I can't install or unistall any programs!! It might be virus related...

Fernando,

I hope someone who has done this, chips in with a few pointers. From what I have heard/read, it is essential to defragment prior to any resizing and to only let PM carry out one task at a time.

You still haven't answered my question if the WinXP CD is an upgrade version or a full version! The answer to #2 depends on Your answer.

No, with no other backup software it is not adviceable to turn SR off. As long as You do a clean installation and install functional AntiVirus and FireWall software prior to going on-line, update immediately and keep them up-to-date, then a virus should be a rare occurrence. Even if I don't trust SR ...... ...... it's better than nothing.

Same answer as for #2!

Johanna doesn't give bad advice, I'm sure it would work.

You can use Windows XP, Installing and Setup as a cross reference (or the other way around if You like).

Christer

 

I forgot ...... ...... :

The two partitions on the 20-giger, do they show up as C: and D: ?

Is the system on the small one or the large one?

Christer

 

Alright,
with a full version of WinXP, there is no need to mix in WinME whatsoever.

From the information on how the drive letters were shifted, I deduce that You have 2 optical devices and that the 200-giger has a primary partition.

Originally, You had;

C: - primary partition
D: - extended partition
E: - CD/DVD-R/RW (?)
F: - CD/DVD-ROM (?)

When You added the 200-giger, it had a primary partition and those are numbered before all extended partitions. Thats why it "nicked" the D: letter and the old D: became G: which was the next free drive letter.

To avoid this in the pending (?) clean installation, when WinXP is installed, have only the 20-giger connected (and the opticals). This will eliminate any possibility to, by mistake, install on the 200-giger. During the initial phase of the installation, when prompted, remove the two partitions and create one single partition of it all and have it do a full format to NTFS.

When the installation is complete, the 20-giger will be C: and the opticals D: and E: respectively.

Go to Disk Management and right-click D: and choose > change drive letter > make it X: > confirm that this is what You want. Next, do the same with E: but make it Y:.

Shut down and connect the 200-giger. When You restart, it will be detected and given the drive letter D: (plus any other drive letters in sequence depending on the number of partitions).

So, to initiate a clean install of WinXP;

- make a decision on how You would like Your partitions, if You don't agree with me on making the 20-giger a single one,

- repartition the 200-giger on the forthcoming clean system, I've got a hunch that this would be better/safer,

- make sure that You know how to get into Disk Management,

- read up on the guides provided through Johanna's and my links, print anything You want to have to hand during the installation,

- decide on using imaging software or not,

- try to get SP2 on CD and any and all updates to other software,

- ask questions before ...... ...... not after - we will be here *,

- put the WinXP CD in the tray,

- shut down the computer and disconnect the 200-giger and all external devices such as scanner and/or printer,

- restart the computer, check that it boots from the CD and follow the prompts.

Christer
*) who will be out of town during the weekend

 

BillyBob,

If a harddisk is partitioned with only a single partition (no changes made to default suggestions) and one doesn't take notice, it defaults to making it a primary (as opposed to extended, not as opposed to slave). This can probably be fixed in PM but also left as is since drive letters can be asigned manually in XP.

I personally have only one primary and that's C:, where the System resides. Everything else are extended partitions with logicals.

Not on XP. On a fresh system it assigns drive letters according to the old rules to whichever devices are installed. Drive letters are static and can only be changed by the user. Added drives get drive letters in sequence and in concequence an optical device may have a lower drive letter than a subsequently added harddisk, unless the user changes the lettering. That is my personal experience from adding a harddisk and not having changed the drive letters of the opticals.

Fernando's experience seems to indicate that primary partitions take precedence but the added drive letter didn't change the opticals upwards.

Still a good idea but not for exactly the same reason ...... ...... only similar.

Christer

 

A harddisk can be jumpered to be either primary or slave.

A partition on a harddisk can be created as primary or extended with logical partitions within the extended.

Two different things but I am starting to worry about not using the correct terminology ...... ......

Christer

 

I have checked and found that primary, extended and logical are the correct names for the different types of partition.

Christer

 

Congratulations, Fernando ...... ...... !

Sorry about derailing Your thread ...... ...... it happens all too often when the intricacies of Windows are discussed.

I would install all programs on C: because all program installers write to the Windows folder and to the registry. Most programs default to install on C: and some don't agree with being redirected.

Christer

 

BillyBob,
I agree on what You say and we have actually confused the terminology.

Partitions are primary or extended and logical.

Harddisks are master or slave.

With two IDE controllers, which all computers have, it is possible to have two harddisks as master, one on each controller.

Christer

By the way ...... ...... aren't the IDE controllers called primary and secondary ...... ...... ?