DOCUMENT:Q37241  17-DEC-2000  [msdos]
TITLE   :Older Versions of FDISK Do Not Remove Non-DOS Partitions
PRODUCT :Microsoft Disk Operating System
PROD/VER:MS-DOS:2.x,3.x,4.x,5.0,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:

======================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 2.11, 3.1, 3.2, 3.21, 3.3, 3.3a, 4.0, 4.01, 5.0, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

In MS-DOS versions 5.0 and later, FDISK.EXE allows non-DOS partitions to be
deleted. For more information on this subject, query on the following words:

   MS-DOS and 5.0 and FDISK and non-DOS and partition

The remaining information in this article applies to Microsoft MS-DOS versions
2.x, 3.x, and 4.x, but not 5.0 or later.

MORE INFORMATION
================

As a security measure, the MS-DOS FDISK.EXE utility will not remove or modify a
partition made by another non-DOS operating system (such as XENIX). If your
system contains another operating system in another partition (in addition to
MS-DOS), this implies that this operating system understands about disk
partitions. Instead of trying to get the MS-DOS FDISK.EXE utility to work with
this other operating system, you should instead rely on the partitioning tools
available with the non-DOS operating system.

For safety purposes, the MS-DOS FDISK.EXE utility prevents you from modifying
non-DOS partitions; however, it is still possible to accidentally or
intentionally modify the partition (or data) of this other operating system by
using the ROM BIOS interrupt 13H (Disk I/O), or MS-DOS interrupt 25H/26H
(Absolute Disk Read/Write).

If you are using MS-DOS version 4.01 or earlier and the non-DOS operating system
does not have the ability to modify its own partition, a program that uses the
ROM BIOS interrupt 13H could be used to modify the partition.

Another method of removing a non-DOS partition is to perform a low-level format
of the disk, thus removing partition information from the disk.

Additional query words: appnote 6.22 2.x 3.00 3.10 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.30 3.30a 4.00 4.00a 4.01 4.01a 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS321 kbMSDOS400 kbMSDOS320 kbMSDOS330a kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS310 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS330 kbMSDOS401 kbMSDOS211
Version           : MS-DOS:2.x,3.x,4.x,5.0,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS
PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.  MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS
ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  IN NO
EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR
ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF
MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.  SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION
OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES
SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2000.