Splitting Harddrive

[novic_1223 0]

my friends have told me that they have split there harddrives into separate sectionbut the problem is that i have no idea how to do itor if i will need a program to do itcan anyone help mei don't know how to do it and i really want to becasue they tell me it makes ur computer move way fasterand when i went to there houseboth there computers were super fast and extremely awesome!!i really want to know how..help

[rpgsearcherz 5]

First of all, it is called "repartitioning" and it can be done in Windows.Second of all...It will not speed up your pc,lol...The only way to "speed" it up by HDD's is to get another physical drive...Think of it like this.You have one pencil and a piece of paper. You're writing on it.Now you rip the paper in two, but still have the one pencil. You are still writing at the same speed, but you have 2 sections to write on.But with another HDD, it's like having two pieces of paper and 2 pencils. You can write much faster.So if you are doing it for speed, don't. It will not help you.

[pasten 0]

Considering you have only C:\ drive right now and using Windows 2000 or higher. First you need to check whether the C:\ drive has occupied whole of the drive (Right Click properties to find it).If only certain space is allocated for C:\ drive then you can create additional partitions using windows itself. Go to Control Panel > Administartive Tools > Computer Management. Once there in the "Storage" category on the left, select "Disk Management". Now you should be seeing only one drive, that is C:\. Now right click and create Extended partition and then logical drives.If the whole of the hard drive space has been allocated to C:\ drive then you have to use a program like Partition Magic to create extra partitions.

Edited February 28, 2009 by pasten (see edit history)

[Aeon 0]

my friends have told me that they have split there harddrives into separate sectionbut the problem is that i have no idea how to do it
or if i will need a program to do it
can anyone help me
i don't know how to do it and i really want to becasue they tell me it makes ur computer move way faster
and when i went to there house
both there computers were super fast and extremely awesome!!
i really want to know how..
help

This really wasn't specific.

If you're talking about installing two operating systems into your computer, it won't speed it up.
But if you're talking about two hard drives for one computer, take a look into 'master and slave' settings. It's a simple thing to do, really.

[cyber_electrons 0]

For some reason I can only set a partition when I reinstall windows. To my limited experience, I can only repartition it through formatting. If there are no other ways, I think the reason is to protect existing files from being lost while formatting. (Really unsure but that's all I know)

[kplow1986 0]

For some reason I can only set a partition when I reinstall windows. To my limited experience, I can only repartition it through formatting. If there are no other ways, I think the reason is to protect existing files from being lost while formatting. (Really unsure but that's all I know)

yes , you can use a program called "partition magic" or partition manager, it can repartition your hard drive without format.
The program work like this. make sure u have enough space.
E.g
if you have one hard drive in your computer, 80GB capacity, 50GB used, 30GB remaining.
that mean u can make another partition with 30GB empty space that remaining.
you can create 2 or more partition until z letter.But i think no one go to z unless crazy.

[cyber_electrons 0]

But I am just concerned about data loss. Does the partition magic or software like those prevent this effect?

[Baniboy 3]

But I am just concerned about data loss. Does the partition magic or software like those prevent this effect?

No, they don't. You have to do it yourself.

Before you partition your HDD,

Free some space for the other partition by shrinking the existing one, (if you have a recovery partition on your computer, make sure you don't touch it in any ways)

After you have free unpartitioned space, make a new partition using that free space. Now you have a new partition.
Just make sure you don't screw up, use a program that is known by many people and has a reputation of doing things it's claimed to do, like partition magic. Don't turn the computer off while partitioning/reformatting.

[cyber_electrons 0]

Hey, baniboy, I am using Piriform Defragler. It can defrag free space by moving all files from anywhere in the drive to as close as the front as possible - with or without fragment option available. I would move all files to the front.Now, my problem is that the MFT is at the end of the drive (if the defragler shows it correctly). The MFT is the last thing I want to screw up - records location and things like that. Also, the Piriform defragler cannot move the MFT when i try defragging it (colour coded purple). Are there any software that I can use to tidy up my HDD effectively for the repartitioning?

