"primary" vs "extended" partition - which is better?

[newsrider3]

I'm running a Compaq computer with Windows XP Home SP2 on a 160GB Maxtor hd,
which has 1 partition C: (NTFS) at this point.

My Compaq Tools CD offers to create a new partition (one time only), leaving
the original partition operational, without loss of data. [After the new
partition has been created, the XP Disk Management tool will be used to
subdivide it into additional partitions.] It requires me to select either
"primary" or "extended" for the new partition, but offers no explanations. I
don't know the difference? Which should I select?

I've already read the usual MS knowledgebase articles on this subject but
they're talking way above my head. I can't understand them, so it won't do
any good to refer me to them... I need some specific advice. Thanks.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Primary Partitions:

A primary partition may contain an operating system along with any number of data files (for example, program files, user files,
and so forth). Before an OS is installed, the primary partition must be logically formatted with a file system compatible to the
OS.
If you have multiple primary partitions on your hard disk, only one primary partition may be visible and active at a time. The
active partition is the partition from which an OS is booted at computer startup. Primary partitions other than the active
partition are hidden, preventing their data from being accessed. Thus, the data in a primary partition can be accessed (for all
practical purposes) only by the OS installed on that partition.

If you plan to install more than one operating system on your hard disk, you probably need to create multiple primary partitions;
most operating systems can be booted only from a primary partition.


Extended Partitions:

The extended partition was invented as a way of getting around the arbitrary four-partition limit. An extended partition is
essentially a container in which you can further physically divide your disk space by creating an unlimited number of logical
partitions.
An extended partition does not directly hold data. You must create logical partitions within the extended partition in order to
store data. Once created, logical partitions must be logically formatted, but each can use a different file system.

Logical Partitions:

Logical partitions may exist only within an extended partition and are meant to contain only data files and operating systems that
can be booted from a logical partition (for example, Linux, Windows NT, and so forth).

Copyright © 1994-2002 PowerQuest Corporation. All rights reserved.

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

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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I'm running a Compaq computer with Windows XP Home SP2 on a 160GB Maxtor hd,
| which has 1 partition C: (NTFS) at this point.
|
| My Compaq Tools CD offers to create a new partition (one time only), leaving
| the original partition operational, without loss of data. [After the new
| partition has been created, the XP Disk Management tool will be used to
| subdivide it into additional partitions.] It requires me to select either
| "primary" or "extended" for the new partition, but offers no explanations. I
| don't know the difference? Which should I select?
|
| I've already read the usual MS knowledgebase articles on this subject but
| they're talking way above my head. I can't understand them, so it won't do
| any good to refer me to them... I need some specific advice. Thanks.

 

[newsrider3]

Thanks, but that's way over my head! I can't understand it. Which should I
choose... Primary or extended???

Primary Partitions:

A primary partition may contain an operating system along with any number
of data files (for example, program files, user files,
and so forth). Before an OS is installed, the primary partition must be
logically formatted with a file system compatible to the
OS.
If you have multiple primary partitions on your hard disk, only one
primary partition may be visible and active at a time. The
active partition is the partition from which an OS is booted at computer
startup. Primary partitions other than the active
partition are hidden, preventing their data from being accessed. Thus, the
data in a primary partition can be accessed (for all
practical purposes) only by the OS installed on that partition.

If you plan to install more than one operating system on your hard disk,
you probably need to create multiple primary partitions;
most operating systems can be booted only from a primary partition.


Extended Partitions:

The extended partition was invented as a way of getting around the
arbitrary four-partition limit. An extended partition is
essentially a container in which you can further physically divide your
disk space by creating an unlimited number of logical
partitions.
An extended partition does not directly hold data. You must create logical
partitions within the extended partition in order to
store data. Once created, logical partitions must be logically formatted,
but each can use a different file system.

Logical Partitions:

Logical partitions may exist only within an extended partition and are
meant to contain only data files and operating systems that
can be booted from a logical partition (for example, Linux, Windows NT,
and so forth).

Copyright © 1994-2002 PowerQuest Corporation. All rights reserved.

