Can new HDD be partitioned and formatted thru windows program

[Cordy46]

I have just purcahsed a new Hard drive, WD Caviar 20GB EIDE 7200/2MB/8.9/ATA-100. I was told that by going into my BIOS, checking to make sure that the CDROM was recognized, and if so, that I could just put my Windows98SE CD in and it would partition and format my new drive. Is this true.

[jmtjet]

Yes, boot into your BIOS-make your CD-ROM your first boot device save and exit your BIOS-put your Win 98 SE CD into your CD-ROM drive and re-boot. You should be greeted with the Windows set-up screen. Make your choices as to partitioning, formatting, then install Windows. Read your screens carefully, when asked to make selection. Check this link for a tutorial on installing Windows:

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/html/tu...rial.php/id/39

[Cordy46]

Thanks a great deal for your reply jmtjet, I hope I can do this right, I will take my time and pay attention. I appreciate the help. Have a great day.

[Junker]

Cordy46, if you've already loaded windows, Ranish Partition Manager may help you (freeware)...

http://www.ranish.com/part/

[Ridgerunr]

Western Digital also has a diagnostic tool that will do this very easily also. Just don't let it install it's "call home" junk,Lifeline or whatever.Dn/load and run it to make floppy. Set bios to boot from floppy first,stick it in and away ya' go...

http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp

[Cordy46]

Thanks for the replies, I have a question? Can I make the entire C: one partition? This computer will only be used at home, will be online from time to time, play games on it. Or do I have to make more pattitions. Or is it neccesary to make more than one partition. I have another computer that is used for home and office work. It has XP on it. I only want windows98se on the other one for the grandkids they already know how to use it.

[Ridgerunr]

For a 20Gb drive, i would make 2 partitions,10GB each. Keeps the cluster size down,will defrag/scandisk much faster and if you have bad problems and have to reformat, you will only lose what's on the C: partition and not anything you've saved to D: partition.

[Cordy46]

Appreciate the help, sure hope this is as easy as it sounds, lol , when it comes to something like this I just want it to be right. I will be installing the new hard drive saturday, wish me luck. Agin thanks all.

[jtdoom]

hi
good idea to keep clustersize down, but ten gig is just above 8 gig, and the cluster size increase point is at 8.192Mb
(one can have over a Giga worth of slack in a ten giga, effectively reducing available storage to about 8.4Gb... so I'd stay under 8 )

all in all, this depends on the files one wants to save
data can be CDROM images, or ghost images, which are HUGE files, with little slack.
data can also be a gazillion small files

the system partition, what your windows and programs are on, just about always has a gazillion small files.

you could do 6Gb, and rest for data
or you could do 16 giga and rest (people whom load lots of games on C: can run out of space in 6Gb)

so, in the end, it's up to you.

[Ridgerunr]

I very humbly bow to our Master Guru Jaak I have so many dang gigs with 2-40GB drives in one and same in my networked machine i just plain fergot about the cluster size limits. With a 20GB drive,it would give you considerably more space and be more efficient..(bowin' n' scrapin' my way out the door)

[Train]

Cluster sizes.

512 MB - 8,191 MB clusters are 4 KB
8,192 MB - 16,383 MB clusters are 8 KB
16,384 MB - 32,767 MB clusters are 16 KB
32,768 MB and above clusters are 32 KB


slack space is what was brought up

And a free toll to check it out with.

[Train]

How to FDISK a Hard Drive

Format

[Cordy46]

Thanks all, got the new drive installed, windows on it, its doing great so far, (crosed fingers) lol. I do however have one slight problem, I cannot get connected to the internet. It tells me that the com port 1 and 2 are working properly, and the adapters are working properly, I am trying to connect to aol, which I have now on this one. But everytime I try to connect, it dosen't detect the modem, I have tried everything that I could think of, any suggestions.

[Ridgerunr]

Might try this: Remove modem drivers in device manager from safe mode. Open your box and move the modem to slot 4 or 5. Then boot and reinstall drivers. Could be an IRQ conflict.

[Cordy46]

I will try this, and get back and let you know what happens, thanks alot.