partitions

[Sue Davies]

Hi there
I have just purchased a new dell computer it has a 140gb hard drive I would
like to partition this but unsure whether I have to reformat the whole drive
then have to reload windows. can anybody help please

Sue

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi there
I have just purchased a new dell computer it has a 140gb hard drive I would
like to partition this but unsure whether I have to reformat the whole drive
then have to reload windows. can anybody help please

Sue

If the drive is courrently one large partition, there is no way to
repartition it using native Windows tools without deleting the existing
partition, and creating and formating new partitions, and then
reinstalling the OS and applications.

There are, fortunately, quite a few 3rdparty products that can help you
repartition the hard drive non-destructively. two such products are
Partition Magic and BootItNG. The latter even has a free, fully
functional 30-day evaluation version available for downloading from
www.bootitng.com.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I have just purchased a new dell computer it has a 140gb hard
drive I
would like to partition this but unsure whether I have to
reformat
the whole drive then have to reload windows. can anybody help
please

First, a word on the terminology. It's already partitioned.
Partitioning is the act of creating *one or more* partitions on a
drive.

So what you presumably want is to have more than one partition.
Windows provides no way to change the partition structure of a
drive non-destructively. You have two choices:

1. Buy a third-party product such as Partition Magic or Boot-It
Next Generation. Boot-It Next Generation is shareware and comes
with a 30-day free trial, so if you only need to use it a single
time, you could download and use it for this without actually
buying it.

2. Reformat and Reinstall Windows, as you suggest. If the
computer is new, and you haven't put anything on the drive yet,
that might be your easiest alternative.

 

[Bill]

In

In


First, a word on the terminology. It's already partitioned.
Partitioning is the act of creating *one or more* partitions on a
drive.

So what you presumably want is to have more than one partition.
Windows provides no way to change the partition structure of a
drive non-destructively. You have two choices:

1. Buy a third-party product such as Partition Magic or Boot-It
Next Generation. Boot-It Next Generation is shareware and comes
with a 30-day free trial, so if you only need to use it a single
time, you could download and use it for this without actually
buying it.

2. Reformat and Reinstall Windows, as you suggest. If the
computer is new, and you haven't put anything on the drive yet,
that might be your easiest alternative.

If I may?

3. Congratulate yourself on purchasing a product that actually ships with a
full version of Windows XP as part of the software bundle.

4. Make sure you have your Dell "Drivers and Utilities" CD(s) handy. You're
gonna need it/them.

5. Have at it. You'll be happy you did. Not only will you get rid of all
the crap Dell preloads, (though you should have the CD's if you wanna put
any of it back) you'll have the disk partitioned the way you want, and have
a truly "clean" OS to start out with. Just remember to hit the Windows
Update site as soon as you re-establish connectivity to the 'net.

Bill

 

[Ken Blake]

In

In

If I may?

Of course. Anyone is always welcome to jump in.

3. Congratulate yourself on purchasing a product that actually
ships
with a full version of Windows XP as part of the software
bundle.

Although I basically agree with what you say below, a small but
important correction here: Dell computers don't ship with a Full
version of Windows, but with an OEM version. Although a complete
generic OEM version contains the same software as the Full
reatail version, it has the following disadvantages as compared
with it:

1. Its license ties it permanently to the first computer it's
installed on. It can never legally be moved to another computer,
sold, or given away.

2. It can only do a clean installation, not an upgrade.

3. Microsoft provides no support for OEM versions. You can't call
them with a problem, but instead have to get any needed support
from your OEM; that support may range anywhere between good and
non-existent. Or you can get support elsewhere, such as in these
newsgroups.

 

[Bill]

In

In

Of course. Anyone is always welcome to jump in.


Although I basically agree with what you say below, a small but
important correction here: Dell computers don't ship with a Full
version of Windows, but with an OEM version. Although a complete
generic OEM version contains the same software as the Full
reatail version, it has the following disadvantages as compared
with it:

1. Its license ties it permanently to the first computer it's
installed on. It can never legally be moved to another computer,
sold, or given away.

Ya know? You're not the first person to tell me that, but I found it to be
untrue. (Except for the "legal" part.)

I own three Dell machines, and one "other" that I built from scratch just to
see if I could do it.

Over the years I've had occasion to format and reinstall Windows on all four
machines. In each case, I just picked a Dell reinsatallation CD at random.
I have three of them. One came with each machine, and I've never had a
problem installing the OS. Drivers are another story. The Dell driver
disks *are* particular to the machine they come with depending on options,
but I digress. All four machines are (or were) connected to the Internet on
my little home network, they all got Windows automatic updates without a
hitch, and I've never been bugged about activation.

Now I suppose it's possible that just by dumb luck, I happened to pick up
the "correct" reinstallation CD for a particular machine each time I
formatted and reinstalled, but I doubt it. And besides? That wouldn't
explain my "other" machine.

