I hate DELL... pls help me get around this

[Slikkster]

Found this on a newsgroup:

To convert XP from NTFS to FAT32 using PM7 first purge the System Restore
Points. These will be lost anyway. PM7 doesn't like the compressed format of
the SRPs and chokes on them. Go to System Properties->System Restore Tab and
disable. Run PM7 to convert then re-enable SR after the conversion.

 

[HiHoStevo]

Slick..... After making these attempts I was getting a message each time XP started that their had been "serious errors" I could not get Norton DD to run and I assumed that the message I was getting from Norton about some other application controlling the disk was due to these errors.

Therefore I just reformatted the E drive and started over.... at least this time I was smart enough to format the drive as FAT32 and then installed XP while running Win98 from the first partition on the raid.

Everything installed and seems to be running fine..........except...............

There is always an except isn't there............. Norton DD still gives the same error message if you have "fix automatically" selected... that some "other application as exclusive control over the drive".. it will check the drive if the fix checkbox is not selected. I will have to cruise on over to the Symantec website to see what I can learn about this..... I had been blaming it all on the failed attempts to convert the NTFS partition, but obviously that did not have anything to do with it.

As a .Ps I had not installed GoBack when I tried to use NDD... as I thought this could be the suspect application also.

I hope you have a great weekend............

I cannot beleive how helpful you have been to me..... really, your generosity with your knowledge and your attempts to solve my problems have been wonderful! I hope I can be as helpful to those less skilled then myself. You are a great example for everyone!

Steve

Pss. be careful with those "adult beverages..."

 

[Slikkster]

I have an answer for your latest Norton issue. But first...

You're quite welcome for the help. It's a pleasure for me. I always learn stuff in the process (just as I learn stuff every day in these forums by reading other people's threads). I think what it boils down to is NOT that I know more than anyone else, but that I've become pretty adept at knowing where to look, and how to look. Anyway, it's a nice challenge.

I know where you're coming from in just wanting to get it done (reformatting)...just try to remember that little ditty that apparently disabling System Resources before trying to us PM7 to change from NTFS to Fat32 would probably have done the fix for ya. No use throwing the baby out with the bathwater when you don't have to.
Now, on to Norton Disk Doctor and XP. You've been driving yourself crazy over this one, but the deal is that this is perfectly normal. Here's the blurb from Symantec:


Norton Disk Doctor displays "This drive is in use by another process and cannot be repaired... Would you like to schedule a repair" even when there are no problems with the hard drive.

Situation:
Running Disk Doctor with "Fix Errors" unchecked finds no problems. However, when you run Disk Doctor with "Fix Errors" checked, you see the message "This drive is in use by another process and cannot be repaired. A repair can be scheduled to occur the next time you restart the system. NDD can still diagnose this drive if Fix Errors is unchecked. Would you like to schedule a repair?"

Solution:
This is normal and does not necessarily indicate that there is a problem with the hard drive. Norton Disk Doctor will always display this message when the "Fix Errors" option is checked, and you have selected either the Windows NT/2000 partition or a partition containing the Windows Pagefile.

If you answer Yes to this prompt, CHKDSK /F will be run the next time the system is restarted.

----------------------------End of Blurb----------------------------------------

So, while I haven't tried it, NDD has very limited functionality in XP (as well as NT and Win2K). But, the good news is, you don't have a problem.

 

[HiHoStevo]

Thanks.......... that makes me feel better.......... I should have found that myself, but I had to take my wife out.... she get's a little grumpy if I spend all of my time playing with computers............ even her's!!

Perhaps you could share some of your "search secrets" with us............ that might even be a great new thread to share with the whole forum!

Steve