NTFS drive

Hi there
can anyone please tell me why my computer is telling me to install at least one NTFS drive? I have windows XP pro and not much space on drive C. The size of my hard disk is 13.9 GB, and I would like to partition my hard dosk but of course I don't know how. If anyone can answer my questions i appreciate it

 

 
Some details. Where are you starting from? Do you want to format the disk and install a fresh copy of XP?

If you have XP installed and don't want to reinstall, but still want to change your partitions, you will need Partition Magic.

If you are installing cleanly, you have the option during setup to remove present partitions and add new ones as you wish.

Though NTFS is recommended for security and file system stability, there is no reason that you need to have it. You can choose FAT32 (actually faster on a drive your size).

 

Thank's Abraxas,I did the clean XP install but I had no option there,or I missed.I was thinking of buying partition magic but I'm scared that I stuff up my computer.I have FAT32,and lot's of garbage files from the previous OS(millenium).I have programs that I had and lot's of little files to go with.They all show up here under XP I can't uninstall them and deleting it woul leave me with lot's of work. Any suggestions?

 

 
Before you go too far and have too much that you don't want to lose, I'd save everything you want and format/reinstall. Your instincts about leftover files from ME are correct---upgrades can lead to problems.

You can do a clean installation from a full or upgrade XP CD.

Run setup by booting from CD (if possible) and proceed with the installation. After accepting the license agreement (by pressing F8), you will see all your partitions listed. Just delete them all and make new ones according to your preferences.
Then you will choose which partition to install XP to, and you will be presented with options on file system and formatting.

This may seem like a lot of work, but it is nothing compared to hours of trying to solve minor problems later.

 

Thanks Abraxas,but I don't have winXP CD and I think I'll buy partition magic and do it that way.What do you think?

 

Hi Rosa

In answer to your question XP would reccomend NTFS for several reasons and limited disk space is one of them.

Because ntfs is more effecient with disk clusters it will allow more usable space but in you case not a significant amount probably.

quote:
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XP pro and not much space on drive C.
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Rosa if you have limited space already partition magic cannot make more. A 13.9 HD is kind of small for these days anyway.

In My computer rt click drive C: properties, what is the used and free space? Perhaps you ment 13.9 free?

The size is not a standard sized HD. Maybe you have a 20G with 13g free?

The Xp OS, full Office XP with all clipart etc, if you have something like that will come close to filling up this HD if it is only a 13g.

Sounds as tho you need a new HD. Now maybe after sucessfully transfering your ME files and removing ME its self you may end up OK!

If you could afford a new HD and get XP transferred to it, then you could use the XP File transfer Wizard to bring in the installed programs from ME. This could definately ease the switch over.

There is of course some work to this but I am only giving you options.

Another option that would allow the Xp file transfer wizard to work is in fact using partition magic to make a partition for XP while leaving ME on another so that it could be transfered before removing ME and freeing the space.

This would require some elbow room on the HD and some planning and as i said some wok.

What ever you decide we wil advise and help.

Mike

 

Let us know exactly what your goal is and we will help you to get there.
As mflynn said, you may want to spend that money on a HD instead of PM.

 

Thanx for all the anzwers,you know how many problems I solved thru this BBS ? 100000000000000000000000000GB.I think I'm going to buy a brand new PC,and with this old one I'll do experiments.Any suggestions wich brand of PC is better and what to look for?


Rosa.

 

Which is better and what to look for ..... lordy that covers lots of territory.

I will say you should get XP-Pro rather than XP-Home. Other than that, you gotta say what you need and what you want to do with it and how much money you want to spend.

And having the pair will be great since you can network them and pull any contents from the old one over to the new one painlessly. And free up some space on the old one so you will have room to repair it or reload it if you want.

 

I 2nd Newt!

NO XP HOME! It should have been named XP Crippled!

Mike

 

Worse Xp Home = Windows ME ][

 

HELLO AGAIN, I'm going to get win xp pro cos I like it,but memory wise,and HD wise what is the best?

 

Depends on your needs but at least:

512 Megs Ram

60G hd

Mike