MS-DOS: How to Combine All Logical Drives into One C Drive (95102)


The information in this article applies to:
    • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0
This article was previously published under Q95102

SUMMARY

When you upgrade from MS-DOS versions 3.x to version 5.0, you may want to repartition your hard disk drive into one primary DOS partition. Doing so requires deleting the current partitions, which in turn deletes all the information currently on those logical drives, including MS-DOS. Therefore, before deleting the current partitions, you must back up all the files you want to keep. After you delete all the current partitions, you can create and format the new primary DOS partition, and then reinstall MS-DOS and restore the backed up files.

MORE INFORMATION

To upgrade to MS-DOS version 5.0 using Microsoft MS-DOS 5 Upgrade and repartition your hard disk drive into one primary DOS partition, do the following:

    • Create an MS-DOS 5.0 system disk that contains FORMAT.COM and FDISK.EXE by doing one of the following:

      • If you have already installed MS-DOS 5.0, insert a formatted disk in drive A and use the following commands to create the system disk. Press ENTER after typing each command at the MS-DOS prompt.

      sys c: a:
      copy c:\dos\fdisk.exe a:
      copy c:\dos\format.com a:
      copy c:\dos\restore.exe a:


      • If you have not installed MS-DOS 5.0, insert Disk 1 of the MS-DOS 5.0 setup disks in drive A and type a:setup /f at the MS-DOS prompt to create the Startup and Support disks (installing from 5.25-inch disks) or the Startup/Support disk (3.5 inch). The Startup disk is a system disk and contains FORMAT.COM; the Support disk contains FDISK.EXE.

    • Use Microsoft Backup to back up all the files that you want to keep.
    • Start (boot) the machine from the system or Startup disk and run the Fdisk program. (If you've booted from the Startup disk, remove it and insert the Support disk in order to run Fdisk.)
    • Choose Fdisk option 4, Display Partition Information. Fdisk will display your current DOS partitions and, if you have them, any logical drives in the extended DOS partition.
    • Use Fdisk option 3, Delete DOS Partition Or Logical Drive. If you have an extended DOS partition, it must be deleted before the primary DOS partition can be deleted. If you have logical drives in the extended DOS partition, they must all be deleted before you can delete the extended DOS partition.
    • Use Fdisk option 1, Create DOS Partition Or Logical Drive, to create the new primary DOS partition. Accept the default choice of one partition, which includes the entire drive and is set to active.
    • Exit Fdisk. Because you changed the partitioning structure, Fdisk will now reboot the machine.
    • Boot the machine from the system or Startup disk and type the following command at the MS-DOS prompt to format the newly partitioned hard disk drive:

    format c: /s


    • Restore your backed up files.
    • Insert Disk 1 of Microsoft MS-DOS 5 Upgrade and run the Setup program to (re)install MS-DOS version 5.0.
Modification Type: Major Last Reviewed: 11/19/1999
Keywords: KB95102
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