Solve : Partition help please...?

1.	Solve : Partition help please...?
Answer» I finished my new build about a month ago, and screwed up when partitioning my HD. I wanted to allocate 10GB for Windows XP and the remainder for everything else, programs, games, files, whatever. I created one partition, of 10 GB and installed windows on it. After installing all my devices and software i realized that my C drive was only 10gb, mostly taken up by windows, anti-virus, etc. Oy! So I want to rectify this and will reinstall windows fresh and partition the drive properly. I proceeded to BOOT from my xp cd and reached the partition part, and now I want to make sure I do this right. I have a 500 GB HD. How should I make the partition(s)? Please explain in as much DETAIL as possible. Although I am FAR from computer illiterate, I obviously don't know what I'm doing for this one very important step. I have to learn though! Thanks in advance for your help!http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348 Good luck.Thanks Dusty! I read through that page and it seems pretty self explanatory, yet leaves me with a couple questions. After the first partition (in my case, 10 GB) is created, the remaining disk space (490 GB) is considered unpartitioned. Such was the case when I initially did this. However that disk space was unusable as there was no drive assigned to it, ie D, E, F, etc. Am i missing something, or do I have to create a second partition to make that part of my HD usable? I went through my existing drives in windows explorer and the 490 GB is definitely nowhere to be found. I am assuming that's what I need to do, create a second partition, thereby assigning the unpartitioned portion a drive. I don't like to assume, as that's what got me into this mess in the first place. What really is the point of putting windows on it's own partition? I mean it's far less than 10 GB, which isn't much CLUTTER, and doesn't take all that long to scan, defrag, etc. As far as I know, every computer I've ever had, had windows on the C drive, along with all the other programs and files and what-not. Maybe that is incorrect, but I can't recall ever having to go to a different drive to find the windows folder, which then leads me to believe that it was in fact installed without its own partition. (there I go again, making assumptions) Sigh. It seems like this should be so easy, but I just don't understand what I did wrong. It's very, very frustrating to me that I could build the computer from scratch, set up the bios, get everything installed and working properly, but can't wrap my brain around this one little step. Quote from: opalholic Am i missing something, or do I have to create a second partition to make that part of my HD usable? Yes, that's it exactly. You will again be asked how much of the existing unpartitioned space to allocate to your second partition. When you've answered the second partition will be created. You can make a selection or simply opt to create the second partition on the remainder of the unpartitioned space, theoretically 490gb in your case. Quote from: opalholic What really is the point of putting windows on it's own partition? The first thing that comes to mind is that if your operating system becomes so corrupt that the only cure is to re-format and re-install then only the C: partition has to be wiped leaving your data, and other files, untouched on the D: partition (and on others if it's set up that way). The second is that IMHO the system partition needs more maintenance (Cleanup, Defrag etc) than non-system partitions to keep it healthy. If Defrag had to run thru' all your data files every time then that would be a lengthy process. I assume (here I am too making assumptions) that having a solo 500gb drive you have LOTS of music/video files. At last, I think I understand! LOL! Thank you for your help Dusty! I'm off to do the deed and start the process all over again. I'll let you know how it goes.You may want to consider giving XP 20G. Although it'll probably never need it it likes alot of room. And you have it to spare on that 500...

Answer»

I finished my new build about a month ago, and screwed up when partitioning my HD. I wanted to allocate 10GB for Windows XP and the remainder for everything else, programs, games, files, whatever. I created one partition, of 10 GB and installed windows on it. After installing all my devices and software i realized that my C drive was only 10gb, mostly taken up by windows, anti-virus, etc. Oy! So I want to rectify this and will reinstall windows fresh and partition the drive properly.

I proceeded to BOOT from my xp cd and reached the partition part, and now I want to make sure I do this right. I have a 500 GB HD. How should I make the partition(s)? Please explain in as much DETAIL as possible. Although I am FAR from computer illiterate, I obviously don't know what I'm doing for this one very important step. I have to learn though! Thanks in advance for your help!http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348

Good luck.Thanks Dusty! I read through that page and it seems pretty self explanatory, yet leaves me with a couple questions.

After the first partition (in my case, 10 GB) is created, the remaining disk space (490 GB) is considered unpartitioned. Such was the case when I initially did this. However that disk space was unusable as there was no drive assigned to it, ie D, E, F, etc. Am i missing something, or do I have to create a second partition to make that part of my HD usable? I went through my existing drives in windows explorer and the 490 GB is definitely nowhere to be found. I am assuming that's what I need to do, create a second partition, thereby assigning the unpartitioned portion a drive. I don't like to assume, as that's what got me into this mess in the first place.

What really is the point of putting windows on it's own partition? I mean it's far less than 10 GB, which isn't much CLUTTER, and doesn't take all that long to scan, defrag, etc. As far as I know, every computer I've ever had, had windows on the C drive, along with all the other programs and files and what-not. Maybe that is incorrect, but I can't recall ever having to go to a different drive to find the windows folder, which then leads me to believe that it was in fact installed without its own partition. (there I go again, making assumptions)

Sigh. It seems like this should be so easy, but I just don't understand what I did wrong. It's very, very frustrating to me that I could build the computer from scratch, set up the bios, get everything installed and working properly, but can't wrap my brain around this one little step.

Quote from: opalholic

Am i missing something, or do I have to create a second partition to make that part of my HD usable?

Yes, that's it exactly. You will again be asked how much of the existing unpartitioned space to allocate to your second partition. When you've answered the second partition will be created. You can make a selection or simply opt to create the second partition on the remainder of the unpartitioned space, theoretically 490gb in your case.

Quote from: opalholic

What really is the point of putting windows on it's own partition?

The first thing that comes to mind is that if your operating system becomes so corrupt that the only cure is to re-format and re-install then only the C: partition has to be wiped leaving your data, and other files, untouched on the D: partition (and on others if it's set up that way).

The second is that IMHO the system partition needs more maintenance (Cleanup, Defrag etc) than non-system partitions to keep it healthy. If Defrag had to run thru' all your data files every time then that would be a lengthy process. I assume (here I am too making assumptions) that having a solo 500gb drive you have LOTS of music/video files. At last, I think I understand! LOL! Thank you for your help Dusty! I'm off to do the deed and start the process all over again. I'll let you know how it goes.You may want to consider giving XP 20G.
Although it'll probably never need it it likes alot of room.
And you have it to spare on that 500...

Solve : Partition help please...?

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