Partition?

  • Thread starter Thread starter A. M. Brineman
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A. M. Brineman

XP Pro SP2

"Two user" computer.

Does that mean the "C:" drive is partitioned?

Thanks....
 
A. M. Brineman said:
XP Pro SP2

"Two user" computer.

Does that mean the "C:" drive is partitioned?

Thanks....
Click to expand...
It means that there are two user accounts set up on the computer I would
say.
 
A. M. Brineman said:
XP Pro SP2

"Two user" computer.

Does that mean the "C:" drive is partitioned?

Thanks....
Click to expand...


The hard disk may be partitioned but nor necessarily because there are two
users. Have a look at Windows Explorer. Do you see two hard drives? If so
there are either two physical hard drives or one physical drive which has
two partioned. If, as I suspect there is only one hard drive Windows may be
configured to have two user accounts. You can check this by looking at
Documents and Settings where you may see two name with which you are
familiar.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
A. M. Brineman said:
XP Pro SP2

"Two user" computer.

Does that mean the "C:" drive is partitioned?
Click to expand...

In windows operating systems, a partition is referred to as a "drive". The
partition where the boot files the PC hunts for when relinquishing the bios
routine is on the C: partition. This is contained on the first physical
hard drive found with a primary and active partition. There are exceptions,
but this is almost always true.

A primary partition is a container that holds the file system and folders
and files. It cannot be further partitioned.

As you can easily see, a physical hard drive must have at least one
partition for windows to exist on it.

Don't forget:
Real world - partition
MS world - drive except at installation time for XP, then they call it a
partition...

Normally, multi-user accounts are all on the same windows partition. Oops,
drive in windows talk.
Dave
 
Lil' Dave

Cart before Horse methinks here<G>.
"In windows operating systems, a partition is referred to as a "drive".
"

A drive may be one or more partitions or volumes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partition_(computing)

No problems with the rest of what you say. Just the first sentence.


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
XP Pro SP2

"Two user" computer.

Does that mean the "C:" drive is partitioned?
Click to expand...



The short answer: no.

The longer answer follows:

First, a word on the terminology: recognize that *every* drive in
every DOS/Windows computer is partitioned. If it isn't partitioned, it
can't be used.

To partition a drive means to create one or more partitions on it, and
without at least *one* partition you can't access the drive at all.

So what you presumably are asking is whether it has *multiple*
partitions--more than one.

Second, when you create a partition or a logical drive, it gets a
drive letter. C: *is* a partition, and you can't have partitions
within it. If you had more than one partition you would have at least
a C: hard drive and a D: hard drive (each a partition on a single
physical hard drive).

So, no, the C: drive isn't partitioned because a C: drive can not be
partitioned. Only a physical drive can be partitioned--either as a
single partition (normally C:) or multiple partitions (normally C:,
D:, etc.).

And finally, regarding your question about a two user computer--how
many users you have says nothing about how many partitions you have.
 
Agreed. Except that most users are unaware of ***virtual*** drives or how
to make them. And a safe bet that the OP fits this. My intent is to end
the apparent and intended distraction by MS of the hardware term hard drive,
and a user's perception within windows of the the term drive defined by MS.
Not to distract further with the term "virtual".

Am also still beating my head against a brick wall regarding the term "hard
drive". Many novice users call the entire PC a hard drive.
Dave
 
Just wait until you get involved with a debate about "virtual memory"
<G>! Two schools of thought there. Almost as bad as to one about the
merits of top and bottom posting.


--
Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
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