[Baniboy 3]

Hey, baniboy, I am using Piriform Defragler. It can defrag free space by moving all files from anywhere in the drive to as close as the front as possible - with or without fragment option available. I would move all files to the front.
Now, my problem is that the MFT is at the end of the drive (if the defragler shows it correctly). The MFT is the last thing I want to screw up - records location and things like that. Also, the Piriform defragler cannot move the MFT when i try defragging it (colour coded purple).

Are there any software that I can use to tidy up my HDD effectively for the repartitioning?

Dude, defraging has pretty much nothing to do with shrinking your HDD. Just use a partitioning program to shrink the drive! You don't need any tidying up...

[cyber_electrons 0]

I am not talking about shrinking the drive, I am talking about pre-shrinking it. Suppose I have data everywhere on the drive, would you just partition it without the consideration of where the data would go?If I do it without tidying up, data loss is highly probable. I would prefer to keep my data as well as partition it thankyou very much...

[aloKNsh 0]

yeah u can do so by formating the computer with different partitions and the select the size of each partition.............or u can use the windows optioni dont know it will work or not but then also try once.first select my computer then right click then manage then disk management in removal device and then follow the instructions as follows............if it works then plz inform me alsobut i am sure for the first method because i have also tried it and it worked.............

[Baniboy 3]

I am not talking about shrinking the drive, I am talking about pre-shrinking it. Suppose I have data everywhere on the drive, would you just partition it without the consideration of where the data would go?
If I do it without tidying up, data loss is highly probable. I would prefer to keep my data as well as partition it thankyou very much...

I've partitioned my physical drives several times so I know what I'm talking about.

Shrinking explained:

a program takes disc space OUT OF THE PARTITION. It's not like they're combined with the partition anymore. You don't have a high risk of data loss. You don't need to defrag, the program doesn't let you shrink it anymore when you have saved data on the part, for example; if you have 250 GB drive and you have 50 GB data saved on it, you can shrink it to 50GB size, then you can't shrink it anymore. So data loss is pretty much impossible (there always comes a small risk with everything tho...)

You can't make a new partition without having free UNPARTITIONED space. Your drive is ONE BIG PARTITION, your OS can't use unpartitioned space.

Conclusion: you can't lose your data data, you can't split a partition into 2 partitions, you'll lose your data as it unformattes it. It won't screw up your MFT.

...data loss is highly probable

Please make sure what YOU KNOW AND DON'T KNOW about the subject before you jump right in and make your own theories and conclusions.

[cyber_electrons 0]

Well I certainly do know that my HDD has got 2 partitions and they both have data in them. Both are formatted and healthy. So, you are saying that if I have free space in the middle of a partition, and data filled both ends, the Partition Magic will move all the data to, for example, the front and create the new partition just after, say, 50GB? If so, I have to say no more.Or, are you saying that the partition will be formed in where the freespace exists? So file movement is not involved. If so, I have to say no more.Finally, my HDD is all partitioned when I set up the OS and install all those things. All are formatted and healthy. You said that "You can't make a new partition without having free UNPARTITIONED space.". So does that mean I will not be able to partition further given my situation which I said before? If so, I have to say no more.Also, I am not making up theories nor conclusions. I am making sure what I don't know becomes known.

[Baniboy 3]

Well I certainly do know that my HDD has got 2 partitions and they both have data in them. Both are formatted and healthy.
1. So, you are saying that if I have free space in the middle of a partition, and data filled both ends, the Partition Magic will move all the data to, for example, the front and create the new partition just after, say, 50GB? If so, I have to say no more.

I believe so, another member who knows a lot about disks should comment this one. When I partition my drive, I see the partition start point which is followed by a row of numbers and partition end point which is then followed by a row of numbers. So I don't think it makes a partition in middle of another partition, I think it simply moves it away and frees space for another partition.

"You said that 'You can't make a new partition without having free UNPARTITIONED space.' "

You can't, that's why I was talking about shrinking a partition, it makes free unpartitioned space for another partition, after you have shrinked, you can make a new partition, after that, you can format it into any filesystem you want...