Format question.

[TheBull]

I am running Windows 7 7057 32bit and 7068 64bit builds on 2 seperate partitions on my 1 hard drive, and XP on the other. I want to format the hard drive with XP on it.

I remember some time ago I did something similar and screwed up my boot sequence. I can't remember what to do so that this wont happen again.

Can someone please help me here?

Thanks!

 

[itznfb]

i screw up my mbr all the time. if you have a windows xp cd you can run the recovery console and do a fixmbr and it will fix the boot sector.
Fixmbr repairs the startup partition's master boot code. The variable device is an optional name that specifies the device that requires a new Master Boot Record. Omit this variable when the target is the startup device.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307654

 

[TheBull]

Thanks itznfb, but I haven't formatted the hard drive yet. I want to know what to do before I format so that my mbr will be intact??

 

[itznfb]

well, if the mbr is recorded on that HDD then it's going to be blown away and the next time you boot the Win7 installation should rebuild it. if you install another copy on the hard drive you just formatted another mbr will be built during the installation. of course this doesn't always work out the way it's intended.

someone else may know of steps you can take to preserve the mbr but i wouldn't think you would want to since it will be corrupted anyway since you're removing part of the partition information that is stored in the mbr.

 

[TheBull]

OK, so I want to go ahead and format, but now I don't have the option to format that hard drive under disk management??????

 

[itznfb]

so are you going to be reinstalling another copy of windows on the formatted drive or are you just going to use it for data?

 

[TheBull]

Thanks Itznfb, it is sorted. Had some help from some other guys as well!!

 

[itznfb]

glad you got it working with no apparent disasters!