format os partition for storage?

[AnalogOldguy]

Hello,

This is a very hard question to obtain an exact answer for by Googling, I have tried very hard !!

I would like to use my old hard drive as storage space for Trainz (and also as space for other programs). It is divided into three partitions, with the Windows XP operating system in the C: partition.

I'd like to know if the C: partition can be formatted, and not used any more for an operating system. (Because I will be booting from my new hard drive).

I do have the XP install disk, I know there is a setup menu on there, which is how I created those partitions, but can the XP partition be deleted and recreated as as plain old empty partition? Or else, how can I do it? This is what I do not know! Thanks much. Bob P.

 

[djt]

Hello,

This is a very hard question to obtain an exact answer for by Googling, I have tried very hard !!

I would like to use my old hard drive as storage space for Trainz (and also as space for other programs). It is divided into three partitions, with the Windows XP operating system in the C: partition.

I'd like to know if the C: partition can be formatted, and not used any more for an operating system. (Because I will be booting from my new hard drive).

I do have the XP install disk, I know there is a setup menu on there, which is how I created those partitions, but can the XP partition be deleted and recreated as as plain old empty partition? Or else, how can I do it? This is what I do not know! Thanks much. Bob P.

XP, Vista and Windows 7 all have a formatting utility under “Administrative Tools”, “Computer Management”, “Disk Management” in the control panel.

 

[fran1]

Open the control panel then follow the above.
Find the drive r/click and select format. Use it for what you want.

 

[AnalogOldguy]

Thanks Fran1 and djt, your advice sounds good to me.

But the thing I worry about is, if I hitch up both hard drives right now, I will have two bootable partitions! (one on each drive)

How will the computer choose which hard drive to boot from? .. (in order to do the computer management formatting)?

 

[djt]

Thanks Fran1 and djt, your advice sounds good to me.

But the thing I worry about is, if I hitch up both hard drives right now, I will have two bootable partitions! (one on each drive)

How will the computer choose which hard drive to boot from? .. (in order to do the computer management formatting)?

You should be presented with two XP installs to boot off of in BIOS after connecting the second drive.

To be honest with you I’d start from scratch and connect the second hard drive then boot off of the XP disk and delete both partitions.

I would then hit F3 and close out of the Windows installation and use a program to completely wipe both drives (DBAN).

Then do a fresh Windows install (reformat) on the boot drive of your choice, install Windows updates and drivers for your hardware, including the latest DirectX updates and finally format your storage disk with the Windows formatting utility.

 

[djt]

I forgot to mention that if you are not presented with both XP installs when you boot up, you can choose which drive to boot off of in BIOS under “Boot Device Priority”.

 

[AnalogOldguy]

About the BIOS. This is something I had not thought of. I can probably choose which OS to boot from. (But I still don't like the idea of having two operating systems physically around on one computer)!!

Right now I am using the old hard drive. I was thinking of trying to save the old "World" and "Local" folders from my Trainzes on it, but for what reason? The newer drive is much more up-to-date with my Trainz downloads.

The "wipe out both drives" idea is absolutely too radical for me. I have no backup for the large Trainz folders I now have on the new drive. Impossible to fit them on DVD's anymore. (Though I once split the folders by hand and saved them on multiple DVD's. That was a miserable job. I downloaded a free program that was supposed to be able to do it, but I couldn't figure it out! And my money situation is such that I can't buy an external drive. I am saving for a complete auto exhaust system in the spring time!

Well, thanks for both your helps. I am going to mull this over, Right now, I'm leaning toward using the XP setup disk to try to format the old drive's XP partition..If that can't be done, I'll format the whole old hard drive. Give me a couple of days to work up the nerve!!:udrool:

Bob P.

