Flare Sci-Fi Forums: Removing an operating system

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Posted by Saltah'na (Member # 33) on :

I have a friend here who has about 3 operating systems on his HD: Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Linux. Dunno why he has them, but now he wants to remove Windows 98 and Linux. I'm here telling him that he should forget about it and format his whole hard drive, but he's totally against it, he has about 10 gigs of songs all downloaded from Napster plus a lot of programs that I haven't seen before and thus are probably hard to get (he doesn't have the CDs for them, of course). Ideas?

And no, he will not take "Get a Mac" for an answer.

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"Or maybe he was a real quack who got sick and tired of pissing people off, and decided to get a life and masterbate for the next 10 years."
- Me to Antagonist on Red Quacker, 03/08/01 20:15

Posted by Fabrux (Member # 71) on :

A friend of mine recently installed Win2000AS on his system. He deleted all the Win98 system files to get rid of it, but I'm sure there's an easier way...

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"Let's make sure history never forgets the name... Enterprise"
- Alternate Picard, "Yesterday's Enterprise"

Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :

Speaking from limited experience....
W98 uses a FAT32 filesystem, NT2000 uses a NTFS, and Linux uses something again completely different.
So wouldn't they all already be on different partitions?
So you'd simply have to uses FDISK or whatever its equivalent is today, merge the two unneeded partitions with the unwanted OS's, which would automatically wipe the two partitions clean.

Just make sure you move the stuff you want to keep from the two being merged to the one that you want to keep...

Someone else probably has a better explanation.

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"The Guide says that there is an art to flying...or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss." - Life, the Universe and Everything

Posted by Saltah'na (Member # 33) on :

Somehow, both the Win2000 and Linux are operating on FAT32s and they are all in the same partition.

[This message has been edited by Tahna Los (edited March 22, 2001).]

Posted by MC Infinity (Member # 531) on :

That's not right, Linux operates at very low efficiency when running on a file system other than it's own native system.
I always keep two partitions, one where my OS is, and the other where my software is. I see ne solution for your friend right now, but if he does format, I suggest making separate partitions as well.

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"Well if it's gonna be that kind of a party, I'm putting my dick in the mashed potatoes!"

-Nimrod 16/4/2001

Posted by Saltah'na (Member # 33) on :

Infinity: That's why he wants to kick Linux out of the partition. I was told to simply delete the directory that contains the operating system, but I don't think it would be a "clean" uninstall.

Posted by Charles Capps (Member # 9) on :

What you describe is an impossible situation to get out of.

Linux can be removed by getting rid of the filesystem (I'm assuming a UMSDOS bigass file) and the bootup files.

But if he's managed to get Win2k and Win98 on the same partition without destroying each other, he's either two bales short of a haystack or a genius.

Either way, there's no hope for that one. Repartition and reformat time.

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"Babies are squirmy, ugly, dirty, smelly, and noisy. They'd offend all five of my senses if I had any reason to lick one..."
-- TSN, 2001.01.11 23:27, PhoenixChat

Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :

Get a Mac!

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You know, you really should keep a personal log. Why bore others needlessly?
The Gigantic Collection of Star Trek Minutiae

Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :

Alternatively, he could buy a second HD, copy all of his .mp3 collection to it, then format his old drive (which is about the only thing he can do, because the rather interesting mix of OS'es won't let itself be removed so easily anymore

)

In other words: hopeless case.

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"Cry havoc and let's slip the dogs of Evil"

Posted by The Talented Mr. Gurgeh (Member # 318) on :

Couldn't he burn the mp3's onto a CD or use a zip drive or something? It shouldn't be a problem to get a lend of a CD writer for a while.

As for the (probably proto-sentient) mix of Operating Systems, nuke the bastard!

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"If you can't beat your computer at chess, try kickboxing."

Posted by Toadkiller (Member # 425) on :

He'd better hurry and keep it away from phone lines. When was the uber-computer revolution supposed to take place in Terminator - this could be it.

*$&)%*$#)@
THIS IS NOT IT. EVERYTHING IS FINE. PLEASE REMAIN AT YOUR TERMINAL AND AWAIT FURTHER ORDERS

Posted by Gaseous Anomaly (Member # 114) on :

"Comh vith me if you wish to liiiive, Sah-rah Cann-ah."

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At that point, McDonald fired his gun three times in the air to emphasize his point. The crowd, estimated at 350,000, loudly cheered the new candidate.

