Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Hard Drive Partitions

Jan 7, 2004 1:27PM PST

I recently installed Win XP Pro onto a new 80 GIG HDD. During set-up, I specified one partition of 20 gigs (which I wanted to use for OS and programs) and then I left the rest (60 gigs) for storage. When Windows completed installation, it wasn't on my C: drive (20 gigs), it was on my E: drive (60 gigs). Can someone tell me why this occurred. and how I can do it properly when I reformat? My CD/RW is listed as my D: drive. I would ideally like my C: with OS, etc., D: empty for storage, and E: as my CD/RW.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Re:Hard Drive Partitions
Jan 7, 2004 10:38PM PST

If you ask me, the best thing to do is to go back and wipe out both partitions. Then, during the installation, only create the 20GB partition you want the OS to be installed on, leaving the rest unpartitioned.

Then, once you've gotten the OS up and running, you can use XP's drive management tool to create a partition in the remaining space and format it.

- Collapse -
Starting over.
Jan 7, 2004 11:07PM PST
- Collapse -
Re:Starting over.
Jan 8, 2004 3:15AM PST

That's what I can't figure out. I would think that XP would install on the first partition, which is why I set it up that way. When setting up the partitions, I did exactly that; I made one 20 gig partition then just left the rest and entered through without creating a second partition. Because there is no place to specify what drive I assumed it would go onto C:......man oh man I hope someone has some insight. I haven't installed anything yet in case I had to reformat......good thing I guess.
Please help.
Dave

- Collapse -
Re:Starting over.
Jan 8, 2004 3:17AM PST

Sorry.....didn't realize the response was a link...hehe.
Thanks

- Collapse -
NT -- Not 'ur fault, it's on the shoulders of the 'DUMB' designers of this forum software.
Jan 8, 2004 3:54AM PST

.

- Collapse -
Re:NT -- Not 'ur fault, it's on the shoulders of the 'DUMB' designers of this forum software.
Jan 8, 2004 11:25AM PST

I checked out the link, and it tells me what the problem is if my hard drive is not new but...it is a new drive. There shouldn't be any hidden partitions on it as it should be totally empty. Should I format and start over? Perhaps delete any and all partitions and try again?
Dave

- Collapse -
NT - Start system with the XP CD, delete all partitions, start fresh install.
Jan 8, 2004 9:42PM PST

.

- Collapse -
Re:Starting over.
Jan 8, 2004 4:01AM PST

Sorry.....didn't realize the response was a link...hehe.
Thanks