Formatting a new HD

Discussion in 'Storage Devices' started by greenfly80, Dec 19, 2001.

  1. greenfly80

    greenfly80 Geek Trainee

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    I'm getting a new IBM 60GB hard drive soon and i want to know the best way of formatting and partitoning it. Is it better to have one large partiton or have a few smaller ones?
    Should i use FDISK? As i normal just use Format on my 3.5Gb hard drive?
    I know i want it to be FAT32.

    Many Thanks,

    Greenfly80 :cool:
     
    greenfly80, Dec 19, 2001
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  2. Sniper

    Sniper Administrator Staff Member

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    I use FDISK so I don’t see what not, it’s easy to use, if you know what you are doing :) and also it’s better to have smaller partions.

    You could set it up like this;
    C:\SYSTEM
    D:\PROGRAMS
    E:\GAMES
    F:\WORK
    G:\PAGE FILE

    It makes it much easier to access/find things, plus if you had to reformat, you won’t loose any thing from your partions,

    Create a primary partion with around 5GB, and then an extended partion in which you can create a logical partions d/e/f etc

    As you will have a quite large drive, it will take some time :rolleyes:
     
    Sniper, Dec 19, 2001
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  3. greenfly80

    greenfly80 Geek Trainee

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    Thanks for that. I have look at a small guide and it mentions that all data will be lost when modifying partitons? i don't really get this.
    Could i make a backup partition and then a primary one.Then format the primary one with windows etc on and still have the backup partiton?

    Thanks,

    Greenfly80 :cool:
     
    greenfly80, Dec 19, 2001
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  4. Sniper

    Sniper Administrator Staff Member

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    Yes you can :D that’s what I meant...

    first create a primary partion for the operating system, when asked if you want to use the maximum available capacity say no and enter around 5000MB (5GB) and then you will have create a extended partion in which you can create logical partions e.g. d/e/f/

    Then say you need to format for some reason :( you can format the primary partion (or delete it and re-create it) but the partions in the extended partion will remain, noting will be lost unless you delete or format them :p

    Hope you get what I mean
     
    Sniper, Dec 19, 2001
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  5. Sniper

    Sniper Administrator Staff Member

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    Yes you can have a backup partion, to simplify the answer,
    The only way you can loose you data is if you delete the partion
    I think. If you aren’t too familiar with FDISK then you could use Partion Magic 7 from Here

    hope this helps :cool:
     
    Sniper, Dec 19, 2001
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