A Problem with Harddisk Partition.

Well i got this problem while setting up XP. First of all on my Dell Lappy inspiron 1420, i installed xp pro sp3 by booting from the USB flash drive (not the usual CD boot method). I copied the XP setup files into pen drive by special process.The detailed guide for it is here:-

How To Install Windows XP From A USB Flash Drive Articles - OCIA.net

Anyways, back to my problem. this is not first time i did XP setup. I did it many times. I've 160 Gb HDD, with three partitions.

C- 50Gb
D-30Gb
E-72Gb

now what i did, i deleted the c & d drive using the XP menu setup menu. I was expecting the two partitions will merge & form a 80Gb unpartitioned space. my plan was to make 2 partitions of 40Gb afterward. But that thing never happened. After i deleted the C (50Gb) it showed unpartitioned space as 50Gb. After deletion of D it again showed a unpartitioned space of 30Gb separatel. WTF. two unpartioned space separately.

I guess this happened coz of the flash drive method. I then continued with windows setup. installed windows full. then by usingAcronis disk director suit, i adjusted both the partitions to 40Gb each.

Now whenever i try to boot into XP setup by using the normal CD method, i try to delet the two 40 gb c & d partions, it still shows two unpartioned space of 40Gb separately. I really don't know whats wrong. Why two spaces are not merging??

Is there someway to correct this error using the bootable XP CD or i need to get any partition magic s/w?

Logik

PS: I don't wanna to merge/creat the partitions by using the softwares while running in windows.

Are you using extended partitions?

Harddisks can have only four primary partitions. So, its normal to create an extended partiion which can have any number of logical partition.

In your case, if 'C' is primary & 'D' is within extended partition they'll appear seperately as unpartitioned.

If you have backup of data, try an partition manager. Don't take any risk with peronsl data like photos on harddisk.
http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm

1) If those parttions are primary and extended then they wont merge.
2) If you are deleting those from windows setup they will not merge its like just emptying the room but not demolishing the house to build again.
3) If you want to merge them use the Disk managers provided by the HDD company or use any software like partition magic.

hey Kiran, i remember few months back i formatted my frnds PC using the XP setup CD. he was having 4 partitions. C,D,E,F. I deleted all in series in the end to get one final unpartitioned 160Gb in end. C was his primary partition. & remaining were extended

@ linusr
i got all my data backed. i am gonna use Acronis disk suit

can you please post the screenshot of "disk management"

control panel > adminstrative tools > compter management > disk management

here we go NP

yep D: and E: are in extended partition. see the green rectangle box around them ?

first copy all data from D & E and then, delete them. next you can remove the logical/extended partition.

after doing so you will get the unpartitioned space.

again create a new partition. In the wizard that appears, choose primary partition.

do this for the next partition.

you can created 4 primary partitions OR 3 primary partitions and a logical/extended partition. logical paritions can have more partitions under them.

alright......so i need to choose the partition sa primary while making them....huh?
So what u ppl say, is having more than 1 primary partition is good or my current setup is ok??

~Logik~

PS : i m not planning for dual boot OS. I am gonna stick to XP for next 6-8 months.

current setup is OK. only thing is if you want to merge the space, you have to make sure they are either in primary partition or both are in extended partition.

Originally Posted by newprouser

current setup is OK. only thing is if you want to merge the space, you have to make sure they are either in primary partition or both are in extended partition.

not necessary.you can easily increase/reduce C drive(primary) size with D drive(extended)only thing is this process will be done at reboot of the PC before OS loads unlike other operations which can be done by softwares like acronis during windows running.

Originally Posted by whitestar_999

not necessary.you can easily increase/reduce C drive(primary) size with D drive(extended)only thing is this process will be done at reboot of the PC before OS loads unlike other operations which can be done by softwares like acronis during windows running.

but i think what he wanted was, is to be able to delete certain partitions duyring Xp setup , and they should be able to merge together.

well if he wanted to change size of C only then he will need this process i mentioned.

@whitestar_999
i already did that & mentioned it in my first post.

My only concenr was the installation new new method. rather than traditional CD rom i've used the flash drive for installing XP. i though the partitions are not merging coz of this new method.....but i got answer now....thanks

u are lucky to get that working. when i tried it didn't work properly. and it was mentioned in a different tutorial that it will work properly only if one partition is present.

@NPU
guess u talking abt the Flash Drive method. Anyways..can u put some details for u problem. Let me tell u one thing......i've been looking for this installing XP from flash drive method since 1.5 yrs.....this is the most easy & only working tut i found. If u can put details i might help

then i'll try this again n post it. I forgot wat happened last time. all i remember is tat it took abt 1 hr atleast....

anyways......NPU.....m gonna post same tut here this weekend. Along with it m gonna post some more additional info & how i did it.

oh that good !

Last night I tried to create one more drive in my system running on vista. First I couldn't even shrink the volume. So I had to disable paging and screenshot and thus I was able to create a chunk of "Unallocated Space". Now when I try to run "New simple volume wizard", it displays an error. I have attached the screenshot. Please tell me what's wrong with my approach.

Thats not an issue, its giving the error because all the drives you have are primary partitions. You need to create extended partetion so that more drives can be added.
Create extended drive partition then you will be able to create it.

what is the Healthy EISA configuration shown in nandini's pictures ??

Originally Posted by kirankumargb

Thats not an issue, its giving the error because all the drives you have are primary partitions. You need to create extended partetion so that more drives can be added.
Create extended drive partition then you will be able to create it.

how to create extended drive partition? does vista have the wizard or this?

