Richard2000
asked on
Partitioning with Fdisk
Hi,
I have a 40 GB Samsung SP0411N hard drive as master and run Windows '98 SE.
Currently, I have just one partition which uses 100% of what space is available - drive C. I would like to change this to have the following:
Drive C - 80% of capacity (for OS and programs)
Drive D - 10% of capacity (for my data only)
Drive E - 10% of capacity (for my data only)
Here is what I intend to do to achieve the above:
1) Back up any important data to CD-R
2) Boot from Windows '98 SE Startup Floppy Disk *without* CD-ROM support
3) Run Fdisk
4) Delete existing Primary DOS Partition
5) Create Primary DOS Partition for 80% of capacity (for drive C)
6) Create *one* Extended DOS Partition for 20% of capacity (for drives D and E)
7) Create a Logical DOS Drive in the Extended DOS Partition for 10% of capacity (for drive D)
8) Create a Logical DOS Drive in the Extended DOS Partition for 10% of capacity (for drive E)
9) Set drive C as the Active Partition
10) Exit Fdisk
11) Type format c: /s <enter>
12) Type format d: <enter>
13) Type format e: <enter>
14) Install OS back to drive C again
Could you please tell me if this is correct? Is there anything else I need to do? Will I be able to use the drive letters specifically C, D and E (Q and R are being used for a DVD-ROM and CD-Writer respectively)? When deleting the existing partition will all of the space become available for the new partitions?
Thanks in Advance,
Richard
I have a 40 GB Samsung SP0411N hard drive as master and run Windows '98 SE.
Currently, I have just one partition which uses 100% of what space is available - drive C. I would like to change this to have the following:
Drive C - 80% of capacity (for OS and programs)
Drive D - 10% of capacity (for my data only)
Drive E - 10% of capacity (for my data only)
Here is what I intend to do to achieve the above:
1) Back up any important data to CD-R
2) Boot from Windows '98 SE Startup Floppy Disk *without* CD-ROM support
3) Run Fdisk
4) Delete existing Primary DOS Partition
5) Create Primary DOS Partition for 80% of capacity (for drive C)
6) Create *one* Extended DOS Partition for 20% of capacity (for drives D and E)
7) Create a Logical DOS Drive in the Extended DOS Partition for 10% of capacity (for drive D)
8) Create a Logical DOS Drive in the Extended DOS Partition for 10% of capacity (for drive E)
9) Set drive C as the Active Partition
10) Exit Fdisk
11) Type format c: /s <enter>
12) Type format d: <enter>
13) Type format e: <enter>
14) Install OS back to drive C again
Could you please tell me if this is correct? Is there anything else I need to do? Will I be able to use the drive letters specifically C, D and E (Q and R are being used for a DVD-ROM and CD-Writer respectively)? When deleting the existing partition will all of the space become available for the new partitions?
Thanks in Advance,
Richard
SOLUTION
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Contact me to get Partition Magic
You uses Partition Magic to modify partition and you don't need delete partion and setup windows again.
You uses Partition Magic to modify partition and you don't need delete partion and setup windows again.
ductais
I see that you are a fairly new member here.
What you are offering seems to be against Experts-Exchange membership rules.
https://www.experts-exchange.com/memberAgreement.jsp
Specifically, if you have a read through the Help links to familiarise yourself with how Experts-Exchange functions, you will find these two relevant sections:
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Note jdietrich's footnote about BUYING Partition Magic "For 19 Bucks and instant download".
Additionally, you have repeated the suggestion already made by jdietrich. You must read previous comments.
I see that you are a fairly new member here.
What you are offering seems to be against Experts-Exchange membership rules.
https://www.experts-exchange.com/memberAgreement.jsp
Specifically, if you have a read through the Help links to familiarise yourself with how Experts-Exchange functions, you will find these two relevant sections:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/help.jsp#hi100
https://www.experts-exchange.com/help.jsp#hi99
Note jdietrich's footnote about BUYING Partition Magic "For 19 Bucks and instant download".
Additionally, you have repeated the suggestion already made by jdietrich. You must read previous comments.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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One other suggestion that you can use if you choose to use Partition Magic to split the existing partition as proposed, or if you choose the long way with FDISK and then reinstall Windows. Copy the "win98" folder from the Windows CD to the partition, and then you can file away your CD.
After installation, copy the folder from CD to the partition within Windows, and then change the registry to reflect this as having been the "Install Source" - but ONLY if you know your way around modifying the registry using REGEDIT.
