I searched for this, as it should be a simple question with a simple answer. Maybe the fact that I couldn’t find a previous thread on this just proves how simple it is, and what low-level gaps in knowledge I have.
First, specs:
Dell 1.5 gig P4
40G
256MB
Win ME
When I bought this computer a couple months ago, it came with only a C: drive, which is normal. I want to partition off an E: drive (D: is the name for my CD-R) to load games and data on. How do I do this?
Does it make a difference if I partition my CPU without formatting the entire box first? Are there performance differences between PC’s that start from a clean slate, and ones who are partitioned later on?
Is it normal to NOT receive a Windows CD when you buy a pre-configured system with a pre-loaded OS? Will I have to go out and buy ME separately now?
What is the ideal size allocation for my OS drive, keeping in mind that I have 40GB?
Sorry for the rapid-fire questions, and I apologize if this has been covered already.
1 - You can’t, unless you buy something like Partition Magic. Well, you can, but it involves backing up your entire drive, re-formatting it, partitioning it the way you want it, then restoring. Partition Magic is a fairly cheap ($60 or $70, I think) program that will allow you to reformat on the fly. Make sure it works with ME - I used it to partition my ME drive, but I seem to remember having to do something funky.
2 - You partition your hard drive, not your CPU. No, there is not a performance difference with either of the two methods described above.
3 - Nope, not normal. I have a Dell, and I got the Windows disk. Go yell at them and have them send you one.
4 - I’d do a minimum of 1-2 Gig for your OS drive. Even if you put everything on the other partition, a lot of programs want to put stuff in the Windows directory. If you don’t have enough room, you’re SOL. To be really safe, put 10 gigs there.
How come you want to repartition in the first place? There’s really no reason for the casual user to repartition. I did it so I can have a dual boot WinME and Win2K system. If I didn’t need that, I wouldn’t have done it.
You do not need any programs to partition your hard drive. Start your computer in DOS and type fdisk. This will bring up a screen to format your hard drive; also, you can partition it with that too. Doing this will erase everthing on your hard drive, so you will need a boot disk. I find it very useful to have it partitioned; if your computer crashes and you need to reinstall windows, you won’t lose anything on the non-OS partition.
Junchbailey is basically saying what I said in the part about backing up your hard drive, partitioning it, reformatting it, etc. here’s what Microsoft has to say about using fdisk.
One thing about “if your computer ever crashes and you need to reinstall windows, you won’t lose anything on the non-OS partition.” This is certainly true of data files, and a good reason to partition. However, it’s not true of software. Almost all software nowadays puts something in the system32 directory and stuff in the registry. Both of these are on your OS partition. If you reformat and reinstall windows, the extra stuff in the system32 directory and the stuff in the registry will not be restored. You’ll still have to reinstall any software you installed on the additional partition.
I don’t know how unusual it is, but you should have gotten a CD that says something like “System Disk” or “Recovery Disk”. The manual should tell you which one it is. That disk will be bootable, and will have the OS install files on it. -Buried in it, quite frankly: search for CAB files on the CD’s that were included; one should have a bunch of them. I haven’t tried it yet, but somebody here said that the CAB files are the usual ones so if you copy all them onto a regular data format CD-R, it is possible to load just the OS using the floppy-boot method and the copied CD-R described in the MS help site.
The reason they use these disks instead of a regular Windows disk is that the OEM disk contains model-specific files (such as OEM device drivers) and will automatically load them along with the OS if, for instance, you have to reinstall the OS. It usually can perform some model-specific diagnostics also, but it usually won’t unconditionally load onto another PC that isn’t identical. My Acer System Recovery CD checks to make sure that the original 6.3gig HD is connected, but it doesn’t have to be connected as the master drive. - MC
ifyou try download.com & search for ‘partition’ you can get yourself some free HD partitioners. Partition magic is very nice but hey, nothing like freeware.
Freware : FIPS is a decent one, I believe. Its what my SO used to partition my hard drive in order to install Linux. I think the addy is just (link deleted at poster’s request. -manhattan), but I’m not sure. Google it, you’ll find it pretty easily.
To the best of my knowledge, you cannot do what you describe. Your HDD (hard disk drive) partitions will be lettered consecutively starting with C: through however many partitions you create. Additional drives (such as CD-R drives) will come after that. So your situation will, I believe, result in a C: and D: drive on your HDD and your CD-R becoming your E: drive.
There’s some other rule that affects how partitions are labeled if you have multiple HDDs, but I don’t remember it right off.
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who helped me out here, especially Athena.
I was looking to partition my hard drive (sorry for mixing some terms) for three reasons: 1. to make finding files easier 2. as a best practice method (keeping data separate from OS), and/or 3.to possibly install Linux in the D: drive
(thanks Kneads).
I posted before leaving work, and didn’t have a chance to get back here before now, but I appreciate all the help.
Back in the day, the OEM’s would provide a Windows CD with the machines, but then Uncle Bill got smart to their ways.
They would buy bulk copies of Windows (say 300,000 copies) for like $15 per copy. Then they would ship out (say 125,000) the computers. Now, with all these extra copies of the software laying around they would go and resell that (if you have ever been to a computer show/fair/etc) copy for say 20. They have made a tidy profit from this, Uncle Bill has not. So M changed the licensening deal so that the OEM’s are now required to use restore CD’s instead of windows CD’s.
