Deleting my linux partition, Help.

[Lockick]

My Fedora Core 4 cd's came in the mail yesterday, and I got to work installing. I deleted my windows partition and used all my hard drice space for the linux one. However, I can't use my embedded wireless card (laptop) and I can't get on the internet with linux. School is starting and I can't not have internet on my computer.

So I pop in my windows cd and try to install it, but a messege box appears and tells me that I don't have enough room on my hard drive. Then it says to insert my system cd (another cd i got in a pack of four with my laptop) which I do, and that cd tells me to insert my windows cd and so on and so forth, in a neverending cycle.

I'd love to stick with Linux, but I have no idea how to use it, it's like speaking a foriegn language. My new plan was to install windows over the Linux partition and use a copy of virtual pc that I aquired from a software developer to install on that. But I can't install windows due to my linux partition being to large.

I've tried using Disk Druid to delete the partition but that doesn't work either. I've run out of ideas and have decided to ask someone here who I'm sure knows exactly what to do. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

[techieMoe]

What version of MS Windows are you trying to install? In the XP install you should be given the option to delete and recreate partitions. Can you not just delete the partitions there and create a new one for Windows?

Alternately, you could also download a boot disc (if you have a floppy drive) from http://www.bootdisk.com and run fdisk on that drive to wipe it out.

If you don't have a floppy, there are CD images such as The Ultimate Boot CD that will boot and allow you to run harddrive partitioning/formatting tools on your drive. Surely one of those will work for you.

[truoc444]

Windows 2K will also allow you to remove partitions during the install and win 98 will act as a boot disk and let you use fdisk to remove them.

[Lockick]

I was surprised about not being able to delete partitions with my xp disk as well. When I was working at the tech center for our local library, I installed in don't know how many versions of xp onto computers and they all let me delete and create new partitions, but the version of xp that came with my laptop is in a 4 disk set, and doesn't seem to be as helpful as it should be. but anyway, I'll try some of these things here, I hope they work, thanks.

[truoc444]

you could also try knoppix. it's really good for wiping drives and blowing partitions

[chopin1810]

I was surprised about not being able to delete partitions with my xp disk as well. When I was working at the tech center for our local library, I installed in don't know how many versions of xp onto computers and they all let me delete and create new partitions, but the version of xp that came with my laptop is in a 4 disk set, and doesn't seem to be as helpful as it should be. but anyway, I'll try some of these things here, I hope they work, thanks.

Windows XP can't read *nix partitions. Think about it: nobody hates Linux more than Bill Gates.

[techieMoe]

Windows XP can't read *nix partitions. Think about it: nobody hates Linux more than Bill Gates.

It can't read them, but in my personal experience I've never had any trouble deleting them, even with Microsoft tools. They usually just show up as "Unknown File Type" or something to that effect... hence why I'm confused at this situation.