Formatting a new harddrive

[trueblue]

Sorry I am new to building and I am unsure as to this question. I am building a new system 1st build and I have a new barracuda IV HD. The OS will be windows Home XP.

After I install every thing- new mobo HD etc & after I 1st post the sytem do I have to format the harddrive in any way before I load the XP OS onto the harddrive??

What is the best method as the seagate instructions are a little vague in this area with new system builds prior to operating system being loaded??

 

[MercenaryForHire]

You can do it inside Windows XP Setup. Just put the CD in the drive, and it'll prompt you to format the drive when it comes to that point.

- M4H

 

[trueblue]

I thought it may be something like that thanks for your help.

 

[Redviffer]

Right, just have everything installed and hooked up, change your boot up to CD Drive and boot up off the Windows XP CD Disc, and when you come to that point it will ask you what you want to do. I usually go with the NTFS (Quick) format.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

all the above are great answers...one question for you trueblue..which XPHome..? upgrade,oem,retail,etc. ..just curious..tia

 

[Redviffer]

Originally posted by: ScrapSilicon
all the above are great answers...one question for you trueblue..which XPHome..? upgrade,oem,retail,etc. ..just curious..tia

Doh! I forgot about that.
Good question.

 

[trueblue]

Thanks all for such quick replys.

Scarp silicon I have XP Home edition-OEM version 2002 which includes Service Pack 1. $170 AU which I thought was pretty good value considering full version of this is about $400AU.

One more question folks- Via the Windows XP partician program I supose I will be asked if I want to make a multiple partition. What do recommend I do. My hard drive size is 60gb. Do I make one big partition only or do you recommend I partician the OS seperate etc. If this is the case what do you recomend as partition sizes for my size hard drive.

 

[Redviffer]

I like everything nice and neat, so I usually go with 1 big partition. Makes everything easier IMHO.

 

[DannyBoy]

Originally posted by: Redviffer
I like everything nice and neat, so I usually go with 1 big partition. Makes everything easier IMHO.

No, because then if you want to format your drive in future and you have data you dont want to have to burn to cd etc, your going to be screwed.

Or worse yet, what if you have data that wont fit onto cd?

Oh dear we are in trouble now

Think carefully about what you want to do

WinXP setup does not have a "Partition Program" so to speak, you have to go into the command prompt and run fdisk to make your partitions.

It can seem confusing when you dont know what your doing but if you use percentages it should be fairly straight forward.

There is an FAQ on how to use fdisk to partition drives

How big is the seagate drive then?

 

[Sid59]

i like to keep windows on an 8GIG parition. Small, fast and can be foramtted withouit doing the entire drive.

 

[DannyBoy]

Originally posted by: Sid59
i like to keep windows on an 8GIG parition. Small, fast and can be foramtted withouit doing the entire drive.

Mines on 10

Was a nice round number at the time

I wish i had made it more :|

I cant find it in me to take the risk of resizing the partition with p/magic.

It just worrys me when they have that little message saying "We cannot be held responsible for data loss"

I know everyone says it works fine and you wont lose data but it still scares me

 

[jhites]

I would suggest that you set the new drive with the OS on a 10Gb partition and
then you can use the remainder of the drive for programs, storage, etc.

You will find that the OS becomes fragmented more quickly and running defrag will
run and complete faster. The other 50Gb of the drive will not need to have defrag
run as often.

 

[jhites]

WinXP setup does not have a "Partition Program" so to speak, you have to go into the command prompt and run fdisk to make your partitions.

All the WinXP that I have used does have partitioning during the install. I have never had to use fdisk.

 

[DannyBoy]

Originally posted by: jhites
I would suggest that you set the new drive with the OS on a 10Gb partition and
then you can use the remainder of the drive for programs, storage, etc.

You will find that the OS becomes fragmented more quickly and running defrag will
run and complete faster. The other 50Gb of the drive will not need to have defrag
run as often.

I was going to say something very similar regarding fragmented files when i found out your hard drive size, but typically im the idiot and missed that

Theres your answer

 

[DannyBoy]

Originally posted by: jhites

WinXP setup does not have a "Partition Program" so to speak, you have to go into the command prompt and run fdisk to make your partitions.

All the WinXP that I have used does have partitioning during the install. I have never had to use fdisk.

Well ive never seen it.

It has a section allowing you to choose which partition you wish to install to and whether you would like to format the partition etc, but ive never seen a section of the setup that allows you to create / delete partitions

Perhaps i missed it, seeing as im so used to wizzing through setup as i re-install so often :|

 

[jhites]

MrFiTTy
The delete, create partition is actually on the same screen as the select
partition to install the OS. The information for which keys to use are
above the drive information that is at the bottom of the screen.

 

[DannyBoy]

Originally posted by: jhites
MrFiTTy
The delete, create partition is actually on the same screen as the select
partition to install the OS. The information for which keys to use are
above the drive information that is at the bottom of the screen.

Ill have to have a look nxt week.

Im planning to re-install with a new integrated copy of XP

the one with SP1 already in it.

Im hoping i can get hold of it tomorrow at my local comp store

Thanks for that info ill check.

 

[trueblue]

Thanks to all for taking the time to answer my newbie questions. You have all been great and help me a lot with this

Regards

Trueblue

 

[PCMarine]

Just make sure you read the screen carefully.

 

[flxnimprtmscl]

I thought there was some drawback to partitioning a drive? Most of what I've heard is just to make one big partition which is what I've been doing on each fresh install. Anyone know any reasons for not partitioning?

 

[MercenaryForHire]

flx - look above at the posts regarding reformatting, data backup, and fragmentation. Basically, with separate OS and data partitions, you don't have to worry as much when reformatting.

- M4H

 

[flxnimprtmscl]

Yah, I've got that but I thought there was some downside. Slower performance or making your drive work more since it's having to jump from partition to partition. Something along those lines. I could be way off but I've heard something to that effect before. Just wondering if there was any logic behind that.

 

[DannyBoy]

No because even if you had 2 IDE drives on the same channel, only one can be accessed at a time.

Dan

 

[Redviffer]

I guess formatting an OS partition would be fine, but most everyone I know who has done it either ends up running out of space (so make yours big, bigger than 8 or 10 GB), and just remember to not allow programs to install to their default install location (usually something like C:\Program Files\nameofprogram) or you will quickly run out of room. For most people, it's a PITA to always have to remember to change install locations, which is why I say just make it one big drive. Back up your stuff with other methods that are safer (CD or to another HD). If your drive does crash, it's probably going to take the whole drive, not just the partition, so your screwed anyway.

 

[Sid59]

Originally posted by: Redviffer
I guess formatting an OS partition would be fine, but most everyone I know who has done it either ends up running out of space (so make yours big, bigger than 8 or 10 GB), and just remember to not allow programs to install to their default install location (usually something like C:\Program Files\nameofprogram) or you will quickly run out of room. For most people, it's a PITA to always have to remember to change install locations, which is why I say just make it one big drive. Back up your stuff with other methods that are safer (CD or to another HD). If your drive does crash, it's probably going to take the whole drive, not just the partition, so your screwed anyway.

i don't understand how changing the install path changes how much data is being installed.

You ever had to reinstall windows cause it got fooked and had to clean out the whole hard drive? Not fun. Less of pain if he were to make an OS partition and GHOST it.