Reinstall XP Home on a Inspiron 600m Dell Notebook.

[New Orleans Novice]

Reinstall XP Home on a Inspiron 600m Dell Notebook.

New 100 GIG Samsung Hard drive.

Format in which format ?

Now partitioning the new hard drive.

How many partitions? And what goes where?

C:\ XP Home OS ?
D:\ Data files ??
E:\ Folder with Drivers and Utilities disk files ???

Thank you from New Orleans

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Format in NTFS and as for partitions, you alone can work that one out... you
only need one single partition.... however you may wish to use more than
one, keeping one for documents/videos/mp3s etc and another for Program
Files. Remember that whatever you choose, parts of a program's installation
MUST go into the primary partition, so don't make it too small.... always
try to think ahead.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Reinstall XP Home on a Inspiron 600m Dell Notebook.

New 100 GIG Samsung Hard drive.

Format in which format ?

It's entirely up to you.

Personally, I wouldn't even consider using FAT32 when NTFS is an
option. FAT32 has no security capabilities, no compression
capabilities, no fault tolerance, no support for files larger than 4 Gb
(videos, anyone?), and a lot of wasted hard drive space on volumes
larger than 8 Gb in size. (Just try finding a hard drive that small,
nowadays.) The only reason I can think of to remain with FAT32 would be
if you anticipated a high likelihood of having to connect that external
drive to a Win9x machine. But your computing needs may vary, and there
is no hard and fast answer.

To answer your questions without getting too technical is
difficult, but has been handled quite well by the late Alex Nichol in
the article here:

FAT & NTFS File Systems in Windows XP
http://www.aumha.org/a/ntfs.htm

Somewhat more technical information is here:

Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=kb;en-us;Q314463

Choosing Between File Systems
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...prodtechnol/winntas/tips/techrep/filesyst.asp

NTFS file system
http://www.digit-life.com/articles/ntfs/

Now partitioning the new hard drive.

How many partitions? And what goes where?

C:\ XP Home OS ?
D:\ Data files ??
E:\ Folder with Drivers and Utilities disk files ???

Again, it's entirely up to you. Placing data files on a partition or
physical hard drive separate from the operating system and applications
can greatly simplify system repairs/recoveries and data back-up.


--

Bruce Chambers

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[New Orleans Novice]

Thanks for the good info. It is 100 GIG so I may make 3 partitions;

C
D
E

Also the F 12 key is broke off. The 4 cursor arrows dont all work. Only
the left and up work. The right and down are broke.

A new Dell keyboard was ordered today. Therefore how can the BIOS be
changed to make it boot from the CD first?

It cant because the down cursor arror does not work. Is there a software
utility that will change the boot order to the CD ?

 

[New Orleans Novice]

NTFS it is. Into 3 partitions.

Thanks.

Is there a software utility that will change the boot order to the CD ?

 

[Bob Willard]

Reinstall XP Home on a Inspiron 600m Dell Notebook.

New 100 GIG Samsung Hard drive.

Format in which format ?

Now partitioning the new hard drive.

How many partitions? And what goes where?

C:\ XP Home OS ?
D:\ Data files ??
E:\ Folder with Drivers and Utilities disk files ???

Thank you from New Orleans

I base the partioning strategy on the backup strategy. If you plan to
backup some but not all files, it is easier if the files to be backed up
are all in the same part; in fact, some backup apps will only back up
complete parts.

If you plan to only do complete backups (or, foolishly, no backups),
then a single part is simpler to manager.

 

[New Orleans Novice]

Somone sent in 3 parttitions.

C:\ for the OS

D:\ for data files which are saved if the C:\ drive needs to be formatted
to reinstall the OS

E:\ for the resources, utilities, drivers, etc. to run the hard ware and
software

 

[JohnO]

Somone sent in 3 parttitions.

C:\ for the OS

Make it maybe 20 GB, containing the OS and apps. Once you have things going
well, make an *image* of this partition using something like Image for
Windows. No need to format and reinstall...the image will be way faster and
easier. Don't include this part in your regular data backups unless you
regularly make lots of system changes.

