starting fresh with a new computer

The MS patches should be fairly up to date - Dell loaded the OS just before the system was shipped.

Regards - Charles

 

OK, I've borrowed a monitor, and I'm at the "Computer Management" screen.
It looks like there are 3 partitions... I'll try to reproduce the info below:
Volume / Layout / Type / File Sys / Status / Capacity / Free Space
(blank) / Partition /Basic / FAT / Healthy (EISA Configuration) / 55MB / 48MB
(blank) / Partition /Basic / FAT32 / Healthy (Unknown Partition) / 3GB / 713MB
(C: ) / Partition /Basic / NTFS / Healthy (System) / 71.4GB / 66.6GB

Do I want to delete all of the above? And then I do the boot from CD thing?

 

Hi rebecca,

Volume / Layout / Type / File Sys / Status / Capacity / Free Space
(blank) / Partition /Basic / FAT / Healthy (EISA Configuration) / 55MB / 48MB
(blank) / Partition /Basic / FAT32 / Healthy (Unknown Partition) / 3GB / 713MB

These two are the one's you want to get rid of.


(C: ) / Partition /Basic / NTFS / Healthy (System) / 71.4GB / 66.6GB

This one is the boot partition - leave that, couldn't get rid of anyway because you're booted into it.

Do I want to delete all of the above? And then I do the boot from CD thing?
Other than the big one - yes. Then go into the cd and proceed from step 6 on the MS reference on how to create partitions. One for the OS, and one for user data. Then install on that OS partition which will be C.

EDIT: while you're in the cd boot up, that's when you get rid of the current C partition.

Regards - Charles

 

Charles,
When I right-click on the first item (the Healthy EISA Configuration one), the only choice that comes up is "help" (and when I click on that, the Microsoft Management Console comes up). The second item (unknown partition) gives me the option of "delete ".
So I'll delete the one I can, but it seems like I have no say about the EISA configuration one. Agreed? I've tried doing a google search of "EISA configuration ", but haven't found a useful answer.
On a separate note, how can I tell if the hard drive from my old computer is still "good "? I've clearly had hardware problems with the computer, and plenty of software problems that I've always attributed to Windows ME, but might a faulty hard drive have had anything to do with it? Assuming the hard drive is good, could I add it to my new computer at a later date? I think I'll go into sensory overload if I try to take that task on right now too, but the more I read about partitioning, the better a second hard drive sounds.

 

Sorry, one more thing! I've been trying to find the thread where you mentioned it before, but what was the size you recommended for the OS partition? I'm going to put applications like Open Office and such in that partition too, right? How about programs that I download to check out (I *am* planning to get Total Uninstall, as you recommended) -- would you put them in the OS partition as well, or keep those in my data partition?

 

When I right-click on the first item (the Healthy EISA Configuration one), the only choice that comes up is "help" (and when I click on that, the Microsoft Management Console comes up). The second item (unknown partition) gives me the option of "delete ".
Ok, then delete what you can and leave it. Jim may have something to say about that. I'm just not sure what effect leaving that there will have. You might want to send Jim a PM - wake him up


Assuming the hard drive is good, could I add it to my new computer at a later date?
Yes, either internaly or externaly the way the ordered USB drive is connected.

Ok, saw your last post: I ended up making my OS partition approx 20 Gigs on a 80Gig drive.

Program installs IMO should be on the OS partition - if you ever have to repair or reinstall, the applications are going to have to be reinstalled anyway, so don't see any point in not installing to the OS partition.

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks for pitching in, Christer. I was trying something Charles had suggested (Control Panel > Performance & Maintenance > Admin Tools > Computer Management > and under Storage > Disk Management) for deleting the existing partitions - that's where I could only delete one of them. Once I went into the cd bootup, I was able to delete both the remaining two. I actually broke down and called Dell, because I was kind of thrown by the fact that only one of them was labeled a partition (I think C: was just labeled as C:, not as a partition, but don't quote me on that). In any case, tech support asked what it was I wanted to do,and I told her I want to create two partitions: one for my OS, one for my data. She told me Dell doesn't support multiple partitioning, but she'd help me create a single new partition, and that I could then create an additional partition afterwards.
So now I'm watching the progress bar on a blue screen that says:

Please wait while setup formats the partition
C: partition1 [New (Raw)] 76285 MB ( 76285 MB free)
on a 76294 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]

Didn't see anywhere where I was asked about what size I wished to make this partition, but I may have been too single-mindedly following the techie's instructions and missed the sizing option...

