partitioning xppro

[loderunner]

I want to create a primary partition on my basic disc.
Following the 4-step process using the windows interface
stops me at step 3: "right click an unallocated region...
then click New Partition...". Right clicking anything
does not result in that option. Using the 5-step
DiskPart command from the command prompt ends when it
will not recognize the command "create partition
primary". Interestingly, it does recognize the
command "create partition", which then promts me to
indicate what type of partition. However, when I
type "Primary", it goes back to not recognizing the
command.

XPPro / NTFS basic disc

Suggestions?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Well, you apparently have no "unallocated space"
to create a new partition. In your case, you'll need
a third-party partioning program.

The only way you can create, delete, resize or merge existin­g partitions,
and not harm your existing Windows installation, is to purch­ase and use
a third-party partitioning program such as Partition Magic 8­.
http://www.powerquest.com/partitionmagic/

The alternative is to perform a "clean install" of Windows X­P:

How to Partition and Format a Hard Disk in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;313348&Product=winxp

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

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:

| I want to create a primary partition on my basic disc.
| Following the 4-step process using the windows interface
| stops me at step 3: "right click an unallocated region...
| then click New Partition...". Right clicking anything
| does not result in that option. Using the 5-step
| DiskPart command from the command prompt ends when it
| will not recognize the command "create partition
| primary". Interestingly, it does recognize the
| command "create partition", which then promts me to
| indicate what type of partition. However, when I
| type "Primary", it goes back to not recognizing the
| command.
|
| XPPro / NTFS basic disc
|
| Suggestions?

 

[Guest]

Incidentally, I have never been persuaded that partitioning a hard drive --
even a large hard drive -- will lead to any transparent improvements in
performance or stability. For example, don't you want your programs and OS
to be together on the fastest part of the disk rather than in separate
partitions? Moreover, a rogue program is going to mess up XP even if it
resides on a different partition on the same hard drive. I do understand the
desirability of keeping your data (or a backup of same) separate from your
programs and OS -- but that's why I have a second external USB hard drive.

 

[myob]

Just to jump in, in the middle...
I do partition my hard drive but, not for supposed performance
improvements... but similar to you, so that I can keep an Image of my C:
drive and my data on other partitions. The images I save on external USB
drives and do direct copies of the data to the same USB drives. This way, if
by change my image becomes corrupt in some fashion, well not a great loss,
as I can take the time to reload everything. I keep the data in their
"native" formats so that if a file or 2 gets corrupt in some fashion the
whole bunch won't be.

 

[loderunner]

Thanks for the suggestions. WRT the comment, I didn't
actually state the reason I wanted to partition... but I
appreciate those comments too.

 

[Guest]

I don't worry about the C drive. I have such a simple setup that it's easier
and faster to do a clean install of Windows than to spend almost the same
time trying to fix problems that inevitably accumulate over time. My extra
external hard drive is solely for data, and I certainly agree with, and
adhere to, your suggestion that files to this drive be saved in their native
format (although I also separately use the MS Backup program and save backup
files to this drive).