Partition Strange After Clean XP SP2 Install

[Fidelis K]

I recently did a clean XP SP2 install on my 2nd PC. It had 2 hard disks and
I partitioned them as follows when installing the XP.

1. SATA 160GB partitioned into 4x40GB drives.
2. IDE Master 160GB as a single disk.

XP somehow assigned D: to the IDE drive, so I manually changed drive letters
in disk management so that:
SATA 160GB --> C, D, E & F
IDE Master 160GB --> G

Then, I added an IDE Slave 160GB assigned as H.

Q1. Obviously, XP correctly recognizes that C: is primary and D, E & F are
logical. However, XP reports that G: is primary and H: is logical. I didn't
create any partitions on the IDE hard drives. So, why is the Master IDE
drive (G is primary and why is the Slave IDE drive (H logical?

Q2. "Disk Management" in XP reports G drive as "disk 0," H drive as "disk 1"
and the SATA drive where the OS resides as "disk 2." Shouldn't the OS drive
be "disk 0"???

So, I'm worried that partitioning may have been screwed up. Can anyone shed
some light on these issues? Thanks in advance.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I recently did a clean XP SP2 install on my 2nd PC. It had 2 hard disks and
I partitioned them as follows when installing the XP.

1. SATA 160GB partitioned into 4x40GB drives.
2. IDE Master 160GB as a single disk.

XP somehow assigned D: to the IDE drive, so I manually changed drive letters
in disk management so that:
SATA 160GB --> C, D, E & F
IDE Master 160GB --> G

Then, I added an IDE Slave 160GB assigned as H.

Q1. Obviously, XP correctly recognizes that C: is primary and D, E & F are
logical. However, XP reports that G: is primary and H: is logical. I didn't
create any partitions on the IDE hard drives. So, why is the Master IDE
drive (G is primary and why is the Slave IDE drive (H logical?

Please note:
- "Disks" can be masters or slaves, connected to
the primary or secondary IDE controller.
- "Partitions" can be primary or logical.
The word "Drive" does not mean much in this context.

The partition that hosts drive G: is primary because that's how
you must have created it. By the same token, the partition that
hosts drive H: is logical because you created it as a logical partition.

Q2. "Disk Management" in XP reports G drive as "disk 0," H drive as "disk 1"
and the SATA drive where the OS resides as "disk 2." Shouldn't the OS drive
be "disk 0"???

The numbering of disks is irrelevant in this context.

So, I'm worried that partitioning may have been screwed up. Can anyone shed
some light on these issues? Thanks in advance.

There is a strong preference for Windows to be installed
on drive C:. Is this what's happened in your case? Do this
to find out:
- Click Start / Run / cmd {OK}
- Type this command:
set system {Enter}
What drive letter do you see?

 

[Ron Sommer]

When lettering partitions, XP uses the order of the hard drives given to it
by the Bios.
XP will install to the first 'active' primary partition.
XP's 'boot' files will be on 'C'.
The next primary partition will be 'D'.
In your case 'D' was the next primary IDE partition on the 0 disk.
The logicals are lettered next.

If you had formatted the 2nd IDE drive as a Primary, then it would have been
'E' and the logicals on the SATA would have been F, G, and H.
--
Ronald Sommer

:I recently did a clean XP SP2 install on my 2nd PC. It had 2 hard disks and
: I partitioned them as follows when installing the XP.
:
: 1. SATA 160GB partitioned into 4x40GB drives.
: 2. IDE Master 160GB as a single disk.
:
: XP somehow assigned D: to the IDE drive, so I manually changed drive
letters
: in disk management so that:
: SATA 160GB --> C, D, E & F
: IDE Master 160GB --> G
:
: Then, I added an IDE Slave 160GB assigned as H.
:
: Q1. Obviously, XP correctly recognizes that C: is primary and D, E & F are
: logical. However, XP reports that G: is primary and H: is logical. I
didn't
: create any partitions on the IDE hard drives. So, why is the Master IDE
: drive (G is primary and why is the Slave IDE drive (H logical?
:
: Q2. "Disk Management" in XP reports G drive as "disk 0," H drive as "disk
1"
: and the SATA drive where the OS resides as "disk 2." Shouldn't the OS
drive
: be "disk 0"???
:
: So, I'm worried that partitioning may have been screwed up. Can anyone
shed
: some light on these issues? Thanks in advance.
:
:

 

[Jonny]

I recently did a clean XP SP2 install on my 2nd PC. It had 2 hard disks and
I partitioned them as follows when installing the XP.

1. SATA 160GB partitioned into 4x40GB drives.
2. IDE Master 160GB as a single disk.

Hmm, seems you partitioned the first 160GB hard drive here...

XP somehow assigned D: to the IDE drive, so I manually changed drive
letters in disk management so that:
SATA 160GB --> C, D, E & F
IDE Master 160GB --> G

Then, I added an IDE Slave 160GB assigned as H.

Q1. Obviously, XP correctly recognizes that C: is primary and D, E & F are
logical. However, XP reports that G: is primary and H: is logical. I
didn't create any partitions on the IDE hard drives. So, why is the Master
IDE

You previously indicated partitioning that hard drive.
Maybe you're mistaken?

drive (G is primary and why is the Slave IDE drive (H logical?

Q2. "Disk Management" in XP reports G drive as "disk 0," H drive as "disk
1" and the SATA drive where the OS resides as "disk 2." Shouldn't the OS
drive be "disk 0"???

The disk number is a bios function. Which hard drive is sought for booting
is a bios function.

 

[Guest]

It seems to me that Windows has a preference for IDE drives, and will attempt
to use them before it uses the SATA drives (just my personal experience)

I used to have a SATA/IDE mix that would boot off the IDE, then load the OS
from the SATA - despite my telling the installer to use the SATA drive.

So, I leave my IDE drives out of the system while installing my SATA drives.
I partition, format, and install Windows on the SATA drive. Once it's up
and running, only then do I add the IDE drive into the mix.

- John

 

[Fidelis K]

There is a strong preference for Windows to be installed
on drive C:. Is this what's happened in your case? Do this
to find out:
- Click Start / Run / cmd {OK}
- Type this command:
set system {Enter}
What drive letter do you see?

Windows is installed in C:. Does the 2nd HD need to be logical? I have no
plan to use multiple OS's, so I wonder if two primary partitions will be
fine...