Partitioning hard drive for various Operating Systems

[Leoniee]

To store your data, your computer has one (or more) disk (s) drive. Three steps are required prior to this support can store data: a physical format (the manufacturer), then a partitioning and formatting of each logical partition (the user). When you buy a complete computer, all these changes have of course already been done. Partitioning is to create one or more storage areas (called partitions). Each disk drive must have at least a score (called primary partition) but can be divided into multiple partitions (up to 4). Each partition is then managed by the system as a separate hard disk, even if it physically only one exists. I will present successively the advantage of multiple partitions and methods for partitioning a disk.

[Leoniee]

Why create multiple partitions if all data can be stored on one? The advantages are many:

• First: generating a backup partition. Partitioning lets you to save every effect files (documents, pictures, mp3 ...) on a separate partition from your operating system. If Windows does not boots up then you can format and reinstall exclusive of losing the entire data. This is actually a partitioning of data: the system and software here and there the personal data, the advantage being that does not format more than the party system - Software if there comes a huge trouble, the other data ( photos, videos, word documents, exel ....) being saved on virtual hard disks (partitions).
  
  
• Another advantage, data access is faster. The documents are socks on an independent disk, the data are less divided than if they were stored on the same partition as the operating system. On the other hand, the defragmentation of data will be faster because the disk size will be less.
  
  
• Lastly, Multi Boot. It is installed on a solo hard drive, two or extra diverse operating systems: Windows 98, Windows XP, LINUX ... at startup, the computer user could point out using a simple menu system to execute operations.

[Leoniee]

Free: partition before installing Windows. This partitioning will erase all data on the disk. It's not a problem if the disk is new, but otherwise, remember to save your data (on CD or USB stick for example). If you use this method, it will also format the partitions (and reinstall Windows if this is your primary drive). The method is different depending on your version of Windows:

• Windows XP includes a tool that allows you to partition during installation.
  
  
• In another version of windows you have to run the Fdisk utility before installation.

Paid but simpler: if windows is already installed, it is possible to use software partitioning. One of the best known is Partition Magic from Power Quest. The principle is simple: you install software on Windows that allows you to split the existing partition. But at almost 80 euros! the software I suggest you ask the seller to partition the hard disk of the PC you want to buy.

[Leoniee]

Unlike earlier versions of Windows (for which he had to use Fdisk), the steps of partitioning and formatting the hard drive are integrated into the Windows XP installation. Insert the installation CD in the drive and start the computer. When the sequence is set and the CD is taken into account, the program should prompt you to press a button to access the setup menu. If no key is pressed, the computer will boot normally after a few seconds. Once the program is initialized, you can choose between InstallerXP (if you want to format and reinstall XP), Repair or recover (if you want to reinstall Windows without losing your data) and Exit the program. Press the Enter key, the program will ask you to indicate the hard disk and partition (which will be formatted before installation). At this stage you can partition your hard disk: Create (C) or delete (S) partitions on your disk.

[Leoniee]

Depending on the type of partition you have chosen you're likely to see the following message, "Now select the file system to use." If you want to install Windows XP after formatting it is best to choose NTFS as the system files, however if you plan to install Windows 9x/Me you must choose a FAT file system. Press Enter ... the format is launched. It'll just follow the steps in the installation of windows, which should not pose any problems. Otherwise, do not hesitate to seek help on the forum.

Setting the boot sequence: A computer usually consists of multiple storage devices or reading (hard drives, CD drives, floppy drives ...). It is then possible to define in what order the materials will be read at startup: this is called the boot sequence.

[aporeg]

Hello all

My first time i post here ,i think i am right here to post the following question

i have to do the following scenario

1 Computer 3 harddisk 500Gb 300 Gb 250 Gb SATA
i want to install 5 Operating systems
Fedora Core
Ubuntu
Win7 32 Bit
Win7 64 Bit
Win XP

i want to select at startup what operating system to boot (i think the only solution for that is Grub)
well i started installing WinXP on the 250 Gb disk
i created 2 equal Partitions on the 500 Gb disk and installed the Win7 32 Bit and the Win7 64 Bit on them
on the las 300Gb disk i installed Fedora Core rebooted the PC to see what happens ,well nothing happens eccept that Fedora only recognized Fedora as Operating system

could you give me some advice,how can i realize what i want to do ?


Best Regards

aporeg