Partitioning

Gramps · May 24, 2007, 12:43:09

I have seen the word 'Partition' many a time in reference to hard drives but I have never really understood what it actually meant, I wonder if someone could kindly put me in the picture in easy to understand terms.Thanks

Rik · May 24, 2007, 12:52:44

Hi Wilf

Most hard drives have a single partition on them and so appear to the system as a single drive, eg C.

However, it's possible to change that behaviour, and create additional partitions which will appear as separate drive letters. The first (and potentially only) partition is known as the primary partition, if a drive is divided, the extra area is known as an extended partition, and will usually contain one or more logical drives. Used in this sense, logical just means there isn't a separate physical hard drive represented by the given drive letter, but instead it's an area of an existing physical drive.

Does that cover it, or do you want to go deeper?

DorsetBoy · May 24, 2007, 12:57:32

Really simple?

Imagine your disc as a large room,to split that room into smaller rooms you have partitions.

Gramps · May 24, 2007, 13:42:58

Thanks for the explanations but I'm now wondering what the advantages of partitioning are and in what instance would it be carried out,:-[

Rik · May 24, 2007, 14:22:22

I have always used three drive letters for my systems, C for System, ie Windows, D for apps and E for data. This started in the days when HDs were quite small, my first was just 10MB (and I do mean MB!).

Think of a partition as a super-folder, in which all the folders on your drive are contained. It's often easier to handle backup routines if not all the folders are on the same drive, so by partitioning (or using a separate drive), I can simplify how I handle backups. Along the way, I can make life a little harder for the virus writers, as they will never find my data where MS say it should be.

With modern drive sizes getting so large, it's sometimes easier to 'break' them down into smaller working units.

Inactive · May 24, 2007, 14:30:21

My Medion computer came already installed with a C drive, ( Boot ) and a D, ( BackUp ) and E, ( Restore ).

My external HD is now split in to 2 partitions.

DorsetBoy · May 24, 2007, 14:32:54

Or you can make several partitions and run different operating systems from the same disc drive.

I use Linux as my main operating system,I also have Win XP on the same machine.

This is called "Dual Booting" ,some Linux fans will have as many as 4 different systems on one machine,obviously you can only run one at a time and you need a boot time menu to make your choice of system.I can however use Linux and enter Win XP and move/repair/recover files etc.

Linux is often used to repair dud Windows systems.

Rik · May 24, 2007, 14:36:54

Quote from: DorsetBoy on May 24, 2007, 14:32:54
Linux is often used to repair dud Windows systems.

You mean it can work miracles???

DorsetBoy · May 24, 2007, 15:07:21

Oh yes!

There are several specialised rescue systems,Bart PE ,Knoppix etc but any Linux distro that is on a LIVE CD can be used to enter a Windows partition and recover/alter/ repair etc.

Some time back a neighbours wife was to give a presentation to the board of directors of the company she worked for.
Basically her job and the dept. she ran was on the line,she had almost finished the presentation on her laptop ,full power point,slide shows,data,graphs etc and a long speech AND BSOD goodbye everything.
She was a total wreck,ran off to the PC place she used,they told her no way can anything be recovered,hard disc gone etc.

This laptop would not boot Windows and would not run the XP CD,so I stuck in a Linux Live CD and...........away it went.
I went in to My Documents and pulled every single bit of her work on the desktop and copied it off to DVD.

That lady now has a new laptop and it is dual booting PCLinuxOS which is what saved the day for her.

Rik · May 24, 2007, 15:12:23

Quote from: DorsetBoy on May 24, 2007, 15:07:21
Oh yes!

Changed your name to Churchill?

DorsetBoy · May 24, 2007, 15:33:30

Quote from: Rik on May 24, 2007, 15:12:23
Changed your name to Churchill?

No ,I don't want to be associated with that ************************ company

Rik · May 24, 2007, 15:38:05

I didn't know we had so many words in the swear filter, Dorset.

I've actually got the car insured with them, they've been OK for me, what don't you like?

Gramps · May 24, 2007, 17:11:34

Can I partition my hard drive with all my files on it or does it have to be empty?

Rik · May 24, 2007, 17:17:42

If you want to preserve your files, Wilf, you need to use a specialist program to re-partition, eg Partition Manager. I haven't used that specific app, but there are others out there from Acronis and Symantec.

Otherwise, it's a case of backing up your data and starting from scratch.

There's another freebie manager linked here, Wilf.

dennyjim · May 25, 2007, 07:16:55

The main reason I always partition my drives is that when you need to do a system reinstall, you do not lose the data on the other partitioned drives. Only data on the OS drive is lost.

Rik · May 25, 2007, 07:50:10

Good point, it's part of my thinking too - only I'd forgotten it.

Gramps · May 25, 2007, 13:53:05

Thanks for the links Rik, have downloaded both those programs but me thinks I will wait until I have to do a reload before I try them, that is unless I succumb to temptation before ,which is highly likely $:-\$

Rik · May 25, 2007, 13:57:37

I'm all in favour of temptation, Wilf.

I've used this kind of software for more than a decade without having had a problem. TBH, I do backup with Acronis True Image before I start, but that's just my paranoia showing through...