HELP! Trying to partition with XP

[BabyGirl2013]

Hey!

I just purchased a new AMD Athalon 2200 computer, and it came with a 60 GIG drive, and WinXP.

I am trying to get it paritioned into 3 20 GIG drives, but I am not sure how to do this. When I boot my machine, it does not read my Win98 Boot Disk at all, and I am not sure what to do.

I have tried reformatting the drive and partitioning it as it does when you use the WinXP CD, but then it makes me install WinXP on all 3 drives and I have to choose which one to run....UGH! Frustrating! LOL

Yes I am new to WinXP, so please be nice Thanks so much!!!

[Siliconjunkie]

Only create 1 partition in the XP setup. Once you are up and going you can create the others from Disk Management.

[Scott Tiger]

Well I'm not sure what you're asking for here. What's the desired end result? To be able to dual boot Windows 98 and XP? It's not that hard but you will loose all data on the drive if you follow these steps:

Boot the XP cd
Partition the drive into the sizes you want using XP's setup
Format the drives using XP's setup
Kill the installation once it starts to copy files
Re-install Windows 98
Run the Windows XP install from inside Windows 98 and tell it you want to setup a dual boot..

If this isn't what you wanted to do just post back and let us know what you're intending to do here.

Thanks!

[Micro Bean]

That is strange that it installs on all 3 partitions it should only install on one. Make sure you click the first top partition click that and Winxp will format that partition and install Winxp only on that partition so once its installed you can format the remainder two later. And also make sure you format using NTFS

[VHockey86]

You can just setup the partitions using the win xp setup utility, w/o formatting or installing, then you can format the raw partitions from windows.

[Scott Tiger]

It can't install on all three drives at once. Windows just doesn't work that way. You can only specify one drive and then configure the others later in Device Manager. If there's another way to did it I sure either don't know about it or it's just gotten too late for me to think coherently.

ST

[BabyGirl2013]

Ok Guys,

This is what I WANT to happen...

I want my 60 GIG drive to be in 3 20 GIG partitions, with only the mail drive (C to have WinXP on it. I do not want any other operating system ion it. Mainly I want it to be able to manage files and folders better, as this is how my old system is set up and I really find it beneficial to my needs.

Also, I cannot find the manager listed in the second or third post. Where would I find it?

I swear I am not stupid, just new to this XP stuff Please be patient with me

And I dunno how the heck it happened that WinXP loaded on all 3 drives but it was very frustrating! LOL

Thanks so much!!!

[VHockey86]

OK well start fresh. Boot to the windows XP CD and delete all your partitions. Now recreate your new partitions, 3 20 gigs ones. You simply want to create them such that it says "RAW" for the partition type, do not format all of them. Then while at the partitions list, make sure the first partition is selected and I believe you press enter to install, select format using the NTFS file system. It will copy some files, then you remove the CD when it reboots and it will go into setup (will prompt you to put the CD back in). Once XP is installed if you goto my computer you should see 3 drives, C:, D:, and E:. D and E are just raw partitions so they will not show up as being formatted. In order to make these usable right click on them and goto Format, then select NTFS, this process will take a decent amount of time.

Just b/c it shows the drives in windows does not mean it installed windows on all of them, if this is what confused you b4

Once you've loaded XP on the 20G partition you tell it to make, then right click on My Computer icon on the desktop, and select Manage from the list. The select Disk Management. You can then make other partition in your remaining space.

Hope this helps

Cheers
Mick

BTW - we don't think you are stupid. We try to be patient with everyone as we can remember what not knowing things is like.

edit: I can think of a way it could load winXP on more than one partition. If you leave the winXP CD in the drive when it reboots, it just might load fresh onto each partition.

[BabyGirl2013]

Ok guys, you are SO helpful! No wonder I come to you when I have a problem That and you have saved my butt before! Hehehe

Thanks for being patient with me!!!!!!

Oh, and how it installed to the three drives, I DID leave the cd in after I had WinXP on the main drive and after it formatted them, it did the same thing, installed it on the next drive, then ran it, etc. So yeah, I am a DORK! LOL

Ok, I am going to try this again tonight and HOPEFULLY it will work this time!

hehehe

Thanks again!!!