Key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Softwar
Change the path shown as the value for "SourcePath" to reflect the path to the "win98" folder copied to your partition, eg. E:\WIN98\
The next time any event needs your Win98se CD it will retrieve what it needs from the files on the hard drive rather than asking you to insert the CD. The next time you need to format the C: Drive by booting to a floppy, you can run setup.exe from that folder on your partition and it will install a great deal faster.
After installation, copy the folder from CD to the partition within Windows, and then change the registry to reflect this as having been the "Install Source" - but ONLY if you know your way around modifying the registry using REGEDIT.
Key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Softwar
Change the path shown as the value for "SourcePath" to reflect the path to the "win98" folder copied to your partition, eg. E:\WIN98\
The next time any event needs your Win98se CD it will retrieve what it needs from the files on the hard drive rather than asking you to insert the CD. The next time you need to format the C: Drive by booting to a floppy, you can run setup.exe from that folder on your partition and it will install a great deal faster.
Hmmm. The http://www.mbhs.edu/~jaosborn/boot98se.exe link is now defunct. It was OK a couple of days ago, and has been for the last few years. Damn. Will have to find an alternative one.
ASKER
Thanks for your help.
The reasons I chose to use the Fdisk method are:
1) I had a new hard drive installed last month (the old one failed). I installed my OS as a test from the CD-ROM. Therefore, I don't have any important data on my computer (other than some files I've downloaded, which I will be burning to CD-R anyway). I'd like to have a fresh start at my proper setup.
2) I don't foresee myself needing to change the partitions at a later date.
3) Fdisk is easily accessible on my Windows '98 Startup Disk and it appears to do what I want.
I don't think it is necessary to start with CD-ROM support when rebooting to format the drives (can't see it making a difference with or without).
When using my Windows '98 Startup Disk (which I created myself), the drive letters are actually E and F for the DVD-ROM and CD-Writer respectively and D for the RAM-Drive. At all other times in Windows and DOS, they are Q and R (and no RAM-Drive).
Interesting point about the SourcePath. I'm using an OEM version of Windows '98 SE. The path is set to C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\. Perhaps this explains why sometimes Windows doesn't ask me for the CD-ROM, when it may have done otherwise.
The reasons I chose to use the Fdisk method are:
1) I had a new hard drive installed last month (the old one failed). I installed my OS as a test from the CD-ROM. Therefore, I don't have any important data on my computer (other than some files I've downloaded, which I will be burning to CD-R anyway). I'd like to have a fresh start at my proper setup.
2) I don't foresee myself needing to change the partitions at a later date.
3) Fdisk is easily accessible on my Windows '98 Startup Disk and it appears to do what I want.
I don't think it is necessary to start with CD-ROM support when rebooting to format the drives (can't see it making a difference with or without).
When using my Windows '98 Startup Disk (which I created myself), the drive letters are actually E and F for the DVD-ROM and CD-Writer respectively and D for the RAM-Drive. At all other times in Windows and DOS, they are Q and R (and no RAM-Drive).
Interesting point about the SourcePath. I'm using an OEM version of Windows '98 SE. The path is set to C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\. Perhaps this explains why sometimes Windows doesn't ask me for the CD-ROM, when it may have done otherwise.
Thank you, Richard.
It may well be the fact that you have an OEM Windows 98 CD that the DVD-Rom and CD-RW drives are assigned to Q and R after windows is installed. This will be something set (probably from your config.sys and autoexec.bat) as the system boots, but this will not be set if you boot to a boot floppy which uses another method to assign drive letters.
The difference is just as you have pointed out, ie. your self made boot floppy doesn't create that temporary Ram Drive.
Yes, the C:\Windows\Options\CABS is the standard place for the setup files to be copied. Even if you install from setup files copied to a separate partition, rather than directly from the CD, the C:\Windows\Options\CABS folder will be created. In that scenario though, it usually won't be populated with all the cab files but will be used to dump copies of files used during the installation of some Windows updates that you install later.
It may well be the fact that you have an OEM Windows 98 CD that the DVD-Rom and CD-RW drives are assigned to Q and R after windows is installed. This will be something set (probably from your config.sys and autoexec.bat) as the system boots, but this will not be set if you boot to a boot floppy which uses another method to assign drive letters.
The difference is just as you have pointed out, ie. your self made boot floppy doesn't create that temporary Ram Drive.
Yes, the C:\Windows\Options\CABS is the standard place for the setup files to be copied. Even if you install from setup files copied to a separate partition, rather than directly from the CD, the C:\Windows\Options\CABS folder will be created. In that scenario though, it usually won't be populated with all the cab files but will be used to dump copies of files used during the installation of some Windows updates that you install later.
For 19 Bucks and instant download, why not???