Hi, I want to format a computer having 4 logical partition, in which the C: is FAT partitioned (WinNT Server), and the rest (D:, E:, and F:) are on NTFS. Now i want to install Win98 on it, which requires the hard disk to be FAT32 partitioned. How do i do that, without losing the precious data in all the 3 NTFS partitioned drives.

You can't do that. My suggestion, if you're not going to use this as an NT server anymore, put the drive in another machine. Then, put a new drive in the one you're using and format and partition the way you want. Just a note, Win98 does not REQUIRE FAT32.

Jennifer is correct - Win98 does not require FAT32. It runs okay on FAT and has a utility under System Tools to convert the drive to FAT32 at a later date if you choose to. You are safe to install it on the C: drive with NT and use FAT. But I was just thinking that when I have set up a dual boot environment, I always installed Win98 first then NT. I am not sure if Windows 98 shows up in the boot menu if it is installed second - perhaps someone else here knows that answer.

If c: (= fat16) is large enough you could install '98 there. There will be a need to run an modified NT repair routine afterwards to complete the dual-boot. However the max partition for dos/'9x(ME) in fat16 = 2Gig; this inspite of the fact that NT can see/use fat16 to 4Gig max... If c: (fat16) is over 2Gig then things really do get rather involved... Is c: is over 2Gig - i.e. more like 4Gig? Jennifer's suggestion re' another drive may be the most practical approach to running '98, but it would remove the ability to access the data on the current NT drive - especially if the NT drive is another system - and you chose not to network to it? However you could set the new drive as Master to current NT drive. '98 would be installed to new drive (with appropriate partitioning etc. to acomodate dual-boot conditions) and a "little tweaking" would allow access to both '98 on its own (new) drive and NT on its current drive. Also, however you establish '98 into the equation (i.e a dual-boot), '98 will read a util installed to it to enable it read/access ntfs areas. Also NT would need a similar util to access any fat32 areas... They do exist; freebies are read-only, read/write cost varying amounts of $$$/£££. In a dual-boot environment one usually has common accessed data areas that are typically fat16 (2Gig max); or uses the utils mentioned immediately above. The fat16 data areas (each 2Gig max) mean you don't need to spend cash... Rather than go thru it all at this point, post back with partition details. That info will allow ideas/suggestions specific to your present dilemma.

First of all thanks 4 the suggestions. Hey trvlr, u have asked 4 more disks details. The machine has 2 disks. Disk 0 is 10GB and Disk 1 is 40GB. Disk 0: C:(FAT) and E:(NTFS) Disk 1: D:(NTFS) and F:(NTFS) C: is the primary partition of Disk 0 and D: is the primary partiotion of Disk 1. Moreover C: = 2GB E: = 6GB D: = 20GB F: = 18GB Now tell me how to format NTFS to FAT32 so that i can install Win98 (I dont want FAT partitioned Win98).

2 drives installed; c: = fat16/2Gig on Primary Master drive (0); ntfs/20Gig Primary on Secondary Master drive (1). Clarify a little further... You wish to install '98 on one of the ntfs partitions? If so then you will have to transfer all the data from that partition to another partition - as it will be reformatted (with subsequent loss of data) to accomodate '98... Also '98 would be best on either partition e: or f: - preferably e: . Putting it on ntfs (primary) partition d: will not be a straightforward process - but probably it could be done... Also if there is enough space in c: then both '98 and NT will co-exist in that same 2Gig/fat16 primary. However you may not have too much space to spare in d: ??? If '98 goes into e: then things are reasonably simple to achieve in terms of the dual-boot '98/NT. That would be my preferred route. Post back with where you want to park '98 - bearing in mind that into e: is best/first choice, f: is second, and c: (alongside NT) is posible but may have space problems...

"How do i do that, without losing the precious data in all the 3 NTFS partitioned drives." The only way to convert an NTFS partition to FAT32 is PartitionMagic 8.01, yet even this tool gives many warnings, need to turn off all NTFS advanced features and scan for errors beforehand. What you are trying to do is quite complex and you didn't say if you will dump NT4 ... if so, then format C: and install 98 into the 2 GB FAT16 C: and convert it to FAT32 later. I run NT4 Server and Win98 each in it's own primary and all data drives FAT32 (the free read only tool from sysinternals to read FAT32 from NT4 actually can write as well). http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/fat32.shtml Best