how 2 partition & instal xp on new hdd i have brought.xp is already on existing hdd??

[tango_cash]

hi friends i have brought a new 320gb hdd.i already have a 250gb hdd.
i want to install os on the new 320gb hdd as it has 16mb buffer and perpendicular recording.
so please tell me how to install xp on it because i already have xp installed on the 250gb hdd.

also what is the difference between primary and extended partition???

i have made 4 partitions in the new hdd, 30gb 100gb 100gb and 68gb.
but the problem is that-
pls see these two screenshots of my computer and disk management



1 the 30gb "K" partition shows 29.9gb free space but there is no data on it.same goes for the 100gb "N" partition which shows 99.9gb free.where is the .1gb space gone???

2. why is no space lost on the M drive which is of 99.9gb and shows 99.9gb free and the O drive which has 68gb and 68gb free space??

2. i want to make the partitions of exactly 30gb 100gb and 100gb???
how do i do that??


3. how do i install xp on the new hdd??? should i remove the old hdd and let only the hdd be connected and then install xp on it???

4. my work is on softwares like photoshop maya 3ds max etc.so what size of partitions should i make which would help in
increasing the performance of these softwares???

what else do u suggest.

[debsuvra]

You have asked a lot of questions here, I am trying to answer them one by one :-

1. The Difference between Primary and Secondary Partition
Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning

2. The 0.1 GB Space
I think that space was reserved for the partition table and OS information.

3. The L AND O Drive Question
There are no L Drive and actually in the O Drive there is 68.01 GB free of 68.08 GB. Check in http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/2783/123ch0.jpg for yourself.

4. Question about installing XP in the new HDD
If you want to retain the previous installation in the first HDD and want a fresh installation in the new HDD, then reboot and boot up from the Windows CD and just select any drive in the new HDD to continue installing a fresh copy in the new HDD.
Else, format the two drives and install in any HDD you want.

[tango_cash]

thanks for the reply.

Originally Posted by debsuvra

You have asked a lot of questions here, I am trying to answer them one by one :-

1. The Difference between Primary and Secondary Partition
Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning

well thanks for this.i think the crux of it is that i have to make one primary partition on which i will install the xp and i will make the rest a extended partition and then make logical drives out of it.

Originally Posted by debsuvra

2. The 0.1 GB Space
I think that space was reserved for the partition table and OS information.

but why only the k and n partition,why didn't it happened on m and o partition???see the image of my computer.

Originally Posted by debsuvra

3. The L AND O Drive Question
There are no L Drive and actually in the O Drive there is 68.01 GB free of 68.08 GB. Check in http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/2783/123ch0.jpg for yourself.

i mistakingly wrote l instead of m.i have edited it.see the my computer image.

Originally Posted by debsuvra

4. Question about installing XP in the new HDD
If you want to retain the previous installation in the first HDD and want a fresh installation in the new HDD, then reboot and boot up from the Windows CD and just select any drive in the new HDD to continue installing a fresh copy in the new HDD.
Else, format the two drives and install in any HDD you want.

so i don't need to disconnect the first hdd.i think i will have to select the new hdd in bios in the boot device priority thing.
hey will it matter if i disconnect the older hdd first and then install xp in the new hdd and then make it primary booting hdd in the bios and then when everything is done then connect my older hdd.i just want to be on the safer side.my only worry is that when i connect my older hdd then will the system get confused which xp to boot.the older one or the new one..


and u didn't answer how can i make partitions of exactly 30gb 100gb 100gb the remaining can be in the last partition.

[ravi_9793]

go to BIOS ..and select the hard disk which U want as first bootable device.Now boot using your XP cs..and follow the installtion.

[debsuvra]

Originally Posted by tango_cash

but why only the k and n partition,why didn't it happened on m and o partition???see the image of my computer.

Well I have answered it there in my previous post. I am making it more clear here. Look, every drive needs some space for storing the information regarding the partition table and file system information. So that's why, every drive is appears say 99% or 98% full after formatting with a specific file system. If you just left the space empty and unformatted with any file system, then you can see the whole space as 100%.

BTW Win XP show the HDD space with only one digit after decimal. So, for example, your O drive has 68.01 GB which is shown as 68.0 or 68 GB. Thus your getting apparently a full HDD space in My Computer window. But if you check this in your Disk Management Window, everything will be clear to you.


so i don't need to disconnect the first hdd.i think i will have to select the new hdd in bios in the boot device priority thing.
hey will it matter if i disconnect the older hdd first and then install xp in the new hdd and then make it primary booting hdd in the bios and then when everything is done then connect my older hdd.i just want to be on the safer side.my only worry is that when i connect my older hdd then will the system get confused which xp to boot.the older one or the new one..

Originally Posted by tango_cash

and u didn't answer how can i make partitions of exactly 30gb 100gb 100gb the remaining can be in the last partition.

You can use the free GParted tool for this purpose, it is a great tool for creating and modifying partitions in HDD. Got to http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php and get the live CD ISO. Burn that in a CD (preferably in a CD-RW) and reboot from the disk. From the menu there, you can add exactly 30/100 or whatever GB you want. It will ask you to put the MB size for the disk and put your chosen GB size*1024=size in MB there.

[tango_cash]

arey meine iska solution nikal liya
see
and

i just made partition of little more than 100gb i.e 100.1gb=102502mb that way xp can take some space it always needs to take and still in the my computer it shows 100 gb as total disk space and 100gb as free space.

[debsuvra]

Originally Posted by tango_cash

arey meine iska solution nikal liya
see
and

i just made partition of little more than 100gb i.e 100.1gb=102502mb that way xp can take some space it always needs to take and still in the my computer it shows 100 gb as total disk space and 100gb as free space.

Then problems solved. Are there anything more to solve for you ?

[tango_cash]

Originally Posted by debsuvra

Are there anything more to solve for you ?

yes there is -
look at my older drives partitions C E and G partition they are of 20gb 80gb and 10gb respectively and they show exactly the same size in disk management and my computer both.
why is that????