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Thread ID: 73401 2006-10-18 01:30:00 Question on formatting jermsie (6820) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
492313 2006-10-18 01:30:00 I'd like to totally erase a 160GB hard drive of mine, which has already been formatted before so it's 151.9GB at the moment..
My question is, how much space will remain with if i format again?
What kind of data is in that 8gb anyway?
Cheers
jermsie (6820)
492314 2006-10-18 01:36:00 Formatting doesn't consume any of the harddrive..but the way you are counting space has a lot to do with the confusion on HOW the space is measured.

There's a lengthy discussion about how that is done...but suffice it to say that NO..you don't use up any of the electrons or magnetic media by formatting.. ...quite the opposite, you free up all the disk surface for a complete re-write to it like it was new....

Assuming of course that there are no damaged sectors on it.
SurferJoe46 (51)
492315 2006-10-18 07:23:00 With a new hard drive, does it format when you put the XP Home OS disk in & run the CD ?
Does it then run & install itself? PJ
Poppa John (284)
492316 2006-10-18 07:33:00 With a new hard drive, does it format when you put the XP Home OS disk in & run the CD ?
Does it then run & install itself? PJ

If u mean from a clean install, no, it wont install by itself, without help (ie: You still have to enter your name etc, and key for windows to install) .

Other operating systems maybe different . I dont know .

But when u get to the setup screen, it gives u the option to format / partition the hdd/s .
Speedy Gonzales (78)
492317 2006-10-18 07:36:00 Yes, you just follow the menus when booting from the XP CD, like any normal install.

More info here, that is mostly relevant
support.microsoft.com
godfather (25)
492318 2006-10-18 08:22:00 Jermsie . . . . . . apologies for using Your thread, but it is appropriate to my questions as well .

My computer is a bit older than Maryann's m/c . It has XP Home 2002, SP 1 & 2 were added later . Maryann's m/c also has XP home 2002 but a later edition which had SP2 included .
They do look slightly different when running & operating .

Should I wish to, can I use her CD & my serial number . . . ? or does the Serial/Authentication Number only work with its own CD ?

I thimk I will be getting a 160GB drive . Is there any advantage to partitioning, say 80 plus 80? C plus B? When I do a defrag does ony C, for instance do a defrag? Then you need to select B?? PJ
Poppa John (284)
492319 2006-10-18 08:38:00 Should I wish to, can I use her CD & my serial number . . . ? or does the Serial/Authentication Number only work with its own CD ?

If they're both XP Home or Pro (but different cd's and keys) cant see why not .


Is there any advantage to partitioning, say 80 plus 80? C plus B? When I do a defrag does ony C, for instance do a defrag? Then you need to select B?? PJ

1 advantage of partitioning, is if c (the main hdd needs formatting), it wont affect the other partition . Since partitions are like different hdd's .

So, if u have updates etc on F (the partitioned hdd), when u format c (the main hdd / partition), F wont be affected, the files on it will stay intact .

(Which is what I do here . I have 2 hdds . The main one is C, E (C's other partition), D and F (D's other partition) . F is the biggest partition for updates for whatever . So, when I format, I'm only formatting C .

D,E,F arent affected . And after I format C, all I have to do, is install the XP patches, which are on F . Which saves me going to Windowsupdate all the time to get the updates .

Yup and when u defrag, you would have to do it twice . Once on C, then do it again for F .
Speedy Gonzales (78)
492320 2006-10-18 08:44:00 OK, Thanks. Helps me to understand a little more. PJ Poppa John (284)
492321 2006-10-18 14:57:00 Just to help you get this off to a good start, run Belarc Adviser ( . google . com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww . belarc . com%2Ffree_download . ht" target="_blank">www . google . com ml&ei=IkA2RauTM5_qYKmn8YkD&sig=__Hs6RaJm3N1SHWroGz6KvNeSCcbA=&sig2=yTE9sLs0GuWTN6P0Kb9GMg) first to make sure the keys you BELIEVE you have are the ones you REALLY are running!

Run Belarc, print it out and save it in a safe place like your marriage license . :rolleyes:
SurferJoe46 (51)
492322 2006-10-18 19:34:00 My computer is a bit older than Maryann's m/c . It has XP Home 2002, SP 1 & 2 were added later . Maryann's m/c also has XP home 2002 but a later edition which had SP2 included .
They do look slightly different when running & operating .

Should I wish to, can I use her CD & my serial number . . . ? or does the Serial/Authentication Number only work with its own CD ?
They don't always work but mostly do . If your CD doesn't have SP1 or 2 on it and Maryann's CD refuses to let you use your key then you will be up for some massive updating . Better see if Metla will let you have a copy of his SP2 update CD and the latest version of AutoPatcher before you start . ;)



I thimk I will be getting a 160GB drive . Is there any advantage to partitioning, say 80 plus 80? C plus B?

. net . nz/index . php?title=Multiple_partitions_on_a_hard_driv" target="_blank">faqf1 . net . nz e
FoxyMX (5)
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