HOW TO: Partition and Format a Hard Disk in Windows XP

SUMMARY

This step-by-step article shows you how to partition and format a hard disk with Windows XP.

Before you can install an operating system, you must first create a primary partition on the first physical hard disk (Disk 0) on your computer, and then format a file system on that partition. This partition is called the System partition. Alternatively, you can create a separate partition for the operating system on any physical hard disk. This is called the Boot partition. The System partition on Disk 0 can also be used as a Boot partition.

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Options for Partitioning and Formatting Your Hard Disk

You can use Windows XP Setup or the FDISK and FORMAT tools to partition and format System and Boot partitions. For additional information about how to use FDISK and FORMAT to partition and format your hard disk, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q255867 How to Use the Fdisk Tool and the Format Tool to Partition or Repartition a Hard Disk

If your computer is already running Windows XP and you want to create partitions other than the System or Boot partitions, you can use the Windows XP Disk Management tools. For additional information about how to use the Windows XP Disk Management tools to partition and format your hard disk, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q309000 HOW TO: Use Disk Management to Configure Basic Disks in Windows XP

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Important Considerations Before You Partition and Format Your Hard Disk

Consider the following questions before you partition and format your hard disk:

• Have you prepared the hard disk by following the manufacturer's instructions? It is important to set the jumpers and cabling according to the role of the hard disk (for example, master or subordinate) and make any required BIOS (or CMOS) changes. Check the documentation that came with your hard disk and motherboard, or contact the manufacturers.
• What type of file system do you want to use? You can use either the FAT or NTFS file systems. For additional information about the differences between the FAT and NTFS file systems, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  Q100108 Overview of FAT, HPFS, and NTFS File Systems
  Q310525 Description of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP
• Does the hard disk already contain data? If so, have you backed up all of your important data? If not, back up your data before you proceed. When you partition and format a hard disk, all data on that partition is permanently deleted. Note that you can view current partition information without deleting your data.
  
  For additional information about how to use the backup utility or the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  Q320820 How to Use the Backup Utility to Back Up Files and Folders in Windows XP Home Edition
  Q309340 HOW TO: Use Backup to Restore Files and Folders on Your Computer in Windows XP
  Q293118 HOW TO: Use Files and Settings Transfer Wizard
  Q306186 HOW TO: Use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard from CD-ROM
  Q306187 HOW TO: Use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard Disk in Windows XP
• Does the hard disk have a drive overlay or a disk management program? If your computer uses drive overlay software for large hard disk support, do not use Windows XP Setup to partition or format the drive until you have checked with the software manufacturer about Windows XP compatibility. If you are not sure whether you have drive overlay software installed, view the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article or contact the software manufacturer before you proceed:
  
  
  Q186057 How to Tell If Drive Overlay Program Is Installed in Windows
• Do you have the floppy disks or the CD-ROMs that you have to have to reinstall your software? Make sure that you have the software so that you can reinstall your programs after you partition and format your drive. If you purchased an upgrade for a program, make sure that you have the full version of the original program. Many upgrades for programs require a compliance check before you can install the upgraded product. If you cannot find the original floppy disks or CD-ROMs, contact the software manufacturer before you proceed.
• Do you have updated device drivers backed up on storage other than the drive that you are about to format and partition? If you have installed an updated device driver for your peripheral devices (for example, modems and printers), make sure that you back up the new driver for the device to a place other than the drive that you are about to format and partition, so that you can reinstall it after you install your operating system.
• Can you start your computer from the CD-ROM drive? If not, obtain the Windows XP Setup boot disks. For additional information about how to obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  Q310994 Obtaining Windows XP Setup Boot Disks
  
  

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How to Partition and Format Your Hard Disk by Using Windows XP Setup

IMPORTANT: If you follow these steps on a hard disk that is not empty, all of the data on that hard disk is permanently deleted.

1. Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive, or insert the first Windows XP Setup boot disk into the floppy disk drive if you are starting from Setup boot disks, and then restart the computer.
   
