XP's DiskPart utility is capable of only partitioning a hard drive that is empty.
For example, if you were to install a new second drive, DiskPart can be
used to partition and format it. DiskPart cannot segregate current files from
free space, therefore, only a sophisticated third-party partitioning program,
such as Partition Magic 8 (
www.powerquest.com), can be used with a drive
that already has Windows XP installed.
The only safe way you can create, delete, resize or merge existing partitions,
and not harm your existing Windows XP installation, is to use
a third-party partitioning program such as Partition Magic 8
(
www.powerquest.com).
Partition Magic Instructional Videos
http://www.powerquest.com/support/primus/id3709.cfm
Otherwise, a "clean install" will be required.
The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:
1. Open your BIOS and set your CD Drive as the first bootable device.
2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition(s), then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.
5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]
6. After installing Windows XP, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.
7. It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except for you mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.
After XP is installed, visit the support website of the manufacturer
of each hardware device to obtain the latest drivers or software
designed to work with Windows XP.
--
Nicholas
----------------------------------------------------------------------
| THe guy who set up my computer with XP partitioned the
| drive so that my basic drive C \\ has only 20 Gb ,and the
| partitioned drive D\\ has 120 Gb.I have had no luck
| trying to extend drive C using the command prompt
| diskpart It fails and says make sure this drive is valid
| for extending....If I were to delete the Logical drive
| D\[would that free up the space and automatically put it
| in basic drive C\ ??? OR how do I switch them around so
| that drive C has 120 Gb and drive D has 20 Gb?
| Do I need partitions at all? I have a NTFS disk...I keep
| getting messages saying my disk space is dangerously low -
| [drive C] even after i'd removed programs no longer in
| use ,etc.
