Ian Moote,

26-Oct-99 12:40:00, Ian Moote wrote to ANDY ROBERTS
          Subject: M$ "screw you" FAT32

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

 IM> I've got a utility here that I wrote for DOS which will blast the
 IM> entire MBR off the drive. Send me your E-Mail address.

My address is at the bottom of this msg.

 AR>> BTW, as far as the 10.3 GB HD is concerned, he did say he got the
 AR>> >8GB drivers and made an updated set of OS/2 install diskettes

 IM> ">8GB drivers"? For the Winodows you mean?

No, Idedasd.Exe

 AR>> He said he started out by deleting _ALL_ WIN98 stuff, then
 AR>> running Seagate's Low Level Format.

 IM> LLF should certainly have gotten rid of it.

I think we all agree about that.

 IM> I haven't used the latest incarnation of SGATFMT*; does it have a
 IM> "non-destructive format" option that was used?

I haven't used it in many years.  But he said he used it.

 AR>> In the process he has tried to delete that FAT32 partition with
 AR>> Linux, DOS 6.2, and Partition Magic.

 IM> None of those worked!?

That was my understanding.  After each, OS/2 FDISK still would not let him
create Boot Manager due to a lack of free space and had 1 type "b" partition
that consumed almost the whole HD.  But I didn't do the work.  So there may be
other circumstances.

 AR>> In typical M$ user fashion he repeats those last steps 1/2 a
 AR>> dozen times until he become frustrated and blames OS/2, then
 AR>> re-installs Win98.

 IM> Sounds like he's in Micro$oft's target market.

 AR>> Personally I'm getting very tired of hearing him complain about
 AR>> OS/2 not installing and how wonderful the M$ installation is.

 IM> And you're forcing him to use OS/2 because...

LOL... No I told him over a year ago I didn't think OS/2 was for him.  He just
gets a wild hair up his butt every few months, then pulls Linux or OS/2 off
the shelf and goes through that silly cycle again, always ending up with M$.

Although 4-5 years ago I was serious, within the last year or so any urging
him to use OS/2 on my part is purely in jest.  And I think he knows that.

 IM> Once he _does_ get it installed, who do you think he's going to
 IM> call whenever he has a problem with his OS/2 system? [:)

Bill Gates.  And then thank him for making something he could at least get
installed again for the 1000th time. 

--

 IM> In order to remove all partitions from the drive, simply zero all
 IM> the values from 01BEh to 01FDh. Personally, I think you should get
 IM> rid of that Windows MBR entirely by zeroing out everything from
 IM> 0000h to 01FFh.

Yes, I agree getting rid of the whole MBR seems best.  And with those
addresses it should be easy.

 AR>> Personally I'm a little surprised that Seagate's Low Level Format
 AR>> prgm for IDE drives did not solve the problem.

 IM> As am I.

That's always been my 1st suggestion to him.  I'm glad everyone who has had an
opinion about this agrees on that.

--
 IM> .. let him use his Windoof.

Absolutely right.!

Until M$ includes a menu for "Install OS/2" I think he should stay with M$.

 IM> [:DDD You can tell him this for me! [:D Put my name on the bottom!

I think he might read this echo.  He is connected to it.  And I already told
him I posted a msg in here about his problem.

--
 IM> 2. Take the drive and the computer over to Andy's place and have
 IM> him install the OS/2 for you.

Oh no NO.!  I draw that line at blood and marriage related family.

I'm willing to prove there is a way to install OS/2 and even clean his HDs for
him if necessary to do that.  IMO M$ users must enjoy re-installing, since
some of them are convinced they have to do it so often.  My perspective on
this is that OS/2 installation is the game that he has not yet learned to
beat.  I would not want to deprive him of any enjoyment of the effort.  But I
will gladly give him the cheat tips on how to really win without WinXX.

     Thanks and Good Luck,        Andy Roberts
                                  andy@shentel.net
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