Is my HDD big enough to run 2 XP OSs?

[Guest]

Question: Is my (single) hard disk on my laptop large enough to run 2
(English and Chinese) XP operating systems?

Total hard disk capacity is 18.6 GB, and currently I only have 6.05 GB of
free space left. (I could transfer some of my stuff to CDs to free up more
space if necessary).

I plan to use PartitionMagic to create 1 or 2 new partitions and install the
Chinese version of XP on a new partition. Then I'd have a dual-boot system so
I can choose to use the English or Chinese version each time I startup.

My question is: Do I have enough space? If I do, what sizes should I make
the new partition(s), and how should I spread my data between the partitions
-- drive C: is probably to "crowded" at the moment. Not sure.

 

[philo]

Question: Is my (single) hard disk on my laptop large enough to run 2
(English and Chinese) XP operating systems?

Total hard disk capacity is 18.6 GB, and currently I only have 6.05 GB of
free space left. (I could transfer some of my stuff to CDs to free up more
space if necessary).

I plan to use PartitionMagic to create 1 or 2 new partitions and install
the
Chinese version of XP on a new partition. Then I'd have a dual-boot system
so
I can choose to use the English or Chinese version each time I startup.

My question is: Do I have enough space? If I do, what sizes should I make
the new partition(s), and how should I spread my data between the
partitions
-- drive C: is probably to "crowded" at the moment. Not sure.

a fresh installation of XP takes approx 1.5 gigs...but can soon grow to
twice that size.
you certainly can have two XP installtions on an 18 gig drive...
but it would be better to use a larger drive

 

[S.Sengupta]

Regarding hard disk space requirements for XP:-

System requirements for Windows XP operating systems
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314865

Hard disk space requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 1
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q326583

The hard disk space requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];837783


so calculate how much space will be consumed and act accordingly.

regards,
ssg MS-MVP

 

[t.cruise]

A PC does not run with Windows XP alone. By the time you finish installing software,
drivers, updates, and then start web surfing, those two partitions begin to fill up. Then
there are restore points, your page file, temporary internet files, etc. 18.6 GB is a
decent size for one Windows XP install, IF you are not into multimedia files, and do not
want to have to keep transferring data to CDs to create space. 2 Windows XP installs on a
drive that size might bring up the low disk space warning message sooner than you might
expect. I only have a single Windows XP install, with one profile, MS Office
Professional, a few graphics/imaging programs, some games, a few utilities, some .wmv
files, a library of .jpg files, some saved email, keep my system restore points to a
limited number, and I have easily used 20.2 GB of drive space. If you have an open bay,
why not slave a new hard drive to your existing drive and install the second Windows XP
there. Internal hard drives are inexpensive. You can get a decent name brand 40 to 80 GB
drive for about $50-$70 at many online catalog places like CDW. OR, if you have the time
and know how, you could purchase the inexpensive 80 GB drive, clone the existing hard
drive to the new hard drive with the utility included with the new drive, then use
partition magic to create the second partition on the new drive and make your second
Windows XP install to that partition. When all is done, and is functioning well, you
could then format the old drive, slave it to the new one, and use it for data storage.

 

[S.Sengupta]

And just to add you need other softwares along with your operating
system.It depends upon your requirement.So calculate accordingly.

regards,
ssg MS-MVP

 

[Ron Sommer]

I think you missed "on my laptop ".
Otherwise, a larger drive is a good idea.
--
Ron Sommer

A PC does not run with Windows XP alone. By the time you finish installing
software,
drivers, updates, and then start web surfing, those two partitions begin
to fill up. Then
there are restore points, your page file, temporary internet files, etc.
18.6 GB is a
decent size for one Windows XP install, IF you are not into multimedia
files, and do not
want to have to keep transferring data to CDs to create space. 2 Windows
XP installs on a
drive that size might bring up the low disk space warning message sooner
than you might
expect. I only have a single Windows XP install, with one profile, MS
Office
Professional, a few graphics/imaging programs, some games, a few
utilities, some .wmv
files, a library of .jpg files, some saved email, keep my system restore
points to a
limited number, and I have easily used 20.2 GB of drive space. If you
have an open bay,
why not slave a new hard drive to your existing drive and install the
second Windows XP
there. Internal hard drives are inexpensive. You can get a decent name
brand 40 to 80 GB
drive for about $50-$70 at many online catalog places like CDW. OR, if
you have the time
and know how, you could purchase the inexpensive 80 GB drive, clone the
existing hard
drive to the new hard drive with the utility included with the new drive,
then use
partition magic to create the second partition on the new drive and make
your second
Windows XP install to that partition. When all is done, and is
functioning well, you
could then format the old drive, slave it to the new one, and use it for
data storage.
--

T.C.
t__cruise@[NoSpam]hotmail.com
Remove [NoSpam] to reply

Question: Is my (single) hard disk on my laptop large enough to run 2
(English and Chinese) XP operating systems?