Primary vs. extended vs. logical partitions - would one of you please enlighten me? My OS should be on the primary? Is there a difference between extended and logical partitions? What kind should I use for my data partition?

 

Windows just finished installing itself on the new computer. When the computer rebooted, I got a screen with two listings of Windows XP Home Edition, asking me to highlight which system I wanted to use. Looks to me like now I have two separate installations of Windows XP on the computer? That wasn't exactly the idea... Should I run through the formatting/partitioning business again?
Hmmm, ok, when I look under Computer Management>Storage>Disk Management, now it shows:
Volume (C: )
Layout Partition
Type Basic
File System NTFS
Status Healthy (System)
Capacity 74.50 GB
Free Space 71.94 GB

That makes it look like only a single installation of Windows, but then why the choice when the computer first boots up?

In any case, now I'm stumped, because I want to add a second partition, but I don't know how to 1) assign my OS to C: and retroactively assign it a size, and 2) how to create the second partition in the first place!

 

Hi Rebecca,

You should start again.

Either use DELPART or the cd.

I'll repeat the MS instructions:

5. If an existing Windows XP installation is detected, you are prompted to repair it. To bypass the repair, press ESC

6. All the existing partitions and the unpartitioned spaces are listed for each physical hard disk. Use the ARROW keys to select the partition or the unpartitioned space where you want to create a new partition. Press D to delete an existing partition, or press C to create a new partition by using unpartitioned space. If you press D to delete an existing partition, you must then press L (or press ENTER, and then press L if it is the System partition) to confirm that you want to delete the partition. Repeat this step for each of the existing partitions that you want to use for the new partition. When all the partitions are deleted, select the remaining unpartitioned space, and then press C to create the new partition.

7. Type the size in megabytes (MB) that you want to use for the new partition, and then press ENTER, or just press ENTER to create the partition with the maximum size.

8. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 to create additional partitions if you want them.

9. If you want to install Windows XP, use the ARROW keys to select the partition where you want to install Windows XP, and then press ENTER. If you do not want to format the partition and install Windows XP, press F3 two times to quit the Windows Setup program, and then do not follow the remaining steps. In this case, you must use a different utility to format the partition.

Regards - Charles

 

Christer,
I did what you suggested with the DELPART diskette, and the screen now shows "no partitions defined ". But when I try to exit, I get the following screen:

Changes have not been written to disk. Do you want to save the new partition table(s)? Yes, No, Cancel

Do I have to save the "no partitions defined ", and if so, do I just click on Yes in response to the above?

Addendum: I went ahead and said 'yes' - figured I had nothing to lose. Am going through Windows Setup (with the XP cd) again from scratch, and will try to do better this time!

Still didn't see anywhere to specify what kind of partition I wanted to create (i.e., primary, extended, etc.), but I've created one partition 12GB in size and told the computer that's where I want to install Win XP, and a second partition for all the remaining space (which left me 8MB of unallocated space).

 

Aaargh! Thought I might have done it right at long last, but in checking Computer Management>Storage>Disk Management, it now shows:

Volume: (C: )
Layout: Partition
Type: Basic
File System: NTFS
Status: Healthy (System)
Capacity: 12.00 GB
% Free: 78%

Volume: (F: )
Layout: Partition
File System: Basic
File System:
Status: Healthy
Capacity: 62.49 GB
% Free: 100%

Yes, file system for my F: drive shows up blank. Is there any way to choose NTFS for it now, or do I need to run through this all again? I swear, I didn't see anything asking me about what I wanted to use for the second partition! But at least I'm getting more comfortable with this whole process, so I don't mind doing it from scratch yet again if I have to!
Can I assume (??) that my C: drive is the primary partition? How does one go about finding out what kind of partitions they have?

Duh - I just discovered the color coding in the computer management screen. C: is indeed my primary partition. F: has a green "frame" around it (defined as "extended partition "), but has a cobalt blue bar across the top (defined as "logical drive "). So I understand my C: drive status, but I'm still confused about the F:

 

While sitting on ONE hand waiting, I used my other hand to right click on my F: drive. One of the options on the resulting menu was "delete logical drive ", which I guess tells me that's what I have there, not an extended drive. There is also the option to format...
Won't do anything until after I read your next input, Christer.