In DOS FDISK workflow, if you must completely wipe a drive (virus recovery) by deleting all DOS partitions, in which correct order should you delete them?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Logical, Extended, Primary

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
FDISK in DOS manages Primary and Extended partitions. An Extended partition is a container that holds one or more Logical drives. To fully remove every partition cleanly (for example, after a severe infection), you must respect the containment hierarchy when deleting.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Disk has a Primary DOS partition and possibly an Extended DOS partition.
  • The Extended DOS partition may contain one or more Logical drives.
  • Goal is a complete wipe via FDISK delete operations before re-creating partitions.


Concept / Approach:
Because Logical drives live inside the Extended DOS partition, you cannot delete the Extended container while any Logical drives still exist. Therefore, delete Logical drives first, then delete the Extended DOS partition, and finally delete the Primary DOS partition. This order respects dependency and prevents FDISK errors.


Step-by-Step Solution:

1) In FDISK, choose “Delete Logical DOS Drive(s) in the Extended DOS Partition”.2) After all Logical drives are removed, choose “Delete Extended DOS Partition”.3) Lastly, choose “Delete Primary DOS Partition”.4) Reboot and re-run FDISK to create fresh partitions, then FORMAT as needed.


Verification / Alternative check:
FDISK will not allow deleting the Extended partition if any Logical drives remain, confirming the required order.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Primary, Extended, Logical / Extended before Logical: Violate containment; FDISK blocks these operations.
  • Logical, Primary, Extended: Leaves Extended orphaned; invalid order.
  • None of the above: Incorrect because the correct dependency order is known.


Common Pitfalls:
Forgetting hidden recovery partitions or non-DOS partitions; use appropriate tools to remove them if present.


Final Answer:
Logical, Extended, Primary

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