IBM windows xp reinstall

[Manikandan]

I have an IBM thinkpad with win xp pro. the primary
partition is 17 GB. The thinkpad came with xp preloaded.
I would to like to format the hardisk, divide it into
three or four smaller partitions with cluster sizes of
4kb and re-install the xp from the hard disk preload. Now
i would like to know how this can be done... secondly i
just downloaded and installed sp2. Now if i formatted and
reinstalled xp will the sp2 files be present on the dump
or would i have to go through the entire process of
downloading it and installing them all over agian?
Would appreciate any views / ideas on this
thanks
mani

 

[Ron Martell]

I have an IBM thinkpad with win xp pro. the primary
partition is 17 GB. The thinkpad came with xp preloaded.
I would to like to format the hardisk, divide it into
three or four smaller partitions with cluster sizes of
4kb and re-install the xp from the hard disk preload. Now
i would like to know how this can be done... secondly i
just downloaded and installed sp2. Now if i formatted and
reinstalled xp will the sp2 files be present on the dump
or would i have to go through the entire process of
downloading it and installing them all over agian?
Would appreciate any views / ideas on this
thanks
mani

You would have to check out the specifics as to how the IBM preload
works. Many of these preload installs work by deleting the existing
partition(s) in their entirety and then creating a new partition into
which the disk image of the factory fresh Windows XP install is
copied.

If partitioning is your only reason for doing the reinstall then you
should seriously consider other ways of achieving this result such as
by using a third party partitioning utility.

BootItNG will resize your existing partition and create new ones in
the freed up space without wiping out your installed XP. Get it from
www.bootitng.com and note that it has a 30 day free trial period.

Partition Magic is another partitioning utility. It is a bit easier
to use that BootItNG but is also costs more and there is no free
trial. Partition Magic is now owned by Symantec but the old web
address - www.powerquest.com - still works.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."