my partition doesnt seem big enough

[whatthefunk]

hi,

 

I'm running windows xp home and recently had to re format my hard drive due to what i can only presume was a virus.

 

i followed the normal route went into bios changed hardisc to cd boot and ran the disc

 

when i was prompted to select which drive i wanted to install on i had two options/partitions. one was smaller so i presumed this was already a seperate partition for system files so i selected it.

 

i was notified that the disk space was full and that i should delete it then procede, this i did and sucsessfully got my pc running again.

 

now i keep getting warnings that my i drive is nearly full i cleaned up the files and that leaves me around 200mb. im a little worried as i havent really installed any of the software i use on my pc yet

 

i have a 200gb hard drive, i only normally have the option of a c drive, can anyone explain if i need to make the partition bigger or something.

[Seth]

Hi WTF.

 

Most computers will have a very small partition on the hard drive for a System Recovery or other manufacturer software. Unfortunately, you should not have installed on that partition.

 

Your best option option at this point, is to install XP again. This time though, delete all partitions and create one new one. Or, if you're using Recovery CD's, go into the advanced options and proceed with a "destructive" recovery.

[whatthefunk]

oh no!

 

i got up this morning and had to re format again, something to do with a missing file.

 

i am using a recovery disc, what advanced options?

 

do you mean in the bios or on the recovery disc?

 

if you mean on the recovery disc, i dont remember it offering any advanced options when i ran the disc.

 

should i just delete all partitions and run windows xp, will that not be a destructive recovery or would that just be plain destructive?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Have a look at this screenshot here;

 

Edit: Link under repair

 

Ignore Disk 0

 

Do you notice that the 4GB partition on Disk 1 is labeled Recovery

That is the partition you installed XP to originally.

Do you have the Recovery CD?

[whatthefunk]

yes

[Guest Wolfeymole]

I haven't dealt with a recovery cd scenario before as I think it's a wrong decision by manufactures to supply these, however what options do you have in the Advanced section on the recovery disk?

[whatthefunk]

i've ran this recovery disc twice now and dont recall having any advanced options.

 

it offers a repair option, this does not work. Or alternitivly a full install of xp.

 

this then leads me to a screen where there are partitions, i have to select which partition to install on and what type of install to procede with, there are fast install and normal instal options.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Do you have the partition C to install to?

Choose the "Normal" install.

[whatthefunk]

right, this morning i have reinstalled due to a missing file, i have restarted my pc twice now and it has been fine, i havent yet switched completly off and on which is what i did last night.

 

i have two drives now a partition 1 C drive, this has loads of space 140gb.

 

then i have a D drive, the local disc.

 

the D drive is the partition i installed on, can i delete the windows files that are left on the C drive?

 

can i still install and run software from the C drive?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Can you post a screen shot like I showed you earlier WTF then I can see just what's happening.

[whatthefunk]

i can if you direct me to that exact screen.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

The link in post 4

[whatthefunk]

i mean to the screen that is in the photo, i:e where do i open that screen up, is it in my programmes from the start panel or from the control panel.

 

thats a page i'm not familiar with.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Right click My Computer and choose Manage.

Then choose Disk Management.

[whatthefunk]

how do i post the picture?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Get Photobucket WTF.

Read this.

 

Photobucket Tutorials

[whatthefunk]

here you go, took a while but i now have one screen shot, i hope this helps, i am running dangerously close to my broadband cut off point.

 

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/whatthefunkeddie/devicemanagment.jpg

[whatthefunk]

partition c says its healthy there but when i go into its properties from my computer it says that this device is not working properly.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Do you mean in Device Manager?

What reason does it give for not working properly?

 

Can you not access the net other than via your mobile phone WTF?

[whatthefunk]

it gives no reason, no thats my only internet connection.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

There should be no reason why it should not be working ok, reboot and let the system run for a bit and get back to us if there continues to be problems.

[whatthefunk]

thanks, just one final question, should i need to re-install windows, what do you recomend i do as regards to choosing which partition to use, should i delete all exept the C and install on C?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

If a person has a full on XP install disk then they should do a complete format and allow windows to install.

Windows will auto create the main active boot partition, C drive.

This partition can be set to a given size and will contain the Operating System files and programs that you install.

The rest of the drive can then be partitioned into individual partitions for say programs that have been installed ie .exe files, pictures, documents etc.

 

This is how I have mine set up.

 

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z144/Wolfeymoles-Pics/FPCH%20files/cp.png