Laptop HDD problem

[goodegg]

I was trying to install Window to my Dell C610 laptop the other day and I liked to format my harddisk. they is 8mb unpartitioned space which I would like to format also but it is not allowing me to do so. Anybody see anything like that? And what to do? Kindly ask for you advice.

 

[corkyg]

Most laptops have that - it is a hidden partition that is used for hibernation, etc. It is usually created by using your OEM provided System Restore CD.

 

[goodegg]

any way to get rid of that?

 

[bacillus]

I don't mean to sound controversial but that 8MB unallocated space is reserved by Windows itself should in case you want to use dynamic disks.

 

[goodegg]

very good reference.

I am a amateur and start learning thing, any thing will be my reference. Actually, I was installing XP in it and it runs good but after it went stand by mode, the system seems like occupy by something, and keep hang on me.
And then I formated the disk again, install XP and the office, it hang me right away.

What would be the problem?

Thanks

 

[bacillus]

what make & model laptop?
did you install the m/board chipset drivers?

 

[AMCRambler]

Had a problem when I was trying to reinstall an os on an older Dell Lattitude for a friend a few weeks ago. It would install everything fine, but wouldn't boot XP or 2000. I put ME on(I know I know, but I was desperate) and it would boot finally, but would run really slow. The hd would click for 3 seconds, then it would hang, click for 3 seconds, hang, and on and on. Finally found it was a setting in the bios for hard disk access mode. It was set to dos, had to set it to other. Solved my prob. Reinstalled XP and it worked great. Doesn't soudn like exactly your problem, but could be hard drive access issue if it's hanging like this was.

 

[goodegg]

It's Dell Latitude C610, do I need to install that drivers?

 

[goodegg]

I logged into the BIOS but where to change it?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Is that 8MB at the beginning or the end? IIRC there is usually a nominal amount of space left over when formatting a hard drive with NTFS in Windows. How big is your hard drive that 8MB is that big of a deal?

You should definitely install the drivers.

 

[montag451]

You always need to install hardware drivers when you install an operating system.
CHIPSET/MOTHERBOARD drivers
VGA
AUDIO
LAN
etc etc
Do a search on the DELL website - you might be lucky.
Otherwise, try
driverzone.com

 

[goodegg]

8MB at the end. Just thought it is some sort of the obligation. I will try to install the driver. thank you very much, guys.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: bacillus
I don't mean to sound controversial but that 8MB unallocated space is reserved by Windows itself should in case you want to use dynamic disks.

yup, he's right. I was wondering what that was and made a post awhile back. I thought it was weird that I couldn't get rid of it, but its just a Windows thing.

 

[goodegg]

Let me reinforce the situation.

After I installed XP, and it went to standby mode, when it come back, the system seems like occupied by something, it is running something and used up all the memory, and then I try to shut down the laptop, it show 2 program errors, one of then is connection bay, and it takes 10 minutes, it's 10 minutes, to go to the "Window is shutting down" page, and stay forever, and screen off, but the laptop is still on.

Any thought?

 

[goodegg]

I couldn't shut it down at all.