dos partition.

delpart (can be added to '98 bootdisk, and run at the a: prompt) is available (freebie) at:

http://www.mesich.com

http://therdcom.com/DELpart.htm

Then install NT to the smallish fat16 Primary, and create the Extended partition etc... etc... as already detailed earlier.

Also if need-be make fresh set of NT floppies; and also copy the atapi.sys either from sp4 or later, or download it via:

http://www.advantech.com/support/sr_detail.asp?SR_ID=1%2BFY%2B1466

(they detail an M$ ftp link in their info.)

Follow the usual NT setup etc. in both the fat16 Primary and later to the Extended partition.

Also if you initially make the fat16 Primary bootable to dos6x and also include CDROM drivers, you can then copy the i386 to the c: primary and run NT setup from there (each time)...

The command would be:

c:\winnt /b /x /s:c:\i386\winnt

or simply change to c:\i386 and run the usual winnt command.

As before offer up the atapi.sys

I'm not sure if the M$ ftp site offers a zipped/compressed or unzipped/compressed download...

Thanks, trvlr!

Firstly, the info you've provided is appreciated to the highest!
This is the most comprehensive tip that I've had in a lifetime.
Believe it or not, I have the "bull by the horns!"
Remember, the second install was a goof.
Well, the third one was not. Here's what happened:
As usual, I chose the CDROM install, and inserted the atapi.sys floppy when prompted.
The system acknowledged the software and the install continued.
I specified an unallocated space of around 18-20 GB and the system rebuked me (amount specified

was beyond the limit of 8GB.
The system rebooted and this time I specified 8200MB and the unallocated space was deleted,

created, and reformatted with NTFS. The install was done without a hitch.
From this point I began with an IE 3.02, NT4 SP4,IE 4.01 SP1, and moved to the WindowsUpdate page

for all the updates.
Every Update package loaded well throughout the update phase.
NOW, HERE IS THE RUB:
As anyone knows, you gotta have utilities/applications to get the job done.
The primary utilities are these:
ZoneAlarm v2.367Pro, AVG Pro, System Mechanic, PM6.0, Drive Image 2002, NTI CDMaker 2000. After

these programs were installed, this error message began to appear:

"OleMainThreadWndName:This Windows application cannot respond to the End Task request."
What rogue program would modify the Registry and cause this behavior? This is the only problem Im

having with NT40 Workstation.
I will appreciate you help in finding a solution in stopping this error msg.

Thanks in advance,
purdue112

All those utils...?

Why the need for PM6.0?

NTI CD maker 2000 - don't know that one... but - is that the W2K version of util; if so it may not be OK for NT4?

I tend to install a util at a time and see if everything goes OK each time - before proceeding to the next (unless I "know" a given series of items is OK).

Incidentally using sp4 and utils that arrived after it "may" produce an irritation or three? I somtimes have the feeling that some utils etc. tend to be "tweaked etc." for the sp current at their (the util's) time of release? Whilst sp4 was resonably sound there were some issues that emerged and sp6a was allegedly the one that "fixed" all (most?) outstanding issues?

I'm not familiar with the error mesage you're getting, but a trawl via google using

OleMainThreadWndName

as the string, produces a wealth of info. One of the first points to issues with Symantec antivirus...

Perhaps a trawl of your own will bring you some useful ieas - saves me doing it all and posting "some" of the hits here?

Sorry I can't help further with this last irritation; perhaps you can/wil post back with how/if you resolve it?

About "OleMainThreadWndName".
Try to uninstall Your firewall.
Many firewalls isn't suitable with NT.
Try another firewall e.g. Winsock Firewall.
http://winsockfirewall.sourceforge.net/
//StriX