to install an os w'out disturbing other hard disk partitions

[Shasta]

i have an 80 gb hard disk with 4 partitions. have windows 98 installed on drive c and xp on d. there is lots of data in e and f.
now i want to get rid of 98. i want xp to be installed on drive c.
what is the procedure for this puropose so that i dont have to format drive e and f . plz help

[praka123]

for easy soltn,get hold of a knoppix GNU/Linux cd/dvd and boot with it.select
the QTparted tool...use it to find and format the partition U want..Best of Lux...otherwise boot with M$ boot floppy and use the fdisk utility...which Knoppix Linux too have

[legolas]

not a big deal. install norton partition magic. open the window and right click on the C drive where u hav installed 98. click format and then apply. it wud ask for reboot ur system.. boot it and it wud format now under dos mode.. and then it wud say an error(incase u hav installed partition magic in C drive itself.. since it wud also hav been erased)... now reboot again and insert ur windows xp bootable CD/DVD.. remember u hav to prepare a bootable CD/DVD.... for u to format and then install.. and continue with the installtion..

formatting an OS and installing another on a drive doesnt delete anything on other drives... thats 1 of the purposes of partitioning! in the worst case, u cud insert the windows cd(if its not bootable) and choose to upgrade from 98 to xp(i wudnt choose this option.. wud prefer a clean install...)

GL
/legolas

[speedyguy]

man u never hv to format drive e and f for any purpose....its simple...need not use even partition s/w. just format ur c: from boot to dos mode (or can even do this within xp)....n install xp on d same....u need not even touch e and f....xp instalation asks for partition during setup....u need to do one more thing....delete win98 bootup command frm boot.ini hope u know or can ask details.

cheers