Disk management

[Mike Easter]

I'm trying to learn something about XP's disk management tools. I have
experience with partitioning on other computers with graphical linux
tools like GPartEd and also with an old v. of Partition Magic, but
almost zero XP experience, mostly Win98se using PM.

This computer is Compaq SR2027X preinstalled XP Windows Media 2005 w/
120G hdd partitioned by compaq into C 110G NTFS + D 9G FAT32 restore. I
want to create some more/ another/ partition with XP to do another XP
install on free space on C which supposedly has 92G free. I may add
some more linux partitions later, but right now my focus is for another
different XP install.

When I access the disk management, R clicking on the C partition doesn't
give me the result described in the help files or at MS kb 309000 How to
use Disk Management to configure basic disks in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308424

Help & MS say "right-click unallocated space on the basic disk where you
want to create the partition, and then click New Partition."

The concept of unallocated space doesn't compute for me in this context,
as all of the space in C has the same shading and R clicking anywhere in
C doesn't give me a menu choice of New Partition.

There must be something different going on that causes my view to not
show the difference between space which is being used and which is
'allocated' vs unallocated. Is it possible to work on this disk
partitioning while working in the XP which is on drive C? Or, do I need
to boot with a live linux CD to get anything done with drive C?

 

[philo]

I'm trying to learn something about XP's disk management tools. I have
experience with partitioning on other computers with graphical linux
tools like GPartEd and also with an old v. of Partition Magic, but
almost zero XP experience, mostly Win98se using PM.

This computer is Compaq SR2027X preinstalled XP Windows Media 2005 w/
120G hdd partitioned by compaq into C 110G NTFS + D 9G FAT32 restore. I
want to create some more/ another/ partition with XP to do another XP
install on free space on C which supposedly has 92G free. I may add
some more linux partitions later, but right now my focus is for another
different XP install.

When I access the disk management, R clicking on the C partition doesn't
give me the result described in the help files or at MS kb 309000 How to
use Disk Management to configure basic disks in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308424

Help & MS say "right-click unallocated space on the basic disk where you
want to create the partition, and then click New Partition."

The concept of unallocated space doesn't compute for me in this context,
as all of the space in C has the same shading and R clicking anywhere in
C doesn't give me a menu choice of New Partition.

There must be something different going on that causes my view to not
show the difference between space which is being used and which is
'allocated' vs unallocated. Is it possible to work on this disk
partitioning while working in the XP which is on drive C? Or, do I need
to boot with a live linux CD to get anything done with drive C?

XP does *not* have the capability to perform non-destructive
repartitioning...
so you'D need a 3rd party utility.

Note: some Linux distros *can* repartition your drive...
but I'd be sure to backup your XP installation first!

 

[John John (MVP)]

Unallocated space would disk space which is not allocated to any
partitions, unpartitioned space. What you are trying to do is resize
your partition, which would then result in unallocated space with which
to create a new partition. The Windows XP Disk Management tool cannot
do this, you will have to use a third party tool to do this.

John

 

[Mike Easter]

"Mike Easter"

XP does *not* have the capability to perform non-destructive
repartitioning...
so you'D need a 3rd party utility.

Note: some Linux distros *can* repartition your drive...
but I'd be sure to backup your XP installation first!

Hi philo

I'm trying to educate myself from the XP docs. The XP install disk has
an html called setupxp. That doc sez:

Partition and format a hard drive - If you want to partition or format
your hard drive, we recommend that you use the disk partitioning and
formatting tools that are built into Windows XP Setup. These tools allow
you to delete existing partitions and to create one or more new
partitions. --

.... but since I have no experience installing XP from disk, when I boot
with the install CD I can't get very far before I don't know what the
setup is going to do next. This is unlike my experience with linux live
CDs which I can anticipate before something 'destructive' is going to
happen.

So, if I'm hearing you right, you are recommending against using the
disk partitioning and formatting tools that are built into the XP
setup - that setupxp isn't good advice.

