Formating Harddisk, Tips please ....

[saurabh_fzr]

I am going to format my Hard disk (OS partition). Please give tips on how to proceed.

Is there any guide on that stuff ?

I have three partitions on my 80 GB, 20 GB,-20 GB, -40 GB named C, D and F resp. C has win 98, D is Win XP, and E for Data. I want to format both C and D one after the other and reinstall the same OS ie win 98 and XP.
What could be the optimum partition size.

Please advise.

Saurabh

[redwudz]

If the present partition size works for you, keep it the same. You really need a second drive if you plan to work with video (That's why most people visit this site). With XP, just use the OS tools, Control panel>Admisitrative tools>Computer management>Storage. Use NTFS partitions (Fat32 only needed for W98)

[SLK001]

Your drives are setup fairly well. A second drive would be a good idea for capturing video. Unless there is a compelling reason to still maintain a WIN98 partition, I would recommend dropping it. If you really want to keep it, then I would drop the size of its partition to around 4 to 5 GBytes. Use NTFS file system when possible.

[gmatov]

I think both C:\ and D:\ are way too big.

My own C with 98 is 10 gig, only a gig and a half used (don't install much to 98) and E with Win2k is 10 gig, 4 1/2 used. You'd have 60 gig for storage.

I have 4 drives, about 420 gigabytes total, partitioned too much, but install many programs to another partition, when permitted to choose by install program.

60 gig would let you work with DV of maybe 2 hours and have conversion space left.

If you have Partition Magic, or could borrow it ( if this site deems that legal), you could shrink your partitions before you format them, then boot to XP and format C, re-install 98 to C if you want, get 98 running properly, then format D, install XP to D, and when it offers to convert D to NTFS, accept, and install.

If you want to keep 98, you have to install it ( the oldest OS ) first.

Damn it, I still like 98SE, and all the detractors don't change my mind, so why should you have to do as they "strongly advise"?

Your only problem might be your F, storage drive. If you have keepable stuff there, and can burn it to DVD-RW, you're good to do an fdisk-format from DOS, but if you can't save to disk, you'll need non-destructive resizing tool, like Partition Manager or Ranish Partition Manager.(Freeware, don't know if it is as easy as the new vers of Powerquest PM is.

If you are deeply into video, I, too, would advise a large drive in addition to your 80, if it can fit the budget. Being in India, that might be advising you to spend more money than is available. You probably don't have the "Rebate thing" that is the big scam in the USA to makes them affordable. Neither do the Euros, Aussies or Canadians, so must be a big tax dodge here.

Cheers,

George

[SLK001]

Damn it, I still like 98SE, and all the detractors don't change my mind, so why should you have to do as they "strongly advise"?

Hey, I thought DOS 3.3 was the best OS ever. I never converted to WIN95 (especially since running from the command line was much faster). I also like WIN98 (it's still on one of my machines), but it is showing its age. There are some (not many, but I have run across a few) programs that do not run on a newer OS like WIN XP or WIN2KP, which is the only reason to keep 98 still around.

There comes a time when you must discard your buggy whip and merge into the modern world.

[gmatov]

Another point I should make to my above is, if you convert to NTFS, 98 wouldn't be able to see that storage partition, and I don't know if you can store FAT files on NTFS, so probably would make 1 more FAT storage partition, maybe another 10 gig one.

Still leaves 50 for DV transfers.

I have and use Win2k, also, but am still more comfy in 98. I also bought XP, installed, do not like, slow on my machine, for some reason, took it off and put 2k back on. I guess I'm too old a dog for any new tricks.

Cheers,

George

[saurabh_fzr]

Thanks for the information

If you are deeply into video, I, too, would advise a large drive in addition to your 80, if it can fit the budget. Being in India, that might be advising you to spend more money than is available. You probably don't have the "Rebate thing" that is the big scam in the USA to makes them affordable. Neither do the Euros, Aussies or Canadians, so must be a big tax dodge here.

I am considering the option of buying a second HDD, I ll probably go in for that SATA thing. I have an interface for that on my mobo( intel D865 GLC), but things arn't freely available here, the max I can get here is 7200 rpm 80 GB samsung for Rs 4200 ie $90-95, the other one cheaper by Rs 500 ie $80-85( I dont know if its comparable to worldwide prices comments please), so think i should wait for some bigger ones, in size and speed, to arrive.
My ISP who is also a telecom provider, Reliance Infocomm Ltd, provides internet thru mobile phone ( CDMA 3G 1x is the tech) and works real fast, the phone hooks into the comp thru USB and connects at speed of 115000 bps, they have some specific software for that and it sucks on win 2k and XP, and that is the reason for me keeping 98, will have to live with it for a while till they correct it.
I am in a fix as to do this exercise( Formating) right now or wait till I get the desired HDD or still get what is available and proceed.

Personally I like win XP the most. Its works real fast on my machine and I have feeling saves too many cpu cycles, just my feeling I may be wrong.

Saurabh

[gmatov]

Saurabh,

You don't mention if you have either access to something like Partition Manager, or if you have an optical burner to save your keepable stuff on.

If you can burn a backup of your files that you do not want to lose, then you could fdisk and format the whole drive as above.

If you don't, a nondestrucrive tool would be best. Ranish Partition Manager is, again, free, but haven't used it in years. Don't know if the interface is as easy as Powerquest Partition Manager. I never liked that tool, before, but the new Version 8 is a snap.

90 to 95 USD would be about right, depending on if that is a day's pay to you or a week's pay. It is probably a day's takehome pay to most here who work for a living, after taxes. Technical, professional, more, students, the young, less.

Another member from India said a kilo of lamb or veal was about 95 Rs. Here, for ribs or chops, about 10 USD for 1 pound, 454 grams.

They always tell us you are paid much less in USD than our workers, but never that you buy the same things for much less, in many cases.

That makes it difficult to say if 90 USD is a good price for you. I have bought 160 gig for 70 USD after the rebate scam, 80 USD back from the vendor, after a few months wait.

Cheers,

George

[saurabh_fzr]

Thanks George

Right now i do not have access to partition magic, but I do have CD burner and yes I will burn a copy of my keepable stuff.
I have more or less decided to postphone the entire operation by a month or so that way I shall wait and see if I get something bigger in SATA (currently max i can get here is 80 G, 7200 rpm).
If i wait for the other HD i ll transfer all my data to that one and then format the older one completely and make partitions as suggested by you.
If I lose my patience ( ie could not wait for bigger SATA) I would burn my important data and then proceed.

Another member from India said a kilo of lamb or veal was about 95 Rs. Here, for ribs or chops, about 10 USD for 1 pound, 454 grams.

They always tell us you are paid much less in USD than our workers, but never that you buy the same things for much less, in many cases.

I really cant say much about that but certainly its not true most of the times, could be for a fraction of items that are locally produced but for others that does not hold true.

Saurabh