Total hard disk capacity is 18.6 GB, and currently I only have 6.05 GB of
free space left. (I could transfer some of my stuff to CDs to free up
more
space if necessary).

I plan to use PartitionMagic to create 1 or 2 new partitions and install
the
Chinese version of XP on a new partition. Then I'd have a dual-boot
system so
I can choose to use the English or Chinese version each time I startup.

My question is: Do I have enough space? If I do, what sizes should I make
the new partition(s), and how should I spread my data between the
partitions
-- drive C: is probably to "crowded" at the moment. Not sure.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Question: Is my (single) hard disk on my laptop large enough to
run 2
(English and Chinese) XP operating systems?

Total hard disk capacity is 18.6 GB, and currently I only have
6.05
GB of free space left. (I could transfer some of my stuff to
CDs to
free up more space if necessary).

The technical answer is yes. The practical answer is that you'd
be pushing it. I wouldn't do it, unless you absolutely had to.

 

[t.cruise]

Mea Culpa, I speed read the post and missed that word laptop. Then I guess I would have
just replied that 18.6 GB would be on the minimum end, and not something that I would do.
But, if the PC needs are minimal, does not do much multimedia, allocates a small amount of
disk space for temporary internet files and restore points, it would work. I would not do
it though.
--

T.C.
t__cruise@[NoSpam]hotmail.com
Remove [NoSpam] to reply

I think you missed "on my laptop ".
Otherwise, a larger drive is a good idea.
--
Ron Sommer

A PC does not run with Windows XP alone. By the time you finish installing
software,
drivers, updates, and then start web surfing, those two partitions begin
to fill up. Then
there are restore points, your page file, temporary internet files, etc.
18.6 GB is a
decent size for one Windows XP install, IF you are not into multimedia
files, and do not
want to have to keep transferring data to CDs to create space. 2 Windows
XP installs on a
drive that size might bring up the low disk space warning message sooner
than you might
expect. I only have a single Windows XP install, with one profile, MS
Office
Professional, a few graphics/imaging programs, some games, a few
utilities, some .wmv
files, a library of .jpg files, some saved email, keep my system restore
points to a
limited number, and I have easily used 20.2 GB of drive space. If you
have an open bay,
why not slave a new hard drive to your existing drive and install the
second Windows XP
there. Internal hard drives are inexpensive. You can get a decent name
brand 40 to 80 GB
drive for about $50-$70 at many online catalog places like CDW. OR, if
you have the time
and know how, you could purchase the inexpensive 80 GB drive, clone the
existing hard
drive to the new hard drive with the utility included with the new drive,
then use
partition magic to create the second partition on the new drive and make
your second
Windows XP install to that partition. When all is done, and is
functioning well, you
could then format the old drive, slave it to the new one, and use it for
data storage.
--

T.C.
t__cruise@[NoSpam]hotmail.com
Remove [NoSpam] to reply

Question: Is my (single) hard disk on my laptop large enough to run 2
(English and Chinese) XP operating systems?

Total hard disk capacity is 18.6 GB, and currently I only have 6.05 GB of
free space left. (I could transfer some of my stuff to CDs to free up
more
space if necessary).

I plan to use PartitionMagic to create 1 or 2 new partitions and install
the
Chinese version of XP on a new partition. Then I'd have a dual-boot
system so
I can choose to use the English or Chinese version each time I startup.

My question is: Do I have enough space? If I do, what sizes should I make
the new partition(s), and how should I spread my data between the
partitions
-- drive C: is probably to "crowded" at the moment. Not sure.

 

[Kenny S]

Download and install the chinese MUI pack from a p2p network using emule
(google emule to find the download page) , that will enable you to have only
1 version of XP and switch between language interfaces.