XP partitioning question

[Steve]

Running WinXP Home setup on new Dell to wipe out everything and
partition the drive. I'm now at screen showing partitions -

Unpartitioned space: 39 MB
Partition 2 (NTFS): 76246 MB
Unpartitioned space: 8 MB

My understanding is that I'm supposed to delete the existing
partition, then use XP to create new partitions. But when I hit D to
delete Partition 2, I get message: "Setup is unable to delete - this
partition contains temporary setup files that are required to complete
the installation."

What's the next step? Thanks!

 

[Harry Ohrn]

If you want to start fresh then boot with the XP CD and select the option to
"Repair using the Recovery Console". It is before you see the screen to
accept the License Agreement. If prompted for an Administrator password just
press the Enter Key. At the command prompt type DISKPART and press Enter.
You should now be able to delete and repartition. Type EXIT to reboot. Leave
the XP CD in the drive.

 

[Steve]

If you want to start fresh then boot with the XP CD and select the option to
"Repair using the Recovery Console". It is before you see the screen to
accept the License Agreement. If prompted for an Administrator password just
press the Enter Key. At the command prompt type DISKPART and press Enter.
You should now be able to delete and repartition. Type EXIT to reboot. Leave
the XP CD in the drive.

Thanks Harry. Selected the Recovery Console, then got message: Which
Windows installation would you like to log onto?

Not sure how to answer this. ?

 

[Harry Ohrn]

If you are wiping the disk and repartitioning it doesn't matter.

 

[Steve]

Thanks Harry. Selected the Recovery Console, then got message: Which
Windows installation would you like to log onto? Not sure how to answer this.

Ok, figured out I'm supposed to enter 1, since there's only one
installation. That gets me to the command prompt, but when I enter
DISKPART and try to delete the partition, I get the same mesage -
"setup is unable to delete - this partition contains temp setup files
that are required to complete the installation."

I tried FORMAT C: /FS:NTFS. Got the usual question about destroying
all data, entered Yes, got back C prompt in about 3 seconds. Tried
DISKPART again, same result. ? (Also, not sure why format went so
quickly, thought that would take about a half hour...)

 

[WSZsr]

Here is the correct way to do it:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

 

[Steve]

Here is the correct way to do it:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Thanks, this is what I'm doing. Still getting the above message,
unable to delete the partition and re-partition the drive.

 

[Bill James]

It's not just Dell, all BIOSs that I have seen are set up by default to boot from the hard drive first. A slight security risk to leave it set to boot from CD first, and a little more overhead during the boot process, but not a big deal if you leave it that way.

--

Bill James
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User

Win9x VBScript Utilities » www.billsway.com/vbspage/
Windows Tweaks & Tips » www.billsway.com/notes_public/

 

[Wendy\(v-2wends\)]

You may want to check with this link from the microsoft knowledge base....it
has step by step instructions on how to install xp in different ways. By
the sounds of things, sounds like you need to be booting the computer from
the cd first....but it may prompt you for qualifying media after deleting
the partitions.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316941

 

[Steve]

If I'm setting up four partitions on an 80G drive (system plus 3), is
there any disadvantage to making the 3 additional partitions primary
rather than extended?

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

None that I can think of.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[Steve]

It's not just Dell, all BIOSs that I have seen are set up by default to boot from the hard drive first. A slight security risk to leave it set to boot from CD first, and a little more overhead during the boot process, but not a big deal if you leave it that way.

Thanks Bill. I now have it set to boot first from the A (floppy)
drive, then the CD drive, then the hard disk. Any major problems with
this setup?

 

[Steve]

None that I can think of.

Ok, thanks Rick. Is there any reason someone might wanna make the
additional partitions extended rather than primary?

 

[davetest]

Ok, thanks Rick. Is there any reason someone might wanna make the
additional partitions extended rather than primary?

It used to be that only one primary partition could be visible
at any one time. Partition magic always gives a warning if this
is attempted. I'd choose logical for the other partitions.

