Do I want a primary or extended partition

[Metspitzer]

I started a long time ago making a 40G partition for Windows and then
making an extended partition for the rest of the drive. (Data drive
that would not be reformatted)

I don't really know the difference (between primary and extended) but
I had a quirk come up last time I reformatted (and reinstalled
windows) the 40G partition. I ended up with Windows on E: drive and
the boot information on C: drive. D: was the CD.

The reason for the 40G partition is so I can just reinstall Windows
instead of trying to clean it of a virus. When I am re installing
Windows, I am not really sure how to reformat (from the setup disk)
the 40G partition other than to just delete the partition and re
assign it.

1) Can you reformat the primary partition using Windows XP pro
(without deleting it first)?
2) Does it matter if the other partition is primary or extended?
3) How did I manage to get the 40G partition (With Windows installed)
assigned as e: with the boot information on cwhich was supposed to
be for data and was never reformatted)

PS I hope this makes more sense to you guys than it does to me.

 

[philo]

I started a long time ago making a 40G partition for Windows and then
making an extended partition for the rest of the drive. (Data drive
that would not be reformatted)

I don't really know the difference (between primary and extended) but
I had a quirk come up last time I reformatted (and reinstalled
windows) the 40G partition. I ended up with Windows on E: drive and
the boot information on C: drive. D: was the CD.

The reason for the 40G partition is so I can just reinstall Windows
instead of trying to clean it of a virus. When I am re installing
Windows, I am not really sure how to reformat (from the setup disk)
the 40G partition other than to just delete the partition and re
assign it.

1) Can you reformat the primary partition using Windows XP pro
(without deleting it first)?
2) Does it matter if the other partition is primary or extended?
3) How did I manage to get the 40G partition (With Windows installed)
assigned as e: with the boot information on cwhich was supposed to
be for data and was never reformatted)

PS I hope this makes more sense to you guys than it does to me.

There should be no problem formatting your primary partition and leaving
your logical drive intact...however you could not delete your primary
partition.

It looks like you simply chose the wrong drive when you reinstalled
Windows last time.

 

[dadiOH]

I started a long time ago making a 40G partition for Windows and then
making an extended partition for the rest of the drive. (Data drive
that would not be reformatted)

I don't really know the difference (between primary and extended) but
I had a quirk come up last time I reformatted (and reinstalled
windows) the 40G partition. I ended up with Windows on E: drive and
the boot information on C: drive. D: was the CD.

See below
______________

The reason for the 40G partition is so I can just reinstall Windows
instead of trying to clean it of a virus.

That's not a very good idea. First of all, 40GB is way more than you need
for just Windows. Half that amount would still be generous.

Secondly, if you reinstall Windows "over the top" - i.e., freshen it, a
repair install - you have done nothing to get rid if a virus or malware.

If you format and *then* install Windows you will have gotten rid of any
baddies but you will also have gotten rid of anything else on that
partition. That includes your mobo and other drivers/software.
____________________

When I am re installing
Windows, I am not really sure how to reformat (from the setup disk)
the 40G partition other than to just delete the partition and re
assign it.

After you do that the setup disc gives you formatting options if the
partition is a not new one and you choose:
Format the partition by using the NTFS file system (Quick)
Format the partition by using the FAT file system (Quick)
Format the partition by using the NTFS file system
Format the partition by using the FAT file system
Leave the current file system intact (no changes)
See here...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348

1) Can you reformat the primary partition using Windows XP pro
(without deleting it first)?

No, and you can't delete it either. No operations that affect the integrity
of the file system or OS can be done from within Windows. It is sort of
like trying to overhaul a running engine.

2) Does it matter if the other partition is primary or extended?

No given the above

3) How did I manage to get the 40G partition (With Windows installed)
assigned as e: with the boot information on cwhich was supposed to
be for data and was never reformatted)

You probably chose the wrong drive for XP. C: is the first primary drive on
the first physical drive (determined by cabling in the tower) and has to
have the boot files.
______________

A physical drive can have up to four primary partitions. It *MUST* have at
least one and a few files needed for booting must be on it; however, Windows
itself can be on a logical drive on an extended partion. Only one primary
drive is active and visible at a time; having multiple primary partitions
works well when you want to have more than one type of OS...windows and
Linus, e.g.

A physical drive may have *ONE* extended partition. That extended
partition reduces the number of possible primary partitions to three. The
extended partition may have many logical drives. There are pros and cons to
them, see...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning

If you want to see multiple drives via Windows Explorer and you want more
than four, you probably want a primary partition and an extended partition
with multiple logical partitions on it.

In my case, I have two physical drives. Each has one primary partition and
one extended partition. Each extended partition has multiple logical drives
which I use for specific things...one for images, one for MP3s, one for
video, one for a pristine install of XP, one for games, etc. Works for me.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per dadiOH:

First of all, 40GB is way more than you need
for just Windows. Half that amount would still be generous.

I find that to be true for PCs that I use myself.

But for PCs at a remote site, I like to go big - like 50 or even 75
gigs.

Reason: The automatic Windows updates eat space over time... couple
years down the pike, the extra gigs will save me a "Something's wrong
with my PC" call because C: ran out of space.

 

[Metspitzer]

I started a long time ago making a 40G partition for Windows and then
making an extended partition for the rest of the drive. (Data drive
that would not be reformatted)

Thanks everyone