Name: chuck Date: January 13, 2006 at 17:53:30 Pacific Subject: Use FDISK to free up disk space... OS: winme CPU/Ram: 800/128
Comment:
WINME Sony Notebook 10GIG HD
My HD is divided into 2 partitions C: and D: drive, a very common arrangement. If I use FDISK to delete my D: drive will the free disk space be added to my C: drive without deleting any of my files installed on the C: drive? Chuck
You need a third party partitioning software such as Partition magic, but doing so on't make any more disk space, and in fact, I advise against it.
With two partitions, you can save data on the D: partition, and if you ever (and you will) need to rework your C: partition, your data will still be sittin' there on your D: partition
Combining the two partitions won't make the drive any larger.
Use fdisk to delete all partitions. Then create a primary DOS partition using the full capacity. fdisk should make it active by default [necessary for it to boot].
If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.
With two partitions, you can save data on the D: partition, and if you ever (and you will) need to rework your C: partition, your data will still be sittin' there on your D: partition
NOT TRUE! I have a C:\ and a D:\ partitions 40% C: and 60% D: (28.8 GB total size) and I formatted the C: with the Windows ME CD's and EVERYTHING was LOST, including the data on the D: I only got a prompt about all data on DRIVE C:\ being lost. You need a SECOND physical hard disk in order to backup your data properly, and before you reformat, disconnect the second drive just incase. In my opinion, partitioning is not good, also, your second partition is noticeably slower than the C:\, that is how it is with me. Also, a LOT of people don't know they have partitions and they think it's another disk, I know, I was one of them!
That's just not true - if you 'lost everything', there was something else going on, either by design because of the 'recovery disk' or due to user error.
"In my opinion, partitioning is not good"
*All* drives are partitioned, your 'opinion' notwithstanding - yes, (of course) a second physical drive is more secure, but there are degrees
"I know, I was one of them!"
... speaks for itself
I agree; Computing.Net participants need to proofread
Thanks for the inputs. Have a follow on question. Once I repartion and format this hd into just one big C:\ drive will my WINME system recovery cd work? In other words, is it going to be looking for 2 partitions C:\ and D:\ and not finding 2 partitions, will it fail to install?
"You need a SECOND physical hard disk in order to backup your data properly" Um. That's definitely NOT true. The second drive would be optional, but certainly NOT necessary.
Sure - I've never had the misfortune to have to use a 'recovery disk' {spits} but from what I've read here over the years, your choices may be limited, depending
Having more than one partition is the equivalent of "not putting your eggs in one basket" - but if the drive fails, then sure, likely everything on it is lost - the only truly secure system is to backup onto removeable media, stored offsite
I agree; Computing.Net participants need to proofread
That's just not true - if you 'lost everything', there was something else going on, either by design because of the 'recovery disk' or due to user error.
Well, it may have been the design of the CD then, because it came partitioned 60 - 40 when we got it 5 years ago, like I said a C: and D: and it ONLY, I REPEAT ONLY gave a prompt about partitioning C:\, I left D: alone entirely. I gave NO mention whatsoever about partitions at all. I it only said "ALL DATA ON C:\ WILL BE LOST Y/N? and a second prompt then it did it's stuff and I rebooted and the D:\ was empty. I did NOT do any repartitioning or ANYTHING at all in True DOS or otherwise.
"In my opinion, partitioning is not good"
*All* drives are partitioned, your 'opinion' notwithstanding - yes, (of course) a second physical drive is more secure, but there are degrees
Look, what I meant is partitioning MULTIPLE drives in a single disk is not good. a 100% Partition is good, but nothing less.
"I know, I was one of them!"
... speaks for itself
No reason to be rude there, it's called live and learn, we aren't born computer geniuses you know!
"You need a SECOND physical hard disk in order to backup your data properly" Um. That's definitely NOT true. The second drive would be optional, but certainly NOT necessary.
Yes you do, what about Hard drive failiure? Your second partition is dead as well as the first one unless you have a real second disk. That is why I don't do partitioning on any of my other computers. I'm gathering up some money to buy a big 100+ GB hard drive for my Win 98 machine for a proper backup of everything.
This reminds me of "Don't confuse me with facts. My mind's made up"
Faris_B if you deleted two partitions, you either didn't do it correctly or the restore process was set up to do this. Just plain formatting a C does not delete D or anything else. Sorry, that's the facts.
Um. That's definitely NOT true. The second drive would be optional, but certainly NOT necessary.
HE said:
Yes you do, what about Hard drive failiure? Your second partition is dead as well as the first one unless you have a real second disk.
