All ,

I need to find out how to permanently get rid of a type "b" FAT32 partition
created with WIN95 OSR2.  I assume that is similar to a type "F" partition.

I have a friend who just can't believe that his previous M$ installations left
a partition that consumes almost his whole HD and apparently can not be
deleted permanently with other conventional software like OS/2 FDISK.  He has
an AMD K5/2-350 with 96MB PC-100 RAM and Seagate ST34342A (4.3GB), ST32122A
(2.5GB) and another 10.3GB HD all with the same problem, even when installed 1
at a time.

BTW, as far as the 10.3 GB HD is concerned, he did say he got the >8GB drivers
and made an updated set of OS/2 install diskettes for that.  But since the
same problem happens on the <4.3GB HDs, I don't think the HD driver is the
problem anyway.

He said he started out by deleting _ALL_ WIN98 stuff, then running Seagate's
Low Level Format.  In the process he has tried to delete that FAT32 partition
with Linux, DOS 6.2, and Partition Magic.  After all that OS/2 FDISK still
shows the type "b" partition, and will not allow him to use create a Boot
Manager nor create any partition, because the only free space he has (if any)
is at the very end of the HD.  When he deletes the partition all options
become greyed-out.  Then he reboots with the install floppies and goes back
into FDISK again, the type "b" partition is back again.  In typical M$ user
fashion he repeats those last steps 1/2 a dozen times until he become
frustrated and blames OS/2, then re-installs Win98.  Personally I'm getting
very tired of hearing him complain about OS/2 not installing and how
wonderful the M$ installation is.

In searching back through previous msgs I found 1 that suggested deleting the
partition table, and another msg that said they used Norton's diskedit prgm
under PCDOS7 to correct the entry in cyl 0, side 0, sector 1, and another msg
that suggested using Partition Magic to reduce the size and move the FAT32
partition.  I've never had to delete a partition table before, so would
appreciate a detailed explanation of how to do that.  I can probably dig up
Norton's diskedit prgm, but haven't used it.  And I assume Partition Magic
might be able to reduce the size and move the FAT32 to the end of the HD, even
tho it failed to be able to delete it.

Personally I'm a little surprised that Seagate's Low Level Format prgm for IDE
drives did not solve the problem.  OTOH I'm not doing the work, and my friend
is not near by, and he may be re-installing Win98 every time before he tries
to install OS/2, thus re-creating the problem all over again.  This situation
has been going on for several years, but he did tell me he went through the
Low Level Format this last week end.

At this point I'll do almost anything to solve this problem and stop this
annoying repetitive complaining about OS/2 installation not flushing the M$
toilet.

I would appreciate any suggestions in detail that I can forward to him to do.

     Thanks and Good Luck,        Andy Roberts
                                  andy@shentel.net
--- Terminate 5.00/Pro*at