Can I get the ME install CD to only reformat the C partition, not theD?

A recent crash left my old Win ME laptop unbootable. Also, the floppy
disk and CD drive are both broken.

I understand that it's impossible to reinstall the OS by putting my HD
in an external USB box connected to another computer, which would be
the easiest solution, as the OS has to install to the C drive, I have
read.

It seems the only way I can reinstall Win ME would be to put my laptop
HD into someone else's laptop, start the installation routine from its
working CD, then, after Windows finishes copying files and says it's
going to restart the computer, turn the computer off, remove the HD,
put it in my laptop, start it up and hopefully the install will resume
and detect my laptop's hardware. (I watched someone else do this once,
and it seemed to work. One question I have is, when it says "finished
copying files, restarting computer", how do you shut the computer off?
Do you have a start button at that point and can choose START-
Shutdown? Or do you force the computer off by pressing and holding the
power button?)

But my main question is, how can I do this without completely
reformatting my HD? I don't mind if it formats C, since C only has
Windows on it. But I have a lot of files and folders on the D
partition that it would be a great inconvenience to lose, although I
have backups of most of them.

How can I make the install CD only format C and not D?

Also, should I delete the Windows folder before I reinstall? (Although
I can't boot my laptop, I can delete the Windows folder by putting my
HD into an external USB box and deleting it from another computer)

Thanks if anyone can help.

I think I'd try the following:
Place the laptop drive in an external usb enclosure.
Connect to another PC
Format the C: drive (although it won't be called C now)
Copy the contents of the Win9x folder on the Win Me CD to C:\WinMe on the
laptop drive. Again note it won't be C: but rather whichever letter the
host PC allocates.
Remove drive from PC enclosure and reinstall in laptop
Borrow an external usb floppy and find a DOS boot floppy or Win Me startup
disk.
Using the usb floppy drive and boot floppy (this can be the Win Me startup
disk if you have this) boot the laptop to DOS and then from the A:\ DOS
prompt type
C:\WinMe\setup
which should start the setup routine and allow you to clean install Win Me
to the C; drive.

How can I make the install CD only format C and not D?

The Win Me CD is not bootable (a few OEM copies are) and Win Me's setup
does not automatically format the target drive unlike XP or Vista.

Also, should I delete the Windows folder before I reinstall?

Not really relevant since you are going to format C:
--
Mike Maltby



Gumby wrote:

A recent crash left my old Win ME laptop unbootable. Also, the floppy
disk and CD drive are both broken.

I understand that it's impossible to reinstall the OS by putting my HD
in an external USB box connected to another computer, which would be
the easiest solution, as the OS has to install to the C drive, I have
read.

It seems the only way I can reinstall Win ME would be to put my laptop
HD into someone else's laptop, start the installation routine from its
working CD, then, after Windows finishes copying files and says it's
going to restart the computer, turn the computer off, remove the HD,
put it in my laptop, start it up and hopefully the install will resume
and detect my laptop's hardware. (I watched someone else do this once,
and it seemed to work. One question I have is, when it says "finished
copying files, restarting computer", how do you shut the computer off?
Do you have a start button at that point and can choose START-
Shutdown? Or do you force the computer off by pressing and holding the
power button?)

But my main question is, how can I do this without completely
reformatting my HD? I don't mind if it formats C, since C only has
Windows on it. But I have a lot of files and folders on the D
partition that it would be a great inconvenience to lose, although I
have backups of most of them.

How can I make the install CD only format C and not D?

Also, should I delete the Windows folder before I reinstall? (Although
I can't boot my laptop, I can delete the Windows folder by putting my
HD into an external USB box and deleting it from another computer)

Thanks if anyone can help.

Thanks for the suggestions, Mike. Several problems, though.

1) The only other computers I have available to me run Win XP. Can you
format a Win ME FAT file system with Win XP?
2) This old laptop does not have the ability to boot from USB.

I actually have the whole installation CD copied on the HD already. If
I could get a DOS prompt, I could presumably run the install from
there. But I can't get one. The computer gives error messages when I
try to boot. I wish there was a way I could copy something to the hard
drive (in an external box) that would give the HD the ability to boot,
at least to a DOS prompt. I know about the utility WinMeDos, but,
reading the info on the web, I don't see how it can be installed on a
non-functioning computer. If I tried to install it from an XP desktop,
with the laptop HD connected to USB, I don't know if it would work. I
would think it might install itself to the XP computer, not the ME
one.

I did find a Win ME boot floppy on the web...now I just need to find
some repair technician with an open laptop with a working floppy
drive...actually if it has the floppy drive I guess it doesn't need a
CD drive, as I have the install program on the HD.

I can't remember at what point, but somewhere in the transfer procedure, you
should re-fdisk the whole HD. Mike might know what I'm referring to. You
might be able to save the files on your D: drive by transferring it to the
host laptop then back to your newly fromatted and partioned HD.
I mastered Wordstar graphics!


"Gumby" wrote:

Thanks for the suggestions, Mike. Several problems, though.