SHE says:
Drive failure aside, your statement "You need a SECOND physical hard disk in order to backup your data properly" is NOT an accurate statement. Because, based on your statement that having a Second physical drive is a guarantee that there will be NO secondary drive failure, thus, no data loss. Not true.
Really? I've never had a computer with multiple partitions except for my Win ME one so I wouldn't know about other computers with partitions. So, are you saying that if I FDISK'ed my machine in the future (put files in a second physical disk and created 1 partition, that my CD would make 2 partitions even though I just setup 1? That's a pretty stupid thing for it to do. I am an expert Win 9x user and I am saying this with full confidence, I did NOT get any prompts besides DRIVE C:\ being wiped out. No FDISK mention or formatting or anything. The install took about an hour and it was over Windows ME, I didn't do a FORMAT C: or anything like that before, I rebooted, put in the CD and did it. That is all. Also, the install required 2 CD's and Windows was badly damaged before this occured AND Drive D:\ had bad clusters that weren't blocked yet. Would this have made the CD format D: also or something?
Also, you may find this hard to believe, but right after this disaster happend, we took the computer to a friend who works at a computer lab and he was stumped by this! And he knows way more than me. He didn't even mention a partition to me at all and he checked FDISK to look at the partitions. Why would he have missed this? This guy is extremely sharp in terms of knowing Win 9x stuff. He also thought there was another disk even though FDISK reported the 60 - 40 thing and that the D: was an EXT DOS partition and C: was a PRI DOS one.
This all sounds very confusing. You use FDISK to partition the machine (which loses the lot unless you are mighty careful) and FORMAT to format the individual partitions you have made.
Sound to me like you used OEM disks from the supplier, which are likely to restore the machine to "as purchased" condition including the original partitioning arrangements using FDISK or equivalent.
If you'd done FORMAT C: (without FDISK) then D should have remained intact. When you say you prompted to "partition" the thing its not surprising that you lost C. It probably repartitioned the whole drive.
I fear all of this is drifting away from the poster's question, so I trust chuck is suitably confused or has now given up.
Please, please, PLEASE understand what I mean here.
I did NOT TOUCH MS-DOS AT ALL! All I did was USE AN OEM CD to REFORMAT PERIOD! Sorry, but I think I said this pretty clearly last time. I didn't start being a DOS user until last year. I reformatted a year and a HALF ago. So what I understood from you is that the CD restores it to factory state. I dind't do anything, but if I ever were to again, I'd REMOVE the D: is all I said.
FB (Bueller?) I think you're in way over your head here.
While your personal experiences may be fascinating (to you), facts are preferential.
Fdisk & format are pretty basic concepts - if they muddle your mind, maybe hold off on the 'advice' - these threads are more to resolve the OP's issues rather than to focus on providing an online education for you.
I agree; Computing.Net participants need to proofread
Oh, I agree - but contributers are held to a bit of a higher standard.
Folks posting here for help would prefer (I'd think) to have their questions answered as accurately & succinctly as possible - not be regaled by dim remembrances and suspect conclusions from tyros.
Sure, we're all learning - that never stops (hopefully) but if a person doesn't have the requisite experience, just maybe they should refrain from muddying the waters - some of these posts can be difficult to follow at best.
I'd just as soon not be commenting like this, but FB has made an increasing number of less-than-helpful responses. Years ago, JW indicated that these forums are (to an extent) self policing, so we do "call" contributers on bad or misleading info, in the hopes of correcting misconceptions etc - if that doesn't work, then continued posts in that vein can be reported for deletion (some already have been) and the 'offender' might be given some time off
Nobody's perfect, but you have to set the bar somewhere
I agree; Computing.Net participants need to proofread
Getting back to the query about using the recovery CD you will have to check the documentation or ask on a Sony-specific forum - different manufacturer's use different systems - Compaq will try to recreate the partition but PB will let you use the full drive as long as it's set-up correctly in the first place (tattooed I think it's termed). A good indication is whether there's a recovery option from Windows as this would most likely rely on some sort of separate partition.
I'd just as soon not be commenting like this, but FB has made an increasing number of less-than-helpful responses. Years ago, JW indicated that these forums are (to an extent) self policing, so we do "call" contributers on bad or misleading info, in the hopes of correcting misconceptions etc - if that doesn't work, then continued posts in that vein can be reported for deletion (some already have been) and the 'offender' might be given some time off
Fine, I'll drop the matters. No big deal. Sorry. I just wanted to know what everyone thought was wrong with my recovery disk stuff.
