The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows NT Operating System version 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
SUMMARY
This article describes how to remove Windows NT from your computer.
MORE INFORMATION
Before you begin, make sure you know where Windows NT is installed,
how much of it you want to remove, and how your hard disk is partitioned
and formatted. Then, go to one of the following sections:
- Removing Windows NT from the Boot Sequence
- Removing a Primary NTFS Partition
- Removing Windows NT Files
Removing Windows NT from the Boot Sequence
There are two ways to remove the Windows NT boot sector from your
computer:
- If you want to return to your original MS-DOS configuration, boot
MS-DOS and type "sys c:" (without the quotation marks). This
command replaces the Windows NT boot sector with the MS-DOS boot
sector, and allows your computer to boot MS-DOS. The following
files are left in the root folder and can be deleted after
you perform the "sys c:" operation:
Pagefile.sys
Boot.ini
Ntldr
Ntdetect.com
Ntbootdd.sys
NOTE: The Ntbootdd.sys file is installed only if you have a SCSI Host
Adapter installed in Windows NT.
You can also start your computer with a Windows 95 bootable floppy disk
and use the "sys c:" command if you want to return to your original
Windows 95 configuration.
- If you want to leave Ntldr on the disk, you can boot MS-DOS without
being prompted by changing the startup operating system and time-out
value. To do so, start the System tool in Control Panel, click the
Startup/Shutdown tab, click MS-DOS in the Startup box, and type "0"
(without quotation marks) in the Show List For <n> Seconds box.
NOTE: If the primary partition was converted to NTFS, the only way to
return to starting MS-DOS automatically is to reformat the drive and
reinstall MS-DOS. See the next section if this is the case.
Removing a Primary NTFS Partition
In general, attempts to modify the primary, bootable NTFS partition
do not succeed for the following reasons:
- MS-DOS versions 5.0 and 6.0 do not recognize an NTFS partition. The
MS-DOS Fdisk program reports an NTFS partition as an OS/2
high-performance file system (HPFS) partition.
- You cannot modify or delete an NTFS primary partition within
the partition.
To delete or modify a primary NTFS partition, use any of the following
methods:
- Boot MS-DOS version 6.0 from a floppy disk and press RETURN to continue
installing MS-DOS 6. When you are prompted to do so, choose "Remove
files."
- Initiate Windows NT installation from floppy disks or a CD-ROM. When
you are prompted to do so, choose "P" to remove the partition.
- Use the Delpart tool (Delpart.exe) to delete the NTFS partition. The
Delpart tool is included with the Microsoft Windows NT 3.1 Resource Kit
only. It is not included in the Windows NT 3.5, 3.51 or 4.0 Resource
Kits. Note that the Delpart tool cannot delete a logical drive an
extended partition.
- Boot OS/2 version 1.x from a floppy disk and run its Fdisk program.
To remove the partition, specify the /D option.
Removing Windows NT Files
You can remove the following folders to remove Windows NT files and free
disk space:
Windows NT 3.51 and Earlier:
Windows NT 4.0:
Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 95 both use the following folders. Delete them
only if you are not running or do not intend to keep the Windows 95
installation.
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