partitions in XP

[Joe Musser]

I am installing a new hard drive and a second hard drive , so when I am done there will be a master and a slave. Both units are well over 100gig. Will XP handle these without partitions? I guess what I am after is can I put these in without any partitions at all and just label them as two seperate drives?

[Mr_Dangerous]

I think yes u can but u need to format them as NTFS

[jlreich]

They have to be partitioned into at least one partition on each drive. You wont be able to format the drives until they are partitioned. Once partitioned you can format them into whatever file system you like. Well, any that windows can recognize. I would recommend NTFS. If you don't partition and format, you will not be able to use them.

And welcome the the http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif

[Mr_Dangerous]

Sure have to be partitioned into at least one partition on each drive but about any other file system than ntfs i don't think so cause of:
NTFS supports disk quotas, allowing you to control the amount of disk usage on a per user basis.

NTFS supports file compression. FAT32 does not.

How a volume manages data is outside the scope of this article, but once you pass the 8GB partition size, NTFS handles space management much more efficiently than FAT32. Cluster sizes play an important part in how much disk space is wasted storing files. NTFS provides smaller cluster sizes and less disk space waste than FAT32.

In Windows XP, the maximum partition size that can be created using FAT32 is 32GB. This increases to 16TB (terabytes) using NTFS. There is a workaround for the 32GB limitation under FAT32, but it is a nuisance especially considering the size of drives currently being manufactured

[jlreich]

Yes you are right about FAT32, particularly if you want the whole drive on one partition. And I much prefer NTFS in any case. I just didn't want to say it had to be NTFS. FAT32 still has it uses.

Also Joe Musser asked if it had to be partitioned, so I wanted to clarify that it does. ;)

[Mr_Dangerous]

cool my friend...
so could u have a look here
http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=36830
if there are any ideas

[Paul Komski]

The main reason for using FAT would be if you are dual booting with a DOS-based OS that also needs to be able to access the partition. I think the theoretical maximum for FAT is 2TB but not by using WinXP's limited formatter. NTFS as has already been said - is generally superior in all sorts of ways.

One note on partitions larger than the 127/137 gig barrier is that WinXP will not be able to utilise them until at least SP1 is in use due to 32bit LBA addressing.

[Joe Musser]

So just so I am sure I do have to partition it but the partition can be the entire drive? And if I already use NTFS wont windows automatically use this on the second drive or will I have to choose it over FAT

[Paleo Pete]

Yes the partition can be the entire drive, or any portion of it you wish to use. What file system is used depends on what utility is used to do the partitioning. The XP setup usually offers only NTFS if the drive has not been previously partitioned, at least that's the only option it ever gives me...but that could be because it knows I want FAT32 sometimes, knows I don't like it and just wants to be hard to get along with... :rolleyes: If you partition it using the manufacturer's software you may or may not have the option of using NTFS, depending on software, same for third party partition managers. Early versions of Partition Magic didn't support NTFS for example.

I think if the manufacturer's software (my preference by the way) only offers FAT32, XP can convert it to NTFS and then format it.

On note if/when you use the manufacturers drive installation software or third party partitioning software, be absolutely positive which drive you are partitioning. If you make a mistake Windows just went bye-bye...

One thing I'm not sure of, I know the XP setup can do the partitioning, and once installed XP can format a drive that's been partitioned but not formatted; I've done that, but unless I'm badly mistaken I haven't seen anything within XP itself that will partition a drive, seems like that must be done using other software. Can anyone confirm or refute this???

[malcore]

There are options to partition and format in either Fat32 or NTFS when installing XP. Has been on every install I have done, from pre SP1 up to SP2.

Both Windows 2000's and XP's Disk Management are capable of partitioning and formatting any new drive added. A simple right click while in the Disk Management console will give you all the options you need. As Paul mentioned, one of the drawbacks of Windows Disk Management is its size limit on Fat32 partitions.

[Paul Komski]

I haven't seen anything within XP itself that will partition a drive
You first need to have some unallocated space available (or create some by deleting a non-system partition). Then, as malcore says, RClick on the unallocated space in Disk Management and you should have the option to "create a partition". A wizard then takes you through the necessary steps.

The XP setup usually offers only NTFS if the drive has not been previously partitionedI think this is only when the partition size chosen is greater than 32GB (the FAT32 limit under WinXP).

XP can convert it to NTFS and then format itWin2K/XP can both convert from FAT to NTFS. The file system is rearranged but the partition is not reformatted.

3rd-Party Utilities such as PM can usually convert from NTFS to FAT as long as such things as file encryption are not in use.