formating hard disk using Recovery, thx in advance

[wassimovo]

Hi, I have hp pavilion g6. I divided Hard disk two 2, one containing windows and other my files. There is also one containing RECOVERY. The question is how to format my primary hard disk ( the one containing windows) without touching the other disk containing my files and this by using the recovery partition.

 

Deep thanks for help

[KenB]

Hi and welcome to ExTS

 

If you use the Recovery Partition it will revert your system to exactly what you had when you first bought the machine.

I am fairly sure that if your hard drive originally had just the C:\ partition and the Recovery Partition then this is what you will end up with.

In other words - you will lose the second partition and the data on it. ( If this was created by you and not part of the original set-up )

 

If you are going to use the Recovery Partition then I would backup all of your data from the second partition to an external hard drive or DVDs )

[wassimovo]

thx for your reply, can i extract all drives and format only the primary harddisk....or Backup all files and then use RECOVERY and then divide the 2 harddisk after that. What do u recommend

[KenB]

can i extract all drives and format only the primary harddisk

If I understand your first post - you only have one hard drive.

I am assuming that this is partitioned into 2 partitions ( C:\ and E:\ say )

C:\ will be the primary partition with Windows on it.

E:\ will be a section on the hard drive that you have created to store data.

 

I am not sure what you mean by "extract all drives".

 

It is possible to format C:\ for example - but if you only have recovery disks this is of no use to you.

 

What do u recommend

As explained - if you use manufacturer's recovery disks they will return the hard drive to the state it was in when the system was originally sold.

 

I would save the data you don't want to lose to an external hard drive or DVD.

 

Use the recovery disks.

 

Check in disk management if you have lost the extra partition.

 

If you have - re-create the partition and save the data back to it.

[wassimovo]

Thx for your reply again

 

What I mean is that when I bought the laptop, there was just a single Hard disk plus the recovery partition on its own. I divided the hard disk into two partitions C and E (and F contains RECOVERY); C contains the windows.

 

My question is what is better solution:

 

1- save all my data on external hard disk and use the Recovery, after that divide the hard disk again into two partitions

 

OR

 

2- only format the primary hard disk which contains the windows. But I need the drivers so I use a software to extract all drives on the laptop to use them in the formatting because no driver CD came with the laptop.

 

Thanks for help

[KenB]

when I bought the laptop, there was just a single Hard disk plus the recovery partition on its own. I divided the hard disk into two partitions C and E

 

I had assumed this in my previous replies.

 

only format the primary hard disk which contains the windows.

If you only have recovery disks you will not be able to do this. ( I said this earlier )

Recovery disks will revert the drive to how it was when you first got the machine.

That is C: partition and the recovery partition.

Partition E: will be deleted and absorbed into C:

 

If, however you have a full installation disk you can do what you suggest in option 2. ( format C: and re-install XP )

 

I repeat again - if you use the recovery disks you will lose partition E: and end up with one big partition for C: ( if this is how it was when you created the recovery disks )

 

My question is what is better solution:

With recovery disks there is only one solution ....

I would save the data you don't want to lose to an external hard drive or DVD.

 

Use the recovery disks.

 

Check in disk management if you have lost the extra partition.

 

If you have - re-create the partition and save the data back to it.

 

================

 

You have never said why you need to re-install XP ??

 

================

[wassimovo]

thx for your reply

 

I want to format the pc because it is slow and contains a virus. I dont have the installation disk but I can buy a pirated windows and use a software to extract the drives so to install them later after the format.

[KenB]

but I can buy a pirated windows

If you did - our help would stop here.

 

If you think you have a virus we can help with that.

Re-installing should be a last resort.

 

See here if you want one of our experts to look at your system.

click here

 

Do what you can.

We would need to see the MBAM log / OTL log / Extras log

 

You would need to use 2 or 3 posts to provide this information.