Dave

 

[Bill James]

That is not really good, since a floppy inadvertently left in the drive will kill the boot up, and an infected floppy in the drive could infect your computer. Unless you have a reason for that, like often booting from a floppy, better to do hard drive as first boot device.

--

Bill James
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User

Win9x VBScript Utilities » www.billsway.com/vbspage/
Windows Tweaks & Tips » www.billsway.com/notes_public/

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Steve,

The main advantage of using a primary is that those are where you usually
load a system to, other than that, there is no particular advantage either
way. Nowadays, there are some systems that you can load on an extended
partition volume (but still load the boot files to a primary). Some
partitioning utilities choke on multiple primaries, but again that is no
reason not to have them.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[Steve]

I have an 80G HD, with 20G partitioned as drive C. When partitioning
the balance of the drive, have to choose between primary and extended
for each partition (want 4 total). Not sure of the pros and cons in
making this choice, whether it makes a difference, or whether it can
be easily changed later. The partitions will be used for apps, data,
and one extra for possible Linux installation. Any thoughts?

 

[Alex Nichol]

Running WinXP Home setup on new Dell to wipe out everything and
partition the drive. I'm now at screen showing partitions -

Unpartitioned space: 39 MB
Partition 2 (NTFS): 76246 MB
Unpartitioned space: 8 MB

My understanding is that I'm supposed to delete the existing
partition, then use XP to create new partitions. But when I hit D to
delete Partition 2, I get message: "Setup is unable to delete - this
partition contains temporary setup files that are required to complete
the installation."

Not quite sure what you have done, so here is the sequence:
Boot the XP CD direct. Enter Setup, and after the license agreement
take New Install. When it asks you to confirm where, hit ESC; select
and delete the current partition and make a new RAW one to be formatted
at the next stage

I suspect you have not hit ESC

I would just make the partition where the system is to be installed -
leave making of others until after the system is set up

 

[Ogden Johnson III]

I have an 80G HD, with 20G partitioned as drive C. When partitioning
the balance of the drive, have to choose between primary and extended
for each partition (want 4 total). Not sure of the pros and cons in
making this choice, whether it makes a difference, or whether it can
be easily changed later. The partitions will be used for apps, data,
and one extra for possible Linux installation. Any thoughts?

What you want is two primary partitions, one for your C: drive that
will hold Windows XP and one for another drive reserved for your
possible Linux installation. Then you will need only one extended
partition which you can split into any number of additional "logical"
drives for apps and data.

For example. I used Partition Magic to do mine [and I didn't choose
to "start from scratch", just deleted/uninstalled all the Dell partner
"goodies"].

In my case, I just sized C: as primary to hold the WinXP OS and MS
Office [installed by Dell and I didn't want to uninstall/reinstall,
although if I were doing it today, I might - just for GP not because
I've had any problems], and whatever portions themselves that my apps
going on F: and G: [see below] insist on putting on C:.

My CDs remained D: and E: under XPPro when I repartitioned.

Then I set up an extended partition containing F: for major apps, G:
for minor apps/utilities, H: for work/client data, I: for more
work/client data, J: for my own personal data:, and K: as a utility
drive, where I the XPPro virtual memory, my browser's cache directory,
a default "download" directory to catch newsgroup attachments and any
miscellaneous web/ftp downloads, a "EudoraAttach" directory for email
attachments, and a "program downloads" directory for temporary and/or
permanent storage of any programs/utilities I download.

With PM [and some others, dunno about the current MS offering], I can
repartition my drive on the fly without losing any data at any time.
Say if I wanted to finally explore Linux. I could downsize the
existing drives and partitions to create enough free space for another
Primary partition for a drive to install Linux on. Then install PM's
BootMagic [or use the boot manager built into XPPro AIUI] to choose
what to boot into every time I boot/reboot.

 

[Tom Almy]

Go with one primary and an extended for the rest. There is the hidden
primary partition with diagnostics which I didn't bother deleting. Then
I've got C: (NTFS) as a primary, and then the remainder of the 80GB
drive an extended partition. Linux (which has three partitions), a FAT
partition for data exchange, and a final NTFS in the extended and it
works fine. LILO is in the boot sector.