D:\ for data files which are saved if the C:\ drive needs to be formatted
to reinstall the OS

Don't forget to move My Documents to this part as well. That way it's
included in your regular backups.

E:\ for the resources, utilities, drivers, etc. to run the hard ware and
software

I wouldn't make this one all that large, IME these files really don't add up
to much, and they're better kept on a CD anyway. (If the hdd fails...)

Just one opinion, good luck and have fun!

-John O

 

[New Orleans Novice]

That is very good INFO about Image for Windows as I have never used it and
will test it today. 3 keys on the KB are broken, F12, arror keys so a new
USB KB will not be known in DOS at Bootup to change the BIOS bootup
sequence?

 

[Malke]

That is very good INFO about Image for Windows as I have never used it and
will test it today. 3 keys on the KB are broken, F12, arror keys so a new
USB KB will not be known in DOS at Bootup to change the BIOS bootup
sequence?

No, of course not. Be patient and wait for your replacement keyboard.


Malke

 

[Ken Blake]

Thanks for the good info. It is 100 GIG so I may make 3 partitions;

C
D
E

My view is that most people's partitioning scheme should be based on their
backup scheme.
If, for example, you backup by creating a clone or image on the entire
drive, then a single partition might be best. If, on the other hand, you
backup only your data, then the backup process is facilitated by having all
data in a separate partition.

Rarely, if ever, does a partitioning scheme with more than two partitions
make sense, except for those running multiple operating systems.

Also the F 12 key is broke off. The 4 cursor arrows dont all work. Only
the left and up work. The right and down are broke.

A new Dell keyboard was ordered today.

I'm not sure why you ordered a keyboard from Dell, but that's probably one
of the most expensive places to get it. Any keyboard should work, and they
can readily be bought for under $10 US.

Therefore how can the BIOS be
changed to make it boot from the CD first?

It cant because the down cursor arror does not work. Is there a
software utility that will change the boot order to the CD ?

Just get the new keyboard and use it.

 

[Ken Blake]

Somone sent in 3 parttitions.

C:\ for the OS

D:\ for data files which are saved if the C:\ drive needs to be
formatted to reinstall the OS

I'm not against having a separate partition for data, but I want to take
exception to that reason for it..

Any time you take a major step like reinstalling the operating system, you
should be aware that, however unlikely, it's always possible that something
might go wrong. For that reason it's prudent to be sure you have a backup of
anything you can't afford to lose before beginning. Relying on your data
being in a separate partition is foolhardy. The only secure way to protect
your data is by backup.

Moreover, if your data is important to you, you *always* need to have a
current backup of it. Whenever I see a statement like "data files which are
saved if the C:\ drive needs to be formatted to reinstall the OS," I think
the person making it doesn't have a regular backup regimen in place. I
strongly urge you to give establishing a regular program of backups your
highest priority. Only after you've established how you are going to do that
should you turn your thoughts to how to partition.

E:\ for the resources, utilities, drivers, etc. to run the hard ware
and software

I see no reason at all to dedicate a partition to this. It seems like
enormous overkill. These files can be in a folder on any partition, or even
saved externally, on a CD or CDs.

 

[Dave B.]

This is a Notebook Ken, the keyboard has to be a Dell part

--

 

[New Orleans Novice]

I had to go with the Dell Notebook KY cause there is only a USB connection
and not a PS2 so the USB will not be reconized in DOS at bootup?

 

[New Orleans Novice]

Thanks for the tip. The notebook is for my brother so he can wait 1 more
week for the real deal Dell KB which as you say will work in DOS Bootup and
a USB external will not.

 

[New Orleans Novice]

I am spending my brother's money so you are right and he now has out of his
$money$ an external USB backup drive along with MS Live ONe Care.

 

[Ken Blake]

This is a Notebook Ken, the keyboard has to be a Dell part

Yes, thanks. Now that you point it out, I see that he said that in the
Subject line.

Once again, I recommend that people do not ask any part of their question in
the subject line, or if they do, that they repeat the details in the body of
the message. It's just too easy to miss things there.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
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