 

[RRSignal]

Nothing to worry about. All my systems are dual- or multi-boot and have been for years and it's great! The thing about having an OS on each drive is that you can have a relatively clean installation dedicated to one or a few particular tasks. Right now, Trainz is on a drive with it's own XP-64 installation, no crap software or anti-virus mucking up performance and security, with no other programs except for a few video processing programs and Orcad. That's it. Plus, if an OS installation craps out, I have a backup - and, most likely, won't lose any hard drive contents and can make an immediate recovery too. And I can move the drive around from computer to computer if I need to (though Windows' DRM imposes limits for most people). I still use an XP-64 partition as a data drive and when running XP-64, my "main" drive still can serve as a data drive i.e. it doesn't impose any real operating limitations or inconveniences.

Generally you can set a default boot order in your BIOS, and just hit F12 (or similar) at start up to select an override to that.

 

[djt]

About the BIOS. This is something I had not thought of. I can probably choose which OS to boot from. (But I still don't like the idea of having two operating systems physically around on one computer)!!

Bob P.

If you’re just using the second drive for storage then when you get done wiping/reformatting that drive you will no longer have a choice to boot off two XP installs.

With two drives at your disposal the optimal way to run Trainz or any other game is to have the OS on one drive by itself and the other drive for just games only.

The "wipe out both drives" idea is absolutely too radical for me.

I actually just went through this over the last couple of days with one of my i7 setups.

It had a lot of games/sims and content that I was testing over the last few months and I had been testing drivers on the OS drive so it was time to wipe both drives and start fresh. Nothing to it really and you’ve got a nice clean registry to work with again.

In your case if it’s been a while since your last OS install you’ll probably notice an improvement with a fresh OS.

 

[AnalogOldguy]

Well, this is a general response. I have heard what you fellas are saying. And on the one hand, I fully believe that it is safe to boot up with two operating systems (though I have that "scary" feeling like when I first screwed my computer together, or when I first partitoned and formatted a hard drive).

There's always that "what if.... It blows up ...." !! Right now I am picturing myself "missing" the delete key as I'm trying to get to the BIOS, and the two drives and the computer go down in flames!

It is remotely possible that I'll wipe the second drive and reformat it. But there is quite a bit of Trainz download material on it, and various game mods and so on I'd have to get off of it!! I'll look into that DBAN program if I decide to wipe...

Like djt, I am using the old drive right now to test some flea market games I've been getting for a dollar each. Like World in Conflict, Blitzkrieg II, and today I bought Silent Hunter three. Testing them for copy protection difficulties. I do believe that Silent Hunter III has put Starforce on my computer. They say that it's a potential nasty one (affecting the DVD burner). I know that there's a legal remover, but you also have to remove the game.

I am enjoying Silent Hunter so much this first day of installing it... So there might be a time lag before I decide what to do with these two drives. I will report back here when I do it. I repeat.. Thanks to all who have helped me! Bob P.

 

[kkopchynski]

Hi,

This will be a little bit of an expense, but you can get USB devices that you plug the extra drive into. Then plug into your computer after booting from the desired drive. You can then act on the boot partition of the old drive as you wish.

But really, your only real hazard is not knowing which XP you have booted to. If you boot to the "new" XP, and you are sure you have, you can then format the "old" one.

Good luck,
Kevin

 

[AnalogOldguy]

Mission has been accomplished !

Hello friends, I now have two hard drives with two Windows XP working on my computer!

I would like to thank djt, Fran1, RRSignal, and kkopchynski !And whoever else I might have forgotten!

What have I learned from this?

1.When two or three experts tell you don't worry, just do it... Just DO it !!!

2.When you do the darned job, don't get nervous and hold down the Delete key like I did... (but it just booted up to the old drive)!!

3.Pay attention to the darned instructions it gives you in the BIOS.. I thought I saw "press the (+) key to move a drive up in the boot up order"... NO! It said "press the (+) key on the keypad to move the drive up in the boot up order" !!

Eventually, I'll see if I can format that XP partition on the second drive. Or maybe format the whole second drive after I've moved everything around to my satisfaction! Thanks all !! Bob P.