 

[Mike Easter]

Unallocated space would disk space which is not allocated to any
partitions, unpartitioned space. What you are trying to do is resize
your partition, which would then result in unallocated space with
which to create a new partition. The Windows XP Disk Management tool
cannot do this, you will have to use a third party tool to do this.

Gotit. For my current purposes, neither the XP disk management tool in
the currently used partition C is particularly useful, nor perhaps the
disk management tool which is available in the XP setup process.

I guess I've been spoiled by my experience with Partition Magic which
dates back to v.4 1998 and by the partition editors available on the
live linux CDs.

I'm learning a lot about the XP disk management tools very quickly; so
far they aren't useful.

 

[dadiOH]

I'm trying to learn something about XP's disk management tools. I
have experience with partitioning on other computers with graphical
linux tools like GPartEd and also with an old v. of Partition Magic,
but almost zero XP experience, mostly Win98se using PM.

This computer is Compaq SR2027X preinstalled XP Windows Media 2005 w/
120G hdd partitioned by compaq into C 110G NTFS + D 9G FAT32 restore.
I want to create some more/ another/ partition with XP to do another
XP install on free space on C which supposedly has 92G free. I may
add some more linux partitions later, but right now my focus is for
another different XP install.

When I access the disk management, R clicking on the C partition
doesn't give me the result described in the help files or at MS kb
309000 How to use Disk Management to configure basic disks in Windows
XP http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308424

Help & MS say "right-click unallocated space on the basic disk where
you want to create the partition, and then click New Partition."

The concept of unallocated space doesn't compute for me in this
context, as all of the space in C has the same shading and R clicking
anywhere in C doesn't give me a menu choice of New Partition.

There must be something different going on that causes my view to not
show the difference between space which is being used and which is
'allocated' vs unallocated. Is it possible to work on this disk
partitioning while working in the XP which is on drive C? Or, do I
need to boot with a live linux CD to get anything done with drive C?

Unallocated isn't the same as unused.

Lets say you start with a new 100GB HD. If you partition it into one 100 GB
drive you have NO unallocated space but you have lots of unused space on
that drive. Conversely, if you partition it so that there is one 50 GB
drive then you also have 50GB of *unallocated* space which can be used to
create one or more additional drives.

With your current situation, you need a tool to resize the existing C:
and/or D: drives so that one or both are smaller. That will give you
unallocated space with which you can create other drives.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

 

[philo]

Hi philo

I'm trying to educate myself from the XP docs. The XP install disk has
an html called setupxp. That doc sez:

Partition and format a hard drive - If you want to partition or format
your hard drive, we recommend that you use the disk partitioning and
formatting tools that are built into Windows XP Setup. These tools allow
you to delete existing partitions and to create one or more new
partitions. --

... but since I have no experience installing XP from disk, when I boot
with the install CD I can't get very far before I don't know what the
setup is going to do next. This is unlike my experience with linux live
CDs which I can anticipate before something 'destructive' is going to
happen.

So, if I'm hearing you right, you are recommending against using the
disk partitioning and formatting tools that are built into the XP
setup - that setupxp isn't good advice.

No,
All I meant was that once XP is installed, you cannot change your
partitioning scheme without 3rd party software.

So if you are installing XP for the first time you may divide up the drive
as you choose:


http://www.theeldergeek.com/hard_drives_03.htm

 

[Mike Easter]

"Mike Easter"

No,
All I meant was that once XP is installed, you cannot change your
partitioning scheme without 3rd party software.

So if you are installing XP for the first time you may divide up the
drive as you choose:


http://www.theeldergeek.com/hard_drives_03.htm

Aha. I ran into that eldergeek site the other day while looking for
something else. I didn't know it had that XP setup screenshot sequence.
Very useful. Thanks.

 

[Mike Easter]

philo wrote:

Aha. I ran into that eldergeek site the other day while looking for
something else. I didn't know it had that XP setup screenshot
sequence. Very useful. Thanks.

