On Tue, 22 Dec 1998 15:30:59 -0000, GilbeC@tetraworld.com said:

> > On Tue, Dec 22, 1998 at 02:50:51PM +0000, D.Ferguson@worc.ac.uk wrote:
> > > 
> > > > > How do i remove the NetBSD partition frmo my harddisk without
> > > > > reformatting    
> > > > > the whole harddisk?  I would like to turn it over to something else
> > > > > but i havent 
> > > > > found out how yet.
> > > 
> You might be able to convert it to LINUX if you're going to give LINUX a
> try.

If you want to convert it to Linux, it is possible, but you need to do a
little hacking.  The Linux partition manager (PartMan) can't delete
partitions, and since it sees the BSD partition as being from RISC iX
(presumably that's the cover BSD partitions go under), it says you have a
full disc and refuses to do anything.  

What you need to do is wipe the pointer to the second partition from the boot
block.  To do this, take the bb_riscbsd BASIC program, and change the three
lines:

buf%?&1FC = &42             : REM RiscBSD identifier
buf%?&1FD = c% AND 255      : REM low byte of start cylinder
buf%?&1FE = c% >> 8         : REM high byte of start cylinder
to
buf%?&1FC = &00             : REM no partitions follow
buf%?&1FD = &00             : REM low byte of start cylinder
buf%?&1FE = &00             : REM high byte of start cylinder

Take a deep breath, and run this. This will wipe off the reference to the
second partition, so now as far as PartMan is concerned the rest of the disc
is unformatted and ready to put down Linux partitions.  Of course, with any
partition fiddling like this you should backup everything on the drive before
doing anything with it.

Merry Christmas!
Theo

-- 
Theo Markettos          theomarkettos@letterbox.com
Liphook
Hampshire               Web site, including Acorn backup software
UK                      http://www.marketto.demon.co.uk/