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Formatting a partition?

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by d3vil0ck, 2007/11/02.

  1. 2007/11/02
    d3vil0ck

    d3vil0ck Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hey all, first post here. I've got one hard drive in my PC, and it's partitioned into three. My C Drive for Windows, my D Drive for media (music, pics, programs, etc) and my F Drive for Linux. I want to format my C drive to install a new copy of XP. I've done this before but not in a long time. My cousin, who has more experience with computers than me, said if I put in the Windows CD and format C:\, that my D and F drive will be formatted too. Is this true? If so, how can I format without needing to backup all of my data and partition everything again? If it's not true, then do I just go about formatting C like normal?

    Sorry for posting such a n00b question, but I'd hate to go ahead, do this by myself, then lose over 120 GB of data I have on my hard drive. Some important school work, etc.

    Thanks a lot.
     
    d3vil0ck,
    #1
  2. 2007/11/02
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    d3vil0ck - Welcome to the Board :)

    No question is too simple - would far rather the question was asked before the action rather than after - we get to clear up the mess or pass the bad news onto the poster that what he/she has done is irrecoverable :)

    The whole object of partitioning a drive is that each partition is seen as a separate drive and each can be formatted without affecting the other partitions.

    I think your cousin has less experience that he would like you to believe :)

    FYI my notes for occasions like this .....

    Any data which has the slightest importance should be backed up regularly - sounds like you have no backup - suggest you get hold of an external hard drive and use it for backup.

    Remember - your hard drive may fail tomorrow.
     
    PeteC,
    #2


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  4. 2007/11/02
    d3vil0ck

    d3vil0ck Inactive Thread Starter

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    Thank you very, very much. This is the second forum I posted this on, and the first one I was just treated like an inexperienced idiot. It's nice to get some actual help instead of stuck-up jerks acting like they know it all. We all start somewhere. :)

    I'm actually saving to get an external right now. I'm between jobs and it's a bit difficult, but right now it's my top priority. Anything VERY important I do backup to a DVD, but I'd still hate to lose 20,000 songs and things like that, and it'd also be a pain to find all of my DVD's full of documents, etc.

    Once again, thank you.
     
    d3vil0ck,
    #3
  5. 2007/11/03
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    You're welcome - come back anytime :)
     
    PeteC,
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  6. 2007/11/03
    visionof

    visionof Inactive

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    I agree
    Good to be cautious
    Microsoft is somewhat aggressive in getting rid of that pesky linux
    If you set up an install with a Linux disk it will allow you to change format types of the partitions.
    You can format the c partition with another format
    Then format it back to the windows ntsf or fat 32 the same way
     
    visionof,
    #5
  7. 2007/11/03
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Some points to consider prior to formatting the existing C partition and installing XP again;

    If the F partition already has a Linux distro installed, and if it uses the GRUB boot loader, and IF GRUB is installed to the MBR (Master Boot Record), then that MBR may get overwritten by Windows during the XP install. If this occurs, you will have to boot from a Linux rescue floppy/cd or boot from a Linux Live CD and reinstall GRUB, else you won't be able to boot into Linux. It would be a good idea to read up on how to reinstall GRUB, prior to rebuilding the C partition.
     
    TonyT,
    #6

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