That link is Partitioning A Blank Hard Drive During XP Installation

He also has a page http://www.theeldergeek.com/hard_drives_05.htm
Resizing An Existing Partition On A Single Hard Drive - You'd think
that Disk Management would be capable of resizing the partition. It
can't. In fact, Windows XP doesn't come with a utility that can perform
a right to left (making the partition smaller) resizing operation. --
Method 2 - Use a program that is designed to handle partitioning tasks
from inside the existing Windows operating system. -- I've been a long
time user of Partition Magic and it has always served me well until
recently. -- For that reason I've been using PartitionExpert by Acronis
and will use it for these screen captures.

My experience with the linux partition editors has been uniformly good;
I've had a few hiccups over the years with PM4, so I think I'll go with
the linux tools.

Thanks for the feedback. I didn't really intend to come in here to
badmouth XP or its tools.

 

[philo]

That link is Partitioning A Blank Hard Drive During XP Installation

He also has a page http://www.theeldergeek.com/hard_drives_05.htm
Resizing An Existing Partition On A Single Hard Drive - You'd think
that Disk Management would be capable of resizing the partition. It
can't. In fact, Windows XP doesn't come with a utility that can perform
a right to left (making the partition smaller) resizing operation. --
Method 2 - Use a program that is designed to handle partitioning tasks
from inside the existing Windows operating system. -- I've been a long
time user of Partition Magic and it has always served me well until
recently. -- For that reason I've been using PartitionExpert by Acronis
and will use it for these screen captures.

My experience with the linux partition editors has been uniformly good;
I've had a few hiccups over the years with PM4, so I think I'll go with
the linux tools.

Thanks for the feedback. I didn't really intend to come in here to
badmouth XP or its tools.

Vista is the only Windows OS that can resize an existing partition...
but I'd stick with XP! <G>

I have used Partition Magic many times and have never had a problem with
it...
so it should be fine...
however things can go wrong...so always backup your system first...
if nothing else...be sure all your data are backed up

 

[PD43]

Vista is the only Windows OS that can resize an existing partition...
but I'd stick with XP! <G>

I have used Partition Magic many times and have never had a problem with
it...
so it should be fine...
however things can go wrong...so always backup your system first...
if nothing else...be sure all your data are backed up

I've used PM for years... stopped upgrading at 7.0 which works fine
with XP.

I'm now using Vista as my OS and decided to go with Acronis Disk
Director Suite ($25 @Newegg) and am glad I made the switch.

 

[Mike Easter]

"Mike Easter"

I have used Partition Magic many times and have never had a problem
with it...
so it should be fine...

My '98 PM v4 is really old, I would hate to hear about all the things
that had to be fixed between my v.4 and when symantec grabbed it and
called it v 8 quit developing it. The symantec story is so bad, the
wiki even talked about it

"PartitionMagic, while under PowerQuest, was updated regularly, adding
new and useful features. Since Symantec purchased the application in
2003[1], there has not yet been a new release, and Symantec has stated

however things can go wrong...so always backup your system first...
if nothing else...be sure all your data are backed up

The newest live CD stable GPartEd has all of the features in the table
seen here...

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/features.php The following actions and
file systems are supported by GParted.

.... which includes everything for NTFS, which used to not be as well
handled by linux partition ed/s.


One of my problems is what a very very very bad XP install Compaq sent
from the factory on this box. Very bad. Very very bad. Tons and tons
and tons of bloatware. Any restoration just restores the same bloat.
If you need to change the hardware significantly, like put in a graphics
card instead of using the integrated graphics you can imagine where your
XP install is going.

The user is left to figure out what kind of strategy to use to clean the
thing up and configure hardware drivers. The MS/HP licensing
arrangements for OEMs who do things like that are extremely inferior.

 

[Bill in Co.]

Vista is the only Windows OS that can resize an existing partition...
but I'd stick with XP! <G>

I have used Partition Magic many times and have never had a problem with
it...
so it should be fine...
however things can go wrong...so always backup your system first...
if nothing else...be sure all your data are backed up

Yeah, and go with Partition Magic 8.0 (which I think is the latest version,
and has the most up-to-date support for the current systems; most of the
older versions are somewhat lacking, in that regard (such as in large disk
support, etc).

(That's the ONLY Norton product I have on here, however