software/hardware questions

[ekÆsine]

if you can answers any of these questions for me I'd be very grateful. i was not sure where to post these questions in software or hardware:


1)
i have a NTFS partition and windows XP installed on it. i boot up with the winXP CD and want to format that partition, but it only allows me to install winXP over the previous installion. how can i have the options to format the NTFS partition?

it seems the only way is to delete and remake the partition, than format. is there another way to format NTFS other than a win2k or winXP operating system CD?


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2)
if one of the processors fail in a multi-processor computer can you replace that bad processor while the computer is still powered on like you can if a hard disk fails, or do you have to turn off the system first?


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3)
how do i use wake-on-lan (WOL) feature of my network card. when i try to access a computer in my peer-to-peer that is powered off i will get an error saying that network resource is unavailable. same thing is true when i try to connect to a client computer that is off with pcAnywhere.

how can i wake up those computers with wake on lan? is there a command i have to issue or do i simply need to enable WOL in the BIOS?

 

[Lostman]

1. I think your screwed. You want to change the way data is allocated while your using the data. I don't think that is possible. If you had a second h/d you could do it fine, but not while you are using the OS. Maybe Partition Magic 8, but I doubt it.

2. Are you talking about an enterprise type server or just a system with dual processors? Most enterprise servers have a different setup then your home built dual cpu systems.

3. Your NIC must be able to support it. Also, go into the bios of these systems and see if there is a setting in the "boot" section. My NIC's are on board so I can set that feature up in my Bios. If your card is external you may need to adjust something else.

 

[mikesgroovin]

I wanted to add something to the WOL answer:

If you are using a PCI card NIC then you, not only have to have a motherboard and NIC that support it, but you also have to have the 3-pin (sometimes 4-pin) cable that you can connect to your NIC from the motherboard. The cable looks similar to that of a cable that goes form the CPU fan to the motherboard. Once you connect this cable, then you must enable WOL in the BIOS.

-Michael

 

[ekÆsine]

thank you guys, that anwsers almost everything! but as for the formatting question i think you guys misunderstood me. i already knew about the management console, it is only when i have winxp installed and i want to format it with the winxp cd. it only lets me install winxp over the old winxp installation and does not give me the option to format it while winxp is still on it. this is not while winxp is running, it is the winxp OS cd.

 

[cosmosis]

You mean reformat the volume with XP? And leave the installation intact? And format from NTFS to what? FAT? I'm pretty sure Partition Magic lets you change the file system, but I haven't needed to or been brave enough to do it. Call me crazy, but I just love a fresh format/install. I just keep all my files on a separate partition.

hmmmm still has that newly-formated hdd smell