Formatting a new HD

[greenfly80]

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:

 

[Sniper]

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:

 

[greenfly80]

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:

 

[Sniper]

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]

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: