T61 Custom HD partition

Total HD size is 160 GB. (entire C:/ as came from factory). OS is Win XP Pro.

How can I create partitions:

C:/ (30 GB)
(System/Active Partition) for System & Program Files

E:/ (130 GB/Entire balance amt of free space on the HD)
For keeping data files

Am thinking of these options:
1) Should I do this from CP --> Admin Tools --> Computer Management
2) Or use a separate utility, such as FDISK / Partition Magic
(for both of which I have a DOS boot disk, that has been tested on my desktop PC)
3) Does ThinkVantage have an option to create above partitions?

Would appreciate advice on the best option.

Thanks

 

The windows disk management won't allow you to modify the drive windows is installed on.
I have found partition magic to be very good for these kinds of things, and if you dont want to pay for it, many Linux live CDs have partition managers that are very good.

 

"The windows disk management won't allow you to modify the drive windows is installed on."

Vista will and Vista will let you expand or shrink the partition.

 

Considering you're using a FAR SUPERIOR OPERATING SYSTEM called
WINDOWS XP
(vs. *cough* Vista-hhhhhrrgggg *cough cough, die...*)

...if you forget to NOT use all the HD space for the OS partition, leaving nothing for the other partition later, I'd use Partition Magic. It's a wonderful little app that can be run from WITHIN windows, and I think they make a demo.
HOWEVER you can also make the partitions WHEN YOU INSTALL the OS!

Just when it asks you for entering the size of the partition,
1) make it the size you want, leaving the rest BLANK for now.
2) finish installing your OS.
when you're done and got it booted and normal desktop,
3) Hit "Start"
4) Find the "RUN" (usually last on the drop down list)...
5) Type -"

diskmgmt.msc

..." in the window (just that line)
and once it finishes loading you'll see your unused HD space.
Once you mark the unused drive space-partition as active you can make either a new primary partition (won't get blown away if you wipe the "C:\" root drive, so highly recommended) or an extended partition.
YAY!

*grin*

....ahh for the love of *VistAHACK!!! *cough cough cough*

If you screw up something you can DL a demo of Partition Magic 8 and check it out to see if you want to go that route (naw... only for more serious geek stuff; everyone does it the way I outlined above).
*grin*


peace!

 

tangograndma & tumnasgt:

The main question is:
Will these (particularly) Partition Magic (though I was more keen to use FDISK, for compatibility reasons) apps. work on the ThinkPad T61? (considering the ThinkVantage/Restore Software already installed & it's *hidden* partition.)

Also, can the new 2nd partn. be created using any of ThinkVantage's utilities?

 

Far superior operating system?

I don't have to download tons of other vendors utiltities to do routine tasks on my far inferior operating system.

 

Optionally, one may repartition the hard disk with another computer with said hard disk installed in an external enclosure.

 

"Also, can the new 2nd partn. be created using any of ThinkVantage's "utilities?

New partitions can be created on both Vista and XP in disk management.

 

I've tried partition magic. It took 2 hours of running it this way and that way, and at the end it did nothing, so here's my advice:

reformat the HDD and make whatever partitions you would like to use. Then reinstall Windows

 

i've resized mine 100G with partition magic.. worked fine... and it took about 10min.. +- i'm not sure.. but not 2 hours...

 

I did use the GPARTED-LiveCD
http://gparted-livecd.tuxfamily.org/index.php
works well and is free.
You may need to choose the VESA option at the beginning.

There is a USB-Key version too, but I haven't try it yet.

Mr. Ico

 

Does GPARTED-LiveCD work as a boot disk (i.e. boot using this disk to DOS from CD)?

I have WinXPP-will it work with that (or only with Linux)?

 

It boots from CD with a Linux OS with graphical interface, easy to use.
Will work with winXP and vista (NTFS).
Just burn a CD of the LiveCD version and boot from the CD. With mine T61 I had to choose the VESA option at the beginning.

see compatibility list for other file systems
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/features.php

Cheers
Mr. Ico

 

What is the 'VESA option'?

Successfully created a custom secondary partition (NTFS) using Acronis Disk Director.