Reinstalled Windows on Disk1 need help in Refomatting Disk0

  • Thread starter Thread starter Boblink
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B

Boblink

Hi, I have a Lenovo IdeaCentre K210 Desktop Vista HP system that came with a
500G HD that I Partitioned to “C†(Windows), “D†(Data files) and “Eâ€
(Photos) drive.
I recently purchased another 500G HD which was designated as Disk1 (the
original HD was Disk0) and installed Vista HP on Disk1 and Partitioned the
2nd HD (Disk1) to “F†(Vista HP), “G†(data files) and “H†(Photos) and
thought that I could format/delete the “Câ€, “D†and “E†Partitions on Disk0
and use that HD for future storage but it appears what I want to do is not
something that I am able to do.
I was able to delete Partitions “D†and “E†and Formatted “C†but not all
of “Câ€, apparently there are some files on “C†(i.e. the original HD that
contained Vista HP before I purchased the 2nd HD), that I am unable to erase
/ delete / format.
As best as I can tell, “C†is 125.5MB with 107.8MB Used and 17.7MB Free and
contains the following folders: $RECYCLE.BIN, BOOT, System Volume Information.

My objective / what I would like to do is, delete or format EVERYTHING on
“C†so that I will have 500G HD, Disk0 that I can use for additional storage.
I also would like to change and/or re-label Disk0 to be Disk1 and Disk1 to
be Disk0, since this is the disk that contains Vista HP and all my programs,
apps, data files, photos,….

I should alos add that the Lenovo system comes with an OEM copy of Windows
so Repair is not an option

Any help / advice / suggestions /… that you can offer would be greatly
appreciated.
Thank you,
Bob
 
You did it wrong to start with, your origonal C is the boot drive, allthough
you have installed Win on your other drive.
No option but to either live with your configeration or start over by
disconnect the origonal C, re install win on the new drive,by deleting all
partitions & formatting, which will become C, play around with C & update
win untill alls well, then reconnect the origonal drive and format it
I suppose you must have had some reason for wanting to use the new drive as
your C, boot drive & use the origonal as a slave
PS It doesnt really make much sense to create partitions to store data, as
if the drive fails so does your data
 
Thanks for your reply DL, I would like to use the extra drive for Backup,
that is another place to store my data files and photos in case the 1st HD
fails. I also will store the Norton Ghost images on this drive with the
assumption that the chances of both HD failing at the same time is remote.

And as far as where I am, I rather not reinstall Windows again since I have
a LOT of software programs and it is a pain in the &^%$ so I would rather
avoid it.

Unfortunately I should have asked for advice before I began but I didn't and
I believe that you are telling me that their is nothing that I can do to
correct this configuration and have to live with a "blank" Disk0 except for
the Windows boot files.

But if I understand you correctly, I might be open to a oroblem if EITHER HD
fails since Vista is installed on Disk1 and the accompanying Windows boot
files are on Disk0 so the drives are not independent but are dependent on
each other (so if one fails, the system will not start up)?

Is this correct, if so I may have to bite the bullet and reinstall Vista and
reformat the drives (per your suggestions).

Thank you,
Bob
P.S.- if I do this, I think I'll wait for W7 to be released so that I will
only have to update one set of drivers
 
The operating system fails, or is infected to the point where it must be
reinstalled, a lot more frequently than a hard drive fails. That is the
reason for keeping your data on another partition - even if it is on the
same drive.

About every 2 weeks I have to go back to a previous image of the operating
system because some program I am testing does things to the O/S that can not
be recovered from. My data has been intact since 1992 doing it this way. Of
course I also back up my data to an external drive for safe keeping, in case
the drive actually does go bad.
 
Hi Richard, I understand the reason for separating data files from the OS and
taht is why I created the Partitions in the first place (the Lenovo systems
was shipped with one humongous 500G "C" Drive.

After encountering some display (video) problems, Lenovo sent me another
500G HD to replace the first one so I reinstalled Vista , created Partitions
and set-up the 2nd HD just as I did the first HD (that I needed to return to
Lenovo).

I was able to "negotiate" keeping the original HD (which I wa suppose to
send back) which left me with 2 identical HDs (set up in the same way) and
since the 2nd HD was more current, I decided to make that the primary HD and
the original HD the "slave".

Anyway, taht is how I got to where I am and I I am looking for a "painless"
way to get to where I want to be (which is the 2nd HD Disk1 is to be Primary,
the 1st HD Disk0 is to be the slave (used for additional storage) but DL is
telling me that I SOL.

Anyway, if someone can come up with another option besides Reinstalling
Vista again, I surely would appreciate it.
Thanks,
Bob
P.S.- I also have an External Drive so the 2nd HD (which at the moment is
Disk0) is really a SECOND level of backup (External first, the additional HD
second)
 
If your OEM copy of vista doesnt allow you to repair a vista installation,
then the only real option is to start from scratch
 
If you have an oem copy that doesn't have any repair facility..........., or
only a recovery disk.........
Using a sys for testing, as you do is a different scenario.
In 15+ years use of win2k, winxp and some Vista on PC's that run 24/7 I've
never experienced an infected sys or corrupt sys file, despite going places
I should'nt, I have however experienced a number of disk and mobo failures.
And no I've never - touch wood - lost any data as I have multiple backups in
seperate places
 
Thanks DL, if this the case and no one comes up with a better option, I'll
wait for my copy of W7 (that I already ordered) to arrive .
Since this will be an upgrade OS, I should be able to access the W7 Repair
menu, if not I'll probably remove Disk0 (the one that I want to reformat)
and install W7 on top of Vista in Disk1 and then place Disk0 back in the
system and reformat it using W7. But I am hoping for someone to come up with
another option so that I don't have to wait another 2 months.
Thanks, Bob
 
If you upgrade to Win7 in your current configeration I would expect it to
remain as it is, ie Win7 will be installed on a drive other than C
 
Hi DL, after "playing around" with the configurations a little more, I now
have a "C" with Vista, a "D" (which is the "old "C" and has the assorted
Windows boot files), "G" (data files), "H" (Photos), "I" (Ghost BackUp
images) and "P" and "Q" (the "additional" HD that are both FREE with
slightly,less than 500G).

So in the current configuration, I would like to Delete or Reformat "D" that
is 125MB in size and re-label Disk0 to Disk1 and Disk1 to Disk0.

Thanks,
Bob
 
Some bad assumptions there.
Your statement "PS It doesnt really make much sense to create partitions
to store data, as if the drive fails so does your data." is flawed.
Click to expand...

No, it's not flawed. It is a reality.
You backup on a seperate partition to store data but not in case the hard
drive fails. (which these days almost never happens)
Click to expand...

Drives still fail at the same rate they always have. Backups should always
be done to a separate physical drive, never to another volume on the same
drive. This is a standard practice used by most business and strongly
encouraged by any technician worth his/her salt.
You make the backup
to save your files from virus's which usually only attack the Patition
in which your OS is installed on. Delete infected partition, install
backup ur back!
Click to expand...

Another flawed assumption, and a really dangerous one. When it comes to
viruses, if they are geared to attack a specific file type - can you say "I
love you"? - then it won't matter what volume they are on. They are only
safe if they are on media that is not attached to the system.

PS: For any that don't understand the "I love you" reference, read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ILOVEYOU

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

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