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

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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I'm running a Compaq computer with Windows XP Home SP2 on a 160GB Maxtor
hd,
| which has 1 partition C: (NTFS) at this point.
|
| My Compaq Tools CD offers to create a new partition (one time only),
leaving
| the original partition operational, without loss of data. [After the new
| partition has been created, the XP Disk Management tool will be used to
| subdivide it into additional partitions.] It requires me to select
either
| "primary" or "extended" for the new partition, but offers no
explanations. I
| don't know the difference? Which should I select?
|
| I've already read the usual MS knowledgebase articles on this subject
but
| they're talking way above my head. I can't understand them, so it won't
do
| any good to refer me to them... I need some specific advice. Thanks.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Thanks, but that's way over my head! I can't understand it. Which should I
choose... Primary or extended???

Extended.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I'm running a Compaq computer with Windows XP Home SP2 on a 160GB Maxtor hd,
which has 1 partition C: (NTFS) at this point.

My Compaq Tools CD offers to create a new partition (one time only), leaving
the original partition operational, without loss of data. [After the new
partition has been created, the XP Disk Management tool will be used to
subdivide it into additional partitions.] It requires me to select either
"primary" or "extended" for the new partition, but offers no explanations. I
don't know the difference? Which should I select?

I've already read the usual MS knowledgebase articles on this subject but
they're talking way above my head. I can't understand them, so it won't do
any good to refer me to them... I need some specific advice. Thanks.

1) A Primary partition can be made bootable; an Extended partition
cannot.

2) A Primary partition can contain only one logical drive; an
Extended partition can contain as many logical drives as you like,
limited only by the number of available drive letters.

Specifically, from WinXP's Help & Support's Glossary:

PRIMARY PARTITION. A type of partition that you can create on basic
disks. A primary partition is a portion of a physical disk that
functions as though it were a physically separate disk. On basic
master boot record (MBR) disks, you can create up to four primary
partitions on a basic disk, or three primary partitions and an
extended partition with multiple logical drives. On basic GPT disks,
you can create up to 128 primary partitions. Primary partitions are
also known as volumes.

EXTENDED PARTITION. A type of partition that you can create only on
basic master boot record (MBR) disks. Extended partitions are useful
if you want to create more than four volumes on a basic MBR disk.
Unlike primary partitions, you do not format an extended partition
with a file system and then assign a drive letter to it. Instead, you
create one or more logical drives within the extended partition. After
you create a logical drive, you format it and assign it a drive
letter. An MBR disk can have up to four primary partitions, or three
primary partitions, one extended partition, and multiple logical
drives.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[newsrider3]

Thanks!
I'll be back after a brief intermission to let you know if it worked,
assuming my computer still works...
Cheers,
n3

 

[Michael C.]

Primary Partitions:

A primary partition may contain an operating system along with
any number of data files (for example, program files, user files,
and so forth). Before an OS is installed, the primary partition
must be logically formatted with a file system compatible to the
OS.

If you have multiple primary partitions on your hard disk, only
one primary partition may be visible and active at a time. The
active partition is the partition from which an OS is booted at
computer startup. Primary partitions other than the active
partition are hidden, preventing their data from being accessed.
Thus, the data in a primary partition can be accessed (for all
practical purposes) only by the OS installed on that partition.

While multiple partitions can be active at once, the behaviour isn't
well defined, and MS won't do it.

You can also have up to all four primary partitions visible at the same
time, hiding partitions isn't automatic, and MS deals fine with multiple
primary partions visible. MS fdisk.exe won't create multiple primary
partions, I'm not sure is disk manager will or not, but both deal if
they exist.

If you plan to install more than one operating system on your hard
disk, you probably need to create multiple primary partitions;
most operating systems can be booted only from a primary partition.

For the record this is misleading, if dual booting Win9x, and
WinNT/2K/XP, WinNT/2K/XP can be on a logical partition, ntldr is on the
primary (Win9x) drive. I believe BSDs and Beos require a primary, linux
doesn't. Much of this is more info than the average user needs.

Using an extended and logical partion when you are able may simplify
things if you plan to experiment, and won't hurt in any event.

HTH,

Michael C.