Setting a secure partition.

Does anyone know if it is possible to separate a partition so that even if the hard drive is rebuilt using the windows OS install disc, it will still be there, possibly hidden until the OS is installed which it will then see as D: or E: drive?

I already have Disk Director and Partition Magic, but can't see anything in them that would accomplish this.

Thanks

 

Hello Grunty,

I think what you want to do is have a user data partition.

I'm assuming from your description that currently you have a single partition on drive C.

Use PM to create a new partition, will become D. Move all your data to the new partion, PM8 has the option to move folders to this new partiton.

Then you are free to to install/re-install the OS on C, leaving the new D intact.

Is this what you wish to do?

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks for the replies.

What I am trying to do is a little of both of your suggestions.

I would like to set a partition as undeletable, even hidden from DOS so that if a manufacturers restore CD were used, it would leave this partition alone, i.e setting say a 20Gb disc to only have 15Gb available, the rest fixed.

 

oK, I now understand what you're trying to do. Unfortunately, I don't know how to do that, or know whether that's possible. I have a straight XP cd and the install is to a partition specified by the user.

Tony's answer some manufacturer restore cds now will also repartition the drive wiping out your saved partitions implies that some don't. My suggestion, if no one comes up with an answer, is to try to find out whether this is true in your case or not.

Regards - Charles

 

FWIW, wouldn't it be better to install a small sized second hard drive for this purpose. (Operating sytem on big HD and secured data on the smaller HD.)

 

OK, I may try some third party software to hide the partition.

The computer in question will be a Dell inspiron 4000 laptop so installing a second hdd is not possible.

Basically what I need to do is to send someone the laptop with a standard dell restore CD and have some data stored on the hidden part so that if they should need to use the CD, the data will not be destroyed. Security is not an issue, I just cannot rely on the user to back up their data or do anything but select defaults in the event of a rebuild.

Thanks again for your replies