The "other" machine originally had Win98-SE installed. The last time it
started acting up (kids, what can ya do?) I decided to mess around and
install XP on it using one of the Dell reinstallation disks. I never
expected it to work, but guess what? It was online for just over four
months, working perfectly, and happily getting it's auto-updates from
Windows Update, etc. Even prompted me to install SP2, and never once did it
ask me to activate. And I imagine it still *would* be online had the little
bugger not decided to practice "bowling" in her room, and thought it would
be OK to use the box as a backstop (It's made of metal, you know?) so the
ball wouldn't, "hurt the wall"..... Like I said, kids.

Granted. It probably was an illegal installation ... But Microsoft didn't
seem to know or care that I had a "Dell-branded" version of XP installed on
a machine that didn't have a single Dell component in it.

Not trying to be a wise-guy, but .... How do you explain *that* one?

2. It can only do a clean installation, not an upgrade.
True.

3. Microsoft provides no support for OEM versions. You can't call
them with a problem, but instead have to get any needed support
from your OEM; that support may range anywhere between good and
non-existent. Or you can get support elsewhere, such as in these
newsgroups.

True

<snip>

Bill

 

[Ken Blake]

In

In Ken Blake <[email protected]> typed:

Ya know? You're not the first person to tell me that, but I
found it
to be untrue. (Except for the "legal" part.)

It *is* true.

There are many people who do things that are illegal (sometimes
greatly so, sometimes more minor) and don't get caught. Some are
bank robbers or murderers, others shoplift nickel and dime items.
Still others only violate Microsoft license agreements.

What you do or not is between you and the legal authorities (if
you get caught), and between you and your conscience (if you
don't).

 

[Bill]

In

In


It *is* true.

There are many people who do things that are illegal (sometimes
greatly so, sometimes more minor) and don't get caught. Some are
bank robbers or murderers, others shoplift nickel and dime items.
Still others only violate Microsoft license agreements.

What you do or not is between you and the legal authorities (if
you get caught), and between you and your conscience (if you
don't).

Either you misunderstood me, or you didn't read my entire post. I wasn't
advocating doing anything illegal. In fact? At the time I did what I did,
I didn't even know it was "wrong". And yeah. If you wanna bust on me for
not reading the EULA, fine. I didn't read it. Don't know many people who
do. And I know ignorance isn't an excuse, etc.

But I know better now, which is why after the kid get's the money together
for a replacement NIC, audio card, and case (the bowling ball thing) the
machine will go back online with 98SE installed.

Geesh! Chill out, dude.

The point was .... Dell *does* ship their machines with fully functional
versions of WindowsXP.

And I can't help what others do, or don't do, with them. All I'm saying is
that in *my* case? Microsoft either had no way of knowing, or didn't care,
that I (briefly) had one installed on a non-Dell-anything machine, and it
worked perfectly for four months.

I note that you've chosen not to answer as to how that could possibly be.

HAND,
Bill

 

[sue Davies]

Hi there
thanks very much for your answers. I hope now if I get in touch with dell
and find out about o/s and wether I destroy my warranty by putting in more
partitions.
Any way it was great that Bill and Ken ironed out quite a few queries
Thanks again sue

 

[Ken Blake]

In

....

Microsoft either had no way of knowing,
or didn't care, that I (briefly) had one installed on a
non-Dell-anything machine, and it worked perfectly for four
months.

I note that you've chosen not to answer as to how that could
possibly
be.

The point I was trying to make is that Microsoft doesn't
necessarily know everything you do; although sometimes you can
get caught if you violate the EULA, most of the time it comes
down to your own conscience. There are many examples of people
violating the EULA, in many different ways, and getting away with
it.

I didn't say it was impossible to move an OEM product to another
machine; I said "Its license ties it permanently to the first
computer it's installed on. It can never legally be moved to
another computer, sold, or given away." That's a statement about
licensing and what's legal. It's not a statement about what it's
possible to get away with doing.

 

[Bill]

In

In


The point I was trying to make is that Microsoft doesn't
necessarily know everything you do; although sometimes you can
get caught if you violate the EULA, most of the time it comes
down to your own conscience. There are many examples of people
violating the EULA, in many different ways, and getting away with
it.

Agreed, and understood.

I didn't say it was impossible to move an OEM product to another
machine; I said "Its license ties it permanently to the first
computer it's installed on. It can never legally be moved to
another computer, sold, or given away." That's a statement about
licensing and what's legal. It's not a statement about what it's
possible to get away with doing.

Yes. And if you look at what you quoted from me above, you'll see I
"covered" that with, "(Except for the legal part)"

You seemed to try and make the leap from me relating a personal experience,
to (nearly) accusing me of advocating piracy. Something I do *NOT* condone,
by the way.