Originally Posted by nandini

how to create extended drive partition? does vista have the wizard or this?

right click on the unallocated space and use create partition. in wizard that appears select logical/extended partition instead of primary partition.

I am not sure nandini as i am not running vista...but i there must be an option just try your windows help, else download the software named partition magic it will do your work. Its a shareware but they allow trail version.

Originally Posted by newprouser

right click on the unallocated space and use create partition. in wizard that appears select logical/extended partition instead of primary partition.

I tried finding the option but couldn't get it. have a look at the screenshot.


I have heard that one shouldn't run partition magic on vista. is it true?

for additional info.

use the "New Simple Volume" option...



did you get a screen like the one above, otherwise prolly u have not deleted one partition as suggested by KK.

Originally Posted by newprouser

use the "New Simple Volume" option...



did you get a screen like the one above, otherwise prolly u have not deleted one partition as suggested by KK.

nah!!! i didnt get that screen.
what partition did KK suggest me to delete?
What step i m missing?

PS: in your screenshot it's "new partition wizard" while in my case it's "new simple volume wizard".
just to remind you that i m using vista home premium.

Originally Posted by nandini

nah!!! i didnt get that screen.
what partition did KK suggest me to delete?
What step i m missing?

I'll repeat from the beginning :

currently u have 4 "primary partititions".

For windows you can have

4 partitions max OR 3 Primary Partitions + 1 Extended partition.

- so u have to delete the 2.50 Gb partition ( c & d are important and I don't what that 71 mb partition is , so best to leave it as it is..)

- (don't forget to copy all files from that partiton before deleting it)

- after you delete the 2.50 GB partition, right click on the "unallocated space", you should get the "new partition" option.

- then u will get the new partition wizard, on clicking next , you should get the window shown in prev post ...


more pictures here....

http://www.theeldergeek.com/hard_drives_07.htm

I can see the "delete volume option".
I don't see that drive(2.50 gb) on my system but in Disk Management console it's showing 100% free. so I don't think I need to copy any data.

So i need you to give me "GO AHEAD" signal,then only I'll delete that drive. Bet i am nagging you.

PS: if i delete 2.50 gb drive,will it be merged in some other existing drive?

Originally Posted by nandini

I have heard that one shouldn't run partition magic on vista. is it true?

yes its true but only for version 7. Now the latest version is designed for vista itself

Originally Posted by nandini

PS: if i delete 2.50 gb drive,will it be merged in some other existing drive?

sorry NP for poking my nose, but what to do my nose is long now
@ nandini

No if you delete any partition then it will be as Unallocated space and will not merge with any other drive.

Originally Posted by kirankumargb

sorry NP for poking my nose, but what to do my nose is long now
@ nandini

No if you delete any partition then it will be as Unallocated space and will not merge with any other drive.

where do you keep all these knowledge doc? in your nose?

If the deleted drive will fall into unallocated space, then I can't use that much of space. can't I merge two unallocated drives or one unallocated drive with an existing drive. too many question..............

When I click on delete option it asks for confirmation...as shown in the screenshot.

Shall i go ahead?

Originally Posted by nandini

where do you keep all these knowledge doc? in your nose?

:lol:

KK has no nose in his profile pic ??

If the deleted drive will fall into unallocated space, then I can't use that much of space. can't I merge two unallocated drives or one unallocated drive with an existing drive. too many question..............

after u create an extended partition , u can create as many partitions as required (max : 23)

When I click on delete option it asks for confirmation...as shown in the screenshot.

u have to decide that, possible that it might be create for recovery purposes, which IMO is a waste of space.

I deleted my 2.5 gb drive. But still I have the same problem. It didnt fall into unallocated space. please see the attachment 8.jpg.

on the drive highlighted with green i find an option delete partition. see 9.jpg

on clicking that i get a confirmation window. see 10.jpg

what should i do next?

Originally Posted by nandini

I deleted my 2.5 gb drive. But still I have the same problem. It didnt fall into unallocated space. please see the attachment 8.jpg.

right click on the free space and post the screenshot again.

PS: in future , please cut the screensshots to show only what's relevent, it does hurt our bandwidth usage.

Originally Posted by nandini

on the drive highlighted with green i find an option delete partition. see 9.jpg

on clicking that i get a confirmation window. see 10.jpg

what should i do next?

yes continue....

Originally Posted by newprouser

PS: in future , please cut the screensshots to show only what's relevent, it does hurt our bandwidth usage.

sure!!! will keep it in my mind.

so did the solution work ???

I think am through . Thank you all for your help and for your patience.
I am attaching the final screenshot.

NP best option i tell you is, use teamviewer and you only create it from here only. All the issue will be resolved

Originally Posted by nandini

I think am through . Thank you all for your help and for your patience.
I am attaching the final screenshot.

yes, how abt some reps for us

Originally Posted by kirankumargb

NP best option i tell you is, use teamviewer and you only create it from here only. All the issue will be resolved

I did consider it, but i'll reserve it for more serious/confusing probs....

Originally Posted by newprouser

yes, how abt some reps for us

sure!! you guys do deserve reps.

ps: what's rep,rep+ and rep++?

thanks

Originally Posted by nandini

ps: what's rep,rep+ and rep++?

All are same

Originally Posted by meetdilip

All are same

hmmmnnn... i see.

Thanks nandini