   NOTE: To start your computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM (or from the Setup boot disk), your computer must be configured to start from the CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive (or the floppy disk drive). In some cases, you may have to modify your computer's BIOS settings to do this. For information about how to configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive (or the floppy disk drive), please see the documentation that is included with your computer, or contact the computer manufacturer.
2. If you are starting the computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM, select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted to do so.
   
   Note: If your hard disk controller requires a third-party original equipment manufacturer (OEM) driver, press F6 to specify the driver. For additional information about how to use F6 to supply a third-party OEM device driver during Setup, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   Q314859 Limited OEM Driver Support Is Available with F6 During Windows XP Setup
   
   
   If you are starting from the Windows XP Setup boot disks, insert each of the additional disks when you are prompted, and then press ENTER to continue after inserting each disk.
3. At the Welcome to Setup page, press ENTER to continue.
4. Press F8 to accept the Windows XP Licensing Agreement.
5. If an existing Windows XP installation is detected, you will be prompted to repair it. Press ESC (do not repair).
6. All existing partitions and unpartitioned space will be listed for each physical hard disk. Use the arrow keys to select the partition or unpartitioned space where you want to create a new partition, and then press D to delete an existing partition or press C to create a new partition using unpartitioned space. If you press D to delete an existing partition, you must then press L (or press ENTER, and then press L if it is the System partition) to confirm that you want to delete the partition. Repeat this process for each of the existing partitions that you want to use for the new partition. When all necessary partitions are deleted, you can then select the resulting unpartitioned space and then press C to create the new partition.
   
   Note: If you want to create a partition where one or more partitions already exist, you must first delete the existing partition or partitions and then create the new partition.
7. Type the size (in megabytes, or MB) that you want to use for the new partition, and then press ENTER, or just press ENTER to create the partition using the maximum size.
8. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 to create additional partitions if you want to.
9. If you want to install Windows XP, use the arrow keys to select the partition you want to install Windows XP on, and then press ENTER. If you do not want to format the partition and install Windows XP, press F3 two times to quit Setup, and then do not continue with the following steps. In this case, you must use another utility to format the partition.
10. Select the format option that you want to use for the partition, and then press ENTER. The options are:
    • Format the partition by using the NTFS file system (Quick)
    • Format the partition by using the FAT file system (Quick)
    • Format the partition by using the NTFS file system
    • Format the partition by using the FAT file system
    • Leave the current file system intact (no changes)
    For additional information about the differences in the format options, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    Q302686 Differences Between a Quick Format and Format During Windows XP Setup
    The option to leave the current file system intact is not available if the selected partition is a new partition. The FAT file system options is not available if the selected partition is less than 32 gigabytes (GB) in size. If the partition is larger than 2 GB in size, Setup uses the FAT32 file system (you must press ENTER to confirm). If the partition is smaller than 2 GB, Setup uses the FAT16 file system.
    
    NOTE: If you deleted and created a new System partition but you are installing Windows XP on another partition, you will be prompted to select a file system for both the System and Boot partitions at this point.
11. After Setup formats the partition, follow the on-screen instructions to continue Setup. After Setup is complete, you can use the Disk Management tools in Windows XP to create or format additional partitions. For additional information about using the Windows XP Disk Management tools to partition and format your hard disk, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    Q309000 HOW TO: Use Disk Management to Configure Basic Disks in Windows XP

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Troubleshooting

For additional information about how to troubleshoot partition problems in Windows XP, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q316505 Windows XP Does Not Recognize All Available Disk Space

Q310359 Cannot View NTFS Logical Drive After Using Fdisk

Q310561 Maximum Partition Size Using the FAT16 File System in Windows XP

Q314097 How to Use Convert.exe to Convert a Partition to the NTFS File System

Q301340 During Setup You Are Unable to Format a Partition with a File Allocation Table Format

Q307844 HOW TO: Change Drive Letter Assignments in Windows XP

Q315224 How to Remove the Linux LILO Boot Manager

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