How to add new partition to 98SE Drive

I have a 160GB WD hard drive with Win98SE installed on an 80GB partition that was copied over using Norton Ghost (disk-to-disk clone from original 80GB drive to new 160GB drive). The 80GB partition on the 160GB drive (Win98SE) is running just fine. However, I am interested in adding a second partition to this drive in order to use the space. My hopes are to possible install Win XP to it in the near future. How would I do this? Use FDISK and create an extended partition? Or would I have to use Partition Magic? I believe I can use FDISK, but am worried that it will erase all of my existing data on that partition. I don't have any current backups of either. Can someone please advise on this matter? Thanks.

 

If you have an 80GB partition on a 160GB, then you will need to create a new partition using fdisk. Not an extended partition, which would be used if you had one 160GB partition. Extended partitions are inserted into existing partitions, contrary to their name. Since this is an entirely new partition, it will have no efect on your data.
I should mention, however, that I have never actually tried to do this using fdisk. The only time I split hard drives is when installing NT/XP/W2K, and then I use fdisk to create 1 x 2gb system partition, then use the OS to create a new partition. Therefore, if anyone knows other than my opinion, or even thinks they do, they may feel free to contradict my $35/hr opinion.

 

if you use FDISK to create your new partition on the 80GB , your data will be erased ... therefore you need a backup for your data.

Partition Magic can do the job for you without erasing your files, but i do not recommend it because if anything goes wrong during the process, your precious data may be lost.

If i were you i would transfer the data to a second HD or on CD ... better safe than sorry.

 

If you plan to install XP - just do so - it will detect the unused space and ask if you want to install there, and what kind of partition (NTFS or FAT32) (choose ntfs).

This assumes you are booting to an XP cd - not trying to install and upgrade from within windows.

Edit - Note: It will also detect the existing windows and add it to the XP boot loader so the system will be a dual boot.

 

What I suggest for data and your sanity protection.

But this may mean reinstalling.

I would repartition the 160gig with a Primary partition no larger than 6gig ( 8gig at the most ) with NOTHING but the OS and associated software. ONLY ( drivers etc. ) on it

Then create other partitions to put programs and BACKUPS on. I myself would not have partitions larger than 30gig ( I think that is it ) Anything larger WASTES a tremendous amount of space due to cluster size. Any downloaded drivers etc can be kept separate and will not need to be downloaded again.

And I see you are using 98SE so NTFS is not availabe. And if you are thinking of maybe daul booting then you do not want NTFS on anything other than the partition that say XP would be on anyway. SE will not read NTFS.

And VERY RARELY does anything go wrong with other than the Primary partition where the OS is.

And having several Partitions give you the oppertuneity to keep the OS on one partition, programs on one partition and backups on another.

Some of this suggestion comes from Hard Learned Data losing experirnce yeras ago. Once was enough.

Yes. This may suggest a re-install of the OS and software. But in the long run I believe you will come to appreciate the fact that your data may be a bit safer.

BillyBob

 

WOW! Thanks everyone for the quick and informative replies. However, I'm still not sure if my question was answered regarding FDISK and adding a new partition to a drive with an existing partition. The first response said I need to add another primary partition. I don't think this is correct because I believe I read somewhere else that you can only have one primary partition on a drive and the rest can be either extended partitions or logical partitions. Is this correct or not? Also, if I used FDISK to create an extended partition to an existing primary partition, would that erase or mess up my existing primary partition? All the inputs about having a backup and reorganizing the partitions on the 160GB drive are all VERY VALID and I will consider them very seriously, however, I'm not in a position for either at this time.

 

If you have a Primary Partition occupying 80gb of a 160gb drive. You could create an Extended Partition, this will not harm the Primary doing this. After the Extended is created, you would then create the Logical Partitions. This is where you decide for one Logical to occupy the entire Extended, or divide the Extended into as many Logicals that you want.
You must reboot after exiting Fdisk.

Fdisk is pretty much straight forward. If you are using a FAT32 file system, when Fdisk first starts, you will be asked if to "Enable large disk support" type a Y. This gives you FAT32, N would get you FAT16.
Then it is simple menus, activated by pressing numbers. Instructions are on the screen.

 

Yes you can if you use some form of a Boot Manager. I have had three primarys on the same HD.

But if you 60gig HD is all one partiton THEN FORGET FDISK. You can not resixe a partition using FDISK without losing data.

With something like Partition Magic you can.

Partiton Magic also has a Boot Manager.

It is a 2nd Hard Drive that it is preferred NOT TO have a Primary partition on it.

BillyBob

 

Wrong thread

BB

 

IamSpartacus,
In summary of the preceeding stuf, the decision is that you can go ahead and use fdisk to create an extended DOS partition on your 160GB drive without affecting your data. I don't understand why XP got dragged into this, as you never mentioned it, and I think it's problems far outweigh it's (very few) benefits. But that's just my opinion of XP in action.

Hope all is clear now

 

If you have a Primary Partition occupying 80gb of a 160gb drive. You could create an Extended Partition, this will not harm the Primary doing this

I missed the above.

Yes you can use FDISK here..

Not knowing for sure what the user has in mind it is better now days to at least toss in some ideas ( even several maybe ) as to the differences between 98 and XP so that the user at least has an idea how too set things up without running into problems later WITHOUT losing data.

What the user is using and what he might be using IS IMOPRTANT. The time to plan is NOW when initially setting up the new HD. It can save mucho many problems later.

BillyBob

 

AMEN TO THAT!