Popular partitioning questions

q: Is it safe to partition not empty hdd?

a: With modern software usually it rather safe. But still we recommend to manage partitions on empty drives.

q: How big can be a new parttion?

a: For example you have 120 GB hard drive containing only one partition and you want to make another one. Safely you can make a partition equal to drive's free space. Modern software will warn you if you'll choose more than avaible free space - it'll damage some data. Of course it's ok if you made backups and going to format both partitions. BE CAREFULL WITH fdisk and another old software - it's not allowed to change size of partition or if it is, it's not safe.

q: I've made a partition and have installed Windows, but it's written than NTDLR missing or OS doesn't installed. What shoul I do?

a: Usually it means that partition with the OS installed isn't active. You can make any partition active in any partitioning software.

q: How can I make partition to install Linux?

a: Usually linux distributives have buildedin partitioning software in installation package. If it's not load boot disk with partitioning software installed. fdisk can't make partitions for linux.

q:What are the recommendations for making a partitions?

a: We recomend you to improve the speed and to increse safety install Windows and applications on one partition and store the data on another partitions. Usually it's enough 10-20GB for system partition. For linux there are another recommendations you should have separate partition for swap separate partition for OS and separate for data, better advices for linux you can find on Linyx specialized forums.

q:What the difference in FAT16 FAT32 and NTFS?

a: The differences in this filesystems are in maximum file size allowed and in the security and size of the cluster. Usually there choise between FAT32 and NTFS, NTFS is faster allows more than 4GB one file size and allow some security management. But if something will happen with partitions FAT32 is easier to restore the data on our own experiense.

Creating a partition first step.

Of course to start partitioning new disk, if there no any operating system, you should boot first and start fdisk for example. You should have boot disk CD or floppy discette, may be next time I'll tell you how to make one by yourself.

First of all you should change the default booting device. Don't worry it's easy. On desctop computer usually you should press "delete" button or F2 button on the laptop, when just reboot begin to enter BIOS and change booting device. Or sometimes it's possible to press F10 or F12 (usually it's written on the bottom of the screen) to chooce booting device.

Than when you are in the bios you shoul chooce "Advanced settings...." and there choose "First booting device".

If you have special boot disk for OS installing purposes it will start GUI menu where you can start fdisk or another partitionin programm automatically. But if you just have boot disk with DOS?

Ok. It's easy you should know a few commands to start what you need in DOS.

DriveLettet: - changes current drive to DriveLetter
dir - shows files and folders in current drive or folder
cd NameOfTheFolder - changes current folder to NameOfTheFolder
cd .. - to go up on folder tree
NameOfTheFile - starts NameOfTheFile.com or NameOfTheFile.exe or NameOfTheFile.bat file
That's it!

So if you boot for example using floppy and screen shows
a:>
and your fdisk is on d:\Fdisk\
you can write cd d:\Fdisk\
or change the drive first
d:
than if you don't remember the exact name of the folder
dir (it will show the list of all the files and folders)
than
cd fdisk (dos is NOT case sensetive)
fdisk (to start the programm)

Good luck!