The point was, and still *IS* ..... Dell ships their machines with
fully-functional versions of WindowsXP. The installation CDs are "tied" to
Dell and Microsoft by license only. They will however, install the
*complete* OS on *any* machine you put them in. And that's an undeniable
fact.

Having said that;

*Should* you do it? No. You agreed *not* to in the EULA that hardly
anybody reads.
*Can* you do it? Yes.

Certainly I'm not the first person to have discovered this?

Bill

 

[Ken Blake]

In

You seemed to try and make the leap from me relating a personal
experience, to (nearly) accusing me of advocating piracy.
Something
I do *NOT* condone, by the way.

If my message sounded accusatory, I apologize. It wasn't my
intent. My statement about what one could get away with doing or
not, were meant as generalizations, not to apply to you in
particular.

 

[Larry]

You know Bill, you're really getting to be a pain. If you'll go back and
read Ken's words again, you'll see he said *that you can't do it legally*,
not *that you can't do it*. Pay attention.

 

[Bill]

In

You know Bill, you're really getting to be a pain. If you'll go back
and read Ken's words again, you'll see he said *that you can't do it
legally*, not *that you can't do it*. Pay attention.

Pay attention?

I'd suggest you take your own advice, as Ken doesn't seem to have a problem
replying to me in a civil manner.

Failing that? I'd suggest you ignore me in the future. No sense causing
yourself any more pain.

Bill

 

[Bill]

In

In


If my message sounded accusatory, I apologize. It wasn't my
intent. My statement about what one could get away with doing or
not, were meant as generalizations, not to apply to you in
particular.

Understood.

Bill

 

[Larry]

Ken is very generous.

In

Pay attention?

I'd suggest you take your own advice, as Ken doesn't seem to have a problem
replying to me in a civil manner.

Failing that? I'd suggest you ignore me in the future. No sense causing
yourself any more pain.

Bill

 

[LVTravel]

SNIP...

If I may?

3. Congratulate yourself on purchasing a product that actually ships with a
full version of Windows XP as part of the software bundle.

I just purchased a Dell laptop and it did NOT come with a Windows CD but had
the "reinstall" on a hidden partition. (HORRORS) There is no way provided
to create a CD from the reinstall partition. They are using a Symantec
program as a window into the reinstall partition.

Even Dell now refuses to place a rebuild CD with some of their systems.
Haven't called them yet to request a CD to be able to reinstall Windows but
that is coming within the 30 day "trial" period for the computer otherwise
they will get it back.


SNIP...

 

[Tom]

SNIP...


I just purchased a Dell laptop and it did NOT come with a Windows CD but
had
the "reinstall" on a hidden partition. (HORRORS) There is no way
provided
to create a CD from the reinstall partition. They are using a Symantec
program as a window into the reinstall partition.

Even Dell now refuses to place a rebuild CD with some of their systems.
Haven't called them yet to request a CD to be able to reinstall Windows
but
that is coming within the 30 day "trial" period for the computer otherwise
they will get it back.


SNIP...

And that's why one with any modicum of experience with Laptops and PCs
should inquire to whether they get what they expect before going through the
hassle of a possible return. I know Dell ships desktops with the install
disk, but not certain notebooks.

Your other alternative it going to Best Buy (no way in hell for me), or
HP/Compaq, which NEVER gives install disks on any of their systems. I also
feel in any case, that it is a waste of (paid for) drive space to have a
installation partition ship as part of any deal, but one gets what they pay
for!

 

[Rohit]

Although I basically agree with what you say below, a small but
important correction here: Dell computers don't ship with a Full
version of Windows, but with an OEM version. Although a complete
generic OEM version contains the same software as the Full
reatail version, it has the following disadvantages as compared
with it:

1. Its license ties it permanently to the first computer it's
installed on. It can never legally be moved to another computer,
sold, or given away.

2. It can only do a clean installation, not an upgrade.

3. Microsoft provides no support for OEM versions. You can't call
them with a problem, but instead have to get any needed support
from your OEM; that support may range anywhere between good and
non-existent. Or you can get support elsewhere, such as in these
newsgroups.


--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

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

1. Can we change the components of the PC (motherboard, processor, graphic
card etc. )?

2. Can the OEM be upgraded to future window versions (like ugradation to
longhorn) ?

Regards, Rohit

 

[Ken Blake]

In

1. Can we change the components of the PC (motherboard,
processor, graphic

card etc. )?


You can certainly change many components without its being
considered a new computer. But there's a gray area here. Exactly
what or how much you have to change before it's considered a new
computer has never been officially defined by Microsoft. Some
people claim it's the motherboard, others disagree.


2. Can the OEM be upgraded to future window versions (like
ugradation to
longhorn) ?


I can't predict for sure what rules Microsoft will impose for
upgrades to Longhorn or any other new products. But if the past
is any indication, the answer is definitely yes.