advanced topic: mysterious partition

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alex Johnson
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A

Alex Johnson

This may be a Dell question closer to a Windows question, but both can
help. I discovered the system management console last night. It
reports a 31MB FAT partition at the head of my hard drive, ahead of the
NTFS system partition that fills my drive. This partition has no name,
no drive letter, 6MB in use, and reports Healthy. However, the GUI
manager will not bring up properties or allow any commands on that
volume. Even the command line utility for partitioning refuses to
assign a drive letter to the volume, saying something to the effect of
"this is not a valid partition or does not exist, try the refresh command".

The machine is a new Dell Dimension 4600. It has never been connected
to another machine or the internet so this is not the result of a hacker
or virus. Can anyone tell me why that partition is there, what it
contains, and how to make it accessible (preferably without expensive
software)? I don't like mysterious, hidden things on my computer.

Alex
 
Alex Johnson said:
This may be a Dell question closer to a Windows question, but both can
help. I discovered the system management console last night. It
reports a 31MB FAT partition at the head of my hard drive, ahead of the
NTFS system partition that fills my drive. This partition has no name,
no drive letter, 6MB in use, and reports Healthy. However, the GUI
manager will not bring up properties or allow any commands on that
volume. Even the command line utility for partitioning refuses to
assign a drive letter to the volume, saying something to the effect of
"this is not a valid partition or does not exist, try the refresh command".

The machine is a new Dell Dimension 4600. It has never been connected
to another machine or the internet so this is not the result of a hacker
or virus. Can anyone tell me why that partition is there, what it
contains, and how to make it accessible (preferably without expensive
software)? I don't like mysterious, hidden things on my computer.
Click to expand...

It is probably a form of recovery partition - you should direct this quest
to Dell technical support.

--
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Mike
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This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

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newsgroups
 
Most likely that partition is set aside for Dell's diagnostic tools.
For further information, visit:

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Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| This may be a Dell question closer to a Windows question, but both can
| help. I discovered the system management console last night. It
| reports a 31MB FAT partition at the head of my hard drive, ahead of the
| NTFS system partition that fills my drive. This partition has no name,
| no drive letter, 6MB in use, and reports Healthy. However, the GUI
| manager will not bring up properties or allow any commands on that
| volume. Even the command line utility for partitioning refuses to
| assign a drive letter to the volume, saying something to the effect of
| "this is not a valid partition or does not exist, try the refresh command".
|
| The machine is a new Dell Dimension 4600. It has never been connected
| to another machine or the internet so this is not the result of a hacker
| or virus. Can anyone tell me why that partition is there, what it
| contains, and how to make it accessible (preferably without expensive
| software)? I don't like mysterious, hidden things on my computer.
|
| Alex
| --
| My words are my own. They represent no other; they belong to no other.
| Don't read anything into them or you may be required to compensate me
| for violation of copyright. (I do not speak for my employer.)
|
 
Alex Johnson said:
This may be a Dell question closer to a Windows question, but both can
help. I discovered the system management console last night. It
reports a 31MB FAT partition at the head of my hard drive, ahead of the
NTFS system partition that fills my drive.
Click to expand...

It's a partition installed by Dell that contains diagnostic utilities. The
utilities are accessed by pressing F12 at the BIOS screen during boot. I
understand it can be removed with third party tools such as partition magic.
The same utilities are available on the Dell "Drivers, Utilities and
Applications" CD that came with the computer.

I have left it alone on my two Dells. Should you have a problem that
requires support they will have you run the Utilities, if the part in
question fails the diagnostic getting it replaced is a slam dunk. If for
some reason you can't find or don't have access to the CD (and have removed
the partition from the HDD ) You'll have a much harder time getting them to
replace a faulty part.

--
D

I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
I was just trying to help.
Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions or
advice herein.
No warranty is expressed or implied.
Your mileage may vary.
See store for details. :)

Remove shoes to E-mail.
 
HillBillyBuddhist said:
It's a partition installed by Dell that contains diagnostic utilities. The
utilities are accessed by pressing F12 at the BIOS screen during boot. I
understand it can be removed with third party tools such as partition magic.
The same utilities are available on the Dell "Drivers, Utilities and
Applications" CD that came with the computer.

I have left it alone on my two Dells. Should you have a problem that
requires support they will have you run the Utilities, if the part in
question fails the diagnostic getting it replaced is a slam dunk. If for
some reason you can't find or don't have access to the CD (and have removed
the partition from the HDD ) You'll have a much harder time getting them to
replace a faulty part.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the answer. I have not destroyed it. I was only
suspicious that they put something on the MBR in an illegal way so
Windows could not identify or activate the partition. Don't want clean
machines coming out of the factory with hidden partitions and trojans
they aren't aware of.

Alex
 
It also contains files needed for automatic activation if
you have to reinstall Windows or other software. It isn't
much space, just leave it alone.


| HillBillyBuddhist wrote:
| > | >
| >>This may be a Dell question closer to a Windows
question, but both can
| >>help. I discovered the system management console last
night. It
| >>reports a 31MB FAT partition at the head of my hard
drive, ahead of the
| >>NTFS system partition that fills my drive.
| >
| >
| > It's a partition installed by Dell that contains
diagnostic utilities. The
| > utilities are accessed by pressing F12 at the BIOS
screen during boot. I
| > understand it can be removed with third party tools such
as partition magic.
| > The same utilities are available on the Dell "Drivers,
Utilities and
| > Applications" CD that came with the computer.
| >
| > I have left it alone on my two Dells. Should you have a
problem that
| > requires support they will have you run the Utilities,
if the part in
| > question fails the diagnostic getting it replaced is a
slam dunk. If for
| > some reason you can't find or don't have access to the
CD (and have removed
| > the partition from the HDD ) You'll have a much harder
time getting them to
| > replace a faulty part.
| >
|
| Thank you for the answer. I have not destroyed it. I was
only
| suspicious that they put something on the MBR in an
illegal way so
| Windows could not identify or activate the partition.
Don't want clean
| machines coming out of the factory with hidden partitions
and trojans
| they aren't aware of.
|
| Alex
| --
| My words are my own. They represent no other; they belong
to no other.
| Don't read anything into them or you may be required to
compensate me
| for violation of copyright. (I do not speak for my
employer.)
|
 
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