I went into “Disk Management” to add a data partition to my new TX, right clicked the “unhidden” part of the disk and did NOT see the option for partitioning the disk that the “Help” section said I would find.  HELP also gave instructions for DOS mode, but after finding they wrong about the Windows method, I’m scared to try it.  I have Partitionmagic, but an older version that doesn’t work with XP.  Any suggestions?

I stopped using P2P after getting some nasties downloaded.  Why doesn’t the XP “Disk management” work?  I also tried using the DOS “diskpart” method but couldn’t get that to work either.  Is PM my only option??  Looking at $70, there has to be another way…..

MS can partition your disk, but it starts with “FDISK”. In other words, you will have to wipe your disk and do a fresh install of Windows. It saves the $70, and it is the best way to clean all that junk out of your registery.

When I go to “Administrative tool”, then “Computer Management”  then “Disk Management”, the “help section says that it CAN partition the disk!  BUT, they say to right click a free space in the drive that you want to partion, then select “partition”.  That option does not appear when I right click the C drive.  It also gives instructions for using DOS, but it didn’t work.

This is because the hard disk is fully allocated to partitions.  The only time you’ll get the option to partition unallocated space is when there actually is unallocated space on the drive.

The VAIO Recovery Partition is marked as type 12 (original designation: Compaq diagnostics) and Windows won’t even recognise it, let alone mount it as a volume.  It is a regular NFTS partition, which can be accessed by changing the partition type to 7 (NTFS).

You change the partition type by booting with a Linux boot disk and then run Fdisk (not the Microsoft version).  Change the partition type to 7.  Be sure you don’t mark this partition as bootable or the system will attempt to boot from the Recovery Partition (same as pressing F10 on startup).

I don’t pretend any particular expertise with Linux, but there are numerous tutorials on running the Linux version of Fdisk on the web.  Suggested search keys “VAIO Recovery” (or “Sony Recovery”) and “partition type”.

Earlier versions of Sony’s Recovery Set creation software had an option to change the partition to viewable after the Recovery Set was created (which, in effect, simply changed the partition type).  This has been removed from more recent versions, in favor of allowing you to reinstall from your Recovery Set, with an advanced option to not create the Recovery Partition.  This option is not available as an advanced option when recovering from the Recovery Partition, for obvious reasons.

It would be well-advised to use an imaging program such as Ghost or TrueImage before doing anything.  If would also be wise to create and verify a Recovery CD/DVD set prior to messing around with your Recovery Partition.

Jef

The TX is a clean slate - just got it.  I’m on an island in the middle of nowhere so I’d have to download the Linux and I’ve never used it.  Sounds like I should bite the bullet and buy a new version of PM…....

Another (safer) approach would be to create the Recovery CD/DVD set.

Then you can start with a clean slate in one of two ways:

. Boot with the Recovery Startup CD and choose the option to restore your computer.  Set up the Advanced options to not create the Recovery Partition.  The restore will proceed, reinstalling Windows and all of the bundled drivers and applications, minus the Recovery Partition.  The downside of this approach is that you’ll then have to uninstall the applications you don’t want and, because of kludgy/lazy programming, will end up with junk cluttering your system registry (program uninstall doesn’t always do a good job cleaning everything up).

. Boot with a Microsoft-branded Windows XP CD and perform a clean install, deleting all of the partitions on the hard disk and then partitioning as you see fit (this is what I have always done).  You will be best advised to download and burn to CD the Sony Shared Library before you start.  After XP is installed, install the Sony Shared Library and then reboot.  Afterward you can insert the first Recovery CD/DVD from Windows and selectively install applications, beginning with the device drivers (several will be missing).  Other nifty things to have are the Power Management and Notebook Setup programs.  Everything else is up to your use of the system and preferences.

If you simply use PM to delete the Recovery Partition, you run the risk of making the computer un-bootable, unless you are careful.  You cannot simply delete the Recovery Partition and then merge the space with the C: partition.  The boot.ini file will originally resemble the following:

[boot loader]
timeout=3
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS=“Microsoft Windows XP Professional” /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

Eliminate the Recovery partition and NTLDR won’t find your Windows installation, because it’ll be looking at boot.ini, which will point it at the second partition on the disk .. which probably won’t be your Windows installation anymore.

.. And there will be many places in the system Registry with the same problem.

You could change the partition type on the Recovery Partition and leave it in place, assigning another drive letter to it and using it for data storage.  This wouldn’t do any harm to your Windows installation.

I do not know if Symantec has addressed changing all of the partition references in boot.ini and the system registry when you change the relative position of the Windows partition (there is an applet built in that will deal with drive letters, remembering my former usage of the program .. but I don’t know if it deals with relative partition position on the disk, which is what NTLDR, boot.ini and other processes use).

Just a suggestion and words of caution from someone who has destroyed more than his share of working Windows setups.

Jef

One additional thought ..

If you are only wanting to create a data partition from the Recovery Partition:

You say your Partition Magic version is not compatible with Windows XP.  That’s all well and good but, if you create a Rescue CD, you can use it in spite of Windows XP.

Boot with the Rescue CD and choose the Recovery Partition (it won’t have a drive letter assigned).  Change the Partition Type flag to NTFS and assign a disk letter.

Do not attempt to alter the size of any of the partitions or do any merging, etc.  You’re simply changing the partition type flag from 12 to 7 and then assigning a drive letter.

Once done, remove your Recovery CD and reboot your system.

Once rebooted, right-click My Computer and select Manage.  Go to Storage | Disk Management.  In the Disk Management window, right click your new Data partition and select the option to Format.  You can choose the option to Quick Format, if it’s offered (it’ll run much faster).

You won’t be permitted to harm your Windows installation using this method and you won’t clog System Restore with recovery data for your now defunct Recovery Partition (if you simply delete these files within Windows Explorer it will be necessary to purge System Restore, