Need help partitioning a new HDD
 

Ok, I'm a little embarassed that I'm asking for help with this.

I always build my own PCs from parts and they're always awesome machines. (P4-3.06ghz, 1gb RAM, 256mb GeForce FX5600) etc.

But, my mother asked me to install an additional HDD into her PC. I got her an 80gb drive and hooked it up. However, I do not remember how to Fdisk the drive, short of hooking it up as the Primary Master, booting off the WinXP CD and going from there. The BIOS knows the drive is there, but WinXP can't see it and I don't remember how to partition it into a useable drive.

There's gotta be an easier way, but I don't remember it. Can anyone please help? :o

As long as we are there, I have a FDD Q.

What does the partitioning do?

I have a notebook with a 60GB drive. Sony sets it up with a C: and a D: 'drive' (partition I suspect).

Why do they do that? Is there a reason to not do the entire FDD as only a C: drive? Seek time?

This is on a P3 233Mhz machine running W98SE.

Thanks in advance.

IN that case, very little singpilot. It's more a user convenience...

For partitioning in XP... Got to Ctrl Panel, admin tools, computer management, disk managment. You'll figure it out from there. Help will guide you if you get stuck,

Ahh. Many thanks, guys! I'll figure it out from there.

Never thought to look through there. ... I feel like a dunce!

Hey thanks again.

All sorted. Many thanks again for the info. SmileWavy

singpilot - I typically will only use multiple partitions if a) I'm using Linux (which I do) 'cause it needs a swap partition, or if I want someplace to keep data files so I can re-install the system as much/often as I like.

Funny you should say that. I had to reinstall W98 again. Not all of my data files were on the second 'drive', and I lost those. Am about done with the W98 machine.

I bought an Apple Ibook last time this happened, thinking (as the salesman promised) I'd never look back. I tried for weeks to make it work. It sits unused for over a year now. It will go to eBay soon too.