1) The only other computers I have available to me run Win XP. Can you
format a Win ME FAT file system with Win XP?
2) This old laptop does not have the ability to boot from USB.

I actually have the whole installation CD copied on the HD already. If
I could get a DOS prompt, I could presumably run the install from
there. But I can't get one. The computer gives error messages when I
try to boot. I wish there was a way I could copy something to the hard
drive (in an external box) that would give the HD the ability to boot,
at least to a DOS prompt. I know about the utility WinMeDos, but,
reading the info on the web, I don't see how it can be installed on a
non-functioning computer. If I tried to install it from an XP desktop,
with the laptop HD connected to USB, I don't know if it would work. I
would think it might install itself to the XP computer, not the ME
one.

I did find a Win ME boot floppy on the web...now I just need to find
some repair technician with an open laptop with a working floppy
drive...actually if it has the floppy drive I guess it doesn't need a
CD drive, as I have the install program on the HD.

1) The only other computers I have available to me run Win XP. Can you
format a Win ME FAT file system with Win XP?

Yes however XP can only format partitions up to 32GB despite being able to
access FAT32 volumes larger than that. Alternatively use the Delete key
and delete all the files and folders in the partition.

2) This old laptop does not have the ability to boot from USB.

Are you sure about this? Booting from a floppy connected via usb isn't
necessarily the same as booting from say a usb pen drive which is far more
unusual and only a feature of recent systems.

You could try installing DOS on the drive when connected to another PC.
You could use the command.com, io.sys and msdos.sys files from a Win Me
boot floppy as they don't need installing but rather just need to be
copied to the drive. This works for a floppy but I'm not sure whether
this will work with a hard drive (it should) but you would then have to
create the necessary autoexec.bat and config.sys files as those from a
boot floppy might not work. I'm not in a position to check this and
others will hopefully give you the necessary details.
--
Mike Maltby



Gumby wrote:

Thanks for the suggestions, Mike. Several problems, though.

1) The only other computers I have available to me run Win XP. Can you
format a Win ME FAT file system with Win XP?
2) This old laptop does not have the ability to boot from USB.

I actually have the whole installation CD copied on the HD already. If
I could get a DOS prompt, I could presumably run the install from
there. But I can't get one. The computer gives error messages when I
try to boot. I wish there was a way I could copy something to the hard
drive (in an external box) that would give the HD the ability to boot,
at least to a DOS prompt. I know about the utility WinMeDos, but,
reading the info on the web, I don't see how it can be installed on a
non-functioning computer. If I tried to install it from an XP desktop,
with the laptop HD connected to USB, I don't know if it would work. I
would think it might install itself to the XP computer, not the ME
one.

I did find a Win ME boot floppy on the web...now I just need to find
some repair technician with an open laptop with a working floppy
drive...actually if it has the floppy drive I guess it doesn't need a
CD drive, as I have the install program on the HD.

Gumby wrote:
A recent crash left my old Win ME laptop unbootable. Also, the floppy
disk and CD drive are both broken.

I understand that it's impossible to reinstall the OS by putting my HD
in an external USB box connected to another computer, which would be
the easiest solution, as the OS has to install to the C drive, I have
read.

It seems the only way I can reinstall Win ME would be to put my laptop
HD into someone else's laptop, start the installation routine from its
working CD, then, after Windows finishes copying files and says it's
going to restart the computer, turn the computer off, remove the HD,
put it in my laptop, start it up and hopefully the install will resume
and detect my laptop's hardware. (I watched someone else do this once,
and it seemed to work. One question I have is, when it says "finished
copying files, restarting computer", how do you shut the computer off?
Do you have a start button at that point and can choose START-
Shutdown? Or do you force the computer off by pressing and holding the
power button?)

But my main question is, how can I do this without completely
reformatting my HD? I don't mind if it formats C, since C only has
Windows on it. But I have a lot of files and folders on the D
partition that it would be a great inconvenience to lose, although I
have backups of most of them.

How can I make the install CD only format C and not D?

Also, should I delete the Windows folder before I reinstall? (Although
I can't boot my laptop, I can delete the Windows folder by putting my
HD into an external USB box and deleting it from another computer)

Thanks if anyone can help.
Things I would do:
1) Take drive out put it in an external case or dock
2) Backup your partition D on another PC after you have down step a
3) Put drive back in your laptop
4) Plug in an external USB CD drive and Floppy
5) Get it to boot somehow from the boot floppy or CD
6) Proceed from there

Usually on Laptop, if you hold down the on/off button it will shut off.

Jim

On Oct 16, 1:07*am, "Mike M" wrote:
1) The only other computers I have available to me run Win XP. Can you
format a Win ME FAT file system with Win XP?

Yes however XP can only format partitions up to 32GB despite being able to
access FAT32 volumes larger than that. *Alternatively use the Delete key
and delete all the files and folders in the partition.

If I am going to have to put the HD into another laptop anyway,
wouldn't it be simpler to format it then? Anyway, the main question
is...when I run the install program, how can I get it to only format C
and not D? That's my main concern. There's no need for it to format
D...is the setup going to insist on it?

2) This old laptop does not have the ability to boot from USB.

Are you sure about this? *Booting from a floppy connected via usb isn't
necessarily the same as booting from say a usb pen drive which is far more
unusual and only a feature of recent systems.

I've never seen any option in the BIOS to boot from USB, just floppy,
CD and HD. This computer was built around 1998, when USB ports were
just starting to appear, I think. They didn't put any boot option in
the BIOS and I can't upgrade the BIOS.

You could try installing DOS on the drive when connected to another PC.
You could use the command.com, io.sys and msdos.sys files from a Win Me
boot floppy as they don't need installing but rather just need to be
copied to the drive. *This works for a floppy but I'm not sure whether
this will work with a hard drive (it should) but you would then have to
create the necessary autoexec.bat and config.sys files as those from a
boot floppy might not work. *I'm not in a position to check this and
others will hopefully give you the necessary details.

Thanks Mike, I will think about this option. But if I do have to put
the HD in another laptop, is there a simple way to get Setup to format
only C, not D?

Things I would do:
1) Take drive out put it in an external case or dock
2) Backup your partition D on another PC after you have down step a
3) Put drive back in your laptop
4) Plug in an external USB CD drive and Floppy
5) Get it to boot somehow from the boot floppy or CD
6) Proceed from there

Usually on Laptop, if you hold down the on/off button it will shut off.

Jim

Thanks Jim, but as I mentioned, I really don't think this laptop can
boot from USB. Also, I don't have an external USB CD or floppy drive,
and don't have time to run around trying to borrow or rent one.
Another thing I should have mentioned is that I want to do this on the
cheap. I don't want to put any money into this old jalopy of a laptop.
I just want to get it to run for 2-1/2 more months, until January,
when I will buy a new one. (tax reasons why I want to wait)

If I am going to have to put the HD into another laptop anyway,

Since you have never stated the size of the drive I thought I'd try and be
helpful and say what I would do if the drive was more than 32GB, the
maximum size that can be formatted using XP. Perhaps you didn't
understand that.

Thanks Mike, I will think about this option. But if I do have to put
the HD in another laptop, is there a simple way to get Setup to format
only C, not D?

Win Me's setup doesn't include the ability to either fdisk or format the
drive. This is done using a boot floppy. See the file CLEANHD.TXT which
is in the Win 9x folder on the Win Me CD and also as KB271673 - "Windows
Millennium Edition Cleanhd.txt File Contents"
(http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=271673).
--
Mike Maltby



Gumby wrote:

On Oct 16, 1:07am, "Mike M" wrote:
1) The only other computers I have available to me run Win XP. Can
you format a Win ME FAT file system with Win XP?

Yes however XP can only format partitions up to 32GB despite being
able to access FAT32 volumes larger than that. Alternatively use the
Delete key and delete all the files and folders in the partition.

If I am going to have to put the HD into another laptop anyway,
wouldn't it be simpler to format it then? Anyway, the main question
is...when I run the install program, how can I get it to only format C
and not D? That's my main concern. There's no need for it to format
D...is the setup going to insist on it?

2) This old laptop does not have the ability to boot from USB.

Are you sure about this? Booting from a floppy connected via usb
isn't necessarily the same as booting from say a usb pen drive which
is far more unusual and only a feature of recent systems.

I've never seen any option in the BIOS to boot from USB, just floppy,
CD and HD. This computer was built around 1998, when USB ports were
just starting to appear, I think. They didn't put any boot option in
the BIOS and I can't upgrade the BIOS.

You could try installing DOS on the drive when connected to another
PC. You could use the command.com, io.sys and msdos.sys files from a
Win Me boot floppy as they don't need installing but rather just
need to be copied to the drive. This works for a floppy but I'm not
sure whether this will work with a hard drive (it should) but you
would then have to create the necessary autoexec.bat and config.sys
files as those from a boot floppy might not work. I'm not in a
position to check this and others will hopefully give you the
necessary details.

Thanks Mike, I will think about this option. But if I do have to put
the HD in another laptop, is there a simple way to get Setup to format
only C, not D?

Gumby wrote:
Things I would do:
1) Take drive out put it in an external case or dock
2) Backup your partition D on another PC after you have down step a
3) Put drive back in your laptop
4) Plug in an external USB CD drive and Floppy
5) Get it to boot somehow from the boot floppy or CD
6) Proceed from there

Usually on Laptop, if you hold down the on/off button it will shut off.

Jim

Thanks Jim, but as I mentioned, I really don't think this laptop can
boot from USB. Also, I don't have an external USB CD or floppy drive,
and don't have time to run around trying to borrow or rent one.
Another thing I should have mentioned is that I want to do this on the
cheap. I don't want to put any money into this old jalopy of a laptop.
I just want to get it to run for 2-1/2 more months, until January,
when I will buy a new one. (tax reasons why I want to wait)

Know anybody that has the same model you can put your disk in?

Jim