"Let me make this clear: I am the law! I am your ruler! And you will have fries with that, motherf*cker!"

Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :

http://flareupload.hypermart.net/files/beefcaaake.gif

Arnold is THE CHEESE MASTER!!!! WOHOOOO!! HE IS WIN!

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Don't kill me, I'm charming!

Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :

Is there an actual way to uninstall Windows operating systems if they are normally partitioned? Even Windows 2000? I don't have a lot (any) experience with the NT systems, but couldn't he try deleting 2000, reinstalling 98 over the top, and then install 2000 over the top of 98?

Actually, that's about as much work. I'd go for the dumping off all software to CD or another hard disk. Windows will run faster too. Besides, how often does he actually use all that "hard-to-get" software anyway? If it's big full price stuff, then he should have the CD's still around. If it's shareware, then the internet's the place to be. And he can transfer his porn, er, sorry, mp3 collection to CD easily. And if it's pirated stuff, he should have his hands slapped.

I suppose he could try waiting for Whistler, but that's crazy. And probably wouldn't work anyway. Still, why's he need 2000? Is he running a network?

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You know, when Comedy Central asked us to do a Thanksgiving episode, the first thought that went through my mind was, "Boy, I'd like to have sex with Jennifer Aniston."
-Trey Parker, co-creator of South Park

Posted by Saltah'na (Member # 33) on :

Originally, he had Win98 and Win2000 so that when Win2000 fails (as he was using, more stable than Win98) then he has another operating system as a backup. Then for some very stupid and moronic reason, he had Linux installed (do not know which version though). Now he's getting performance problems, as well as space constraints and he wants to kick Win98 and Linux out.

Here is a separate problem: suppose that my Win98 does not start up, and I decide to reinstall the OS. The HD has a ton of programs, all of course attached to the system registry. I put in a Windows boot disk, and start setup using DOS. Would this wipe out the existing registry, requiring the re-installation of all registered programs?

Posted by MC Infinity (Member # 531) on :

You're not gonna lose the registry that way. You'd only lose it if you format(which you should do if Windows doesn't start).

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"Well if it's gonna be that kind of a party, I'm putting my dick in the mashed potatoes!"

-Nimrod 16/4/2001

Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :

Actually, it will wipe out the registry... if Windows is unable to boot for whatever reason, and you decide to "reinstall" it (even without formatting from DOS first) the setup will erase the entire previous install, including the critical registry files.
I found this out the hard way...

[Edit] Forgot to mention, Windows (any version) is notoriously hard to get rid of without the aid of good ol' DOS and a copy of Partition Magic. I've set up my system in such a way that I can always perform a root canal whenever needed, by first installing DOS, then W98 on partition one, W2K on partition two, and finally Linux on partition three. These partitions act as independent drives, the only thing they have in common is that they are all part of the same harddisk, and can be whiped easily
[/Edit]
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"Cry havoc and let's slip the dogs of Evil"

[This message has been edited by The_Evil_Lord (edited March 24, 2001).]

Posted by Vacuum robot lady from Spaceballs (Member # 239) on :

NOBODY GIVES HIM A RAW DEAL...

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"Instructed by history and reflection, Julian was persuaded that, if the diseases of the body may sometimes be cured by salutary violence, neither steel nor fire can eradicate the erroneous opinions of the mind."

-Edward Gibbons, The Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire.

Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :

You should've heard his accent in one of the scenes in that flick.

A: He kidnapped, raped, molested and murdered her!

It's priceless...

Nice handle btw. "Generous turnip", are we?

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Don't kill me, I'm charming!

Posted by Vacuum robot lady from Spaceballs (Member # 239) on :

Turnip restorer, actually.

-Edward Gibbons, The Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire.

Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :

Good initiative, maybe we do need to try and restore the turnippian empire into it's former glory, as in the days of yore...
Well first thing's first, where's PsyLiam? His wellbeing demands for him to get one assful of urple, and two on sundays. And, well, seeing as it's 4:30 here, you had better brace yourself.
Find something to bite down on, maybe a belt or other leather accessoire?

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Don't kill me, I'm charming!

Posted by Vacuum robot lady from Spaceballs (Member # 239) on :

Really, now. Start him off on light urple first. One can only take so much at the beginning. Or so I've heard. From other people. Who aren't myself. As in, not personally.

-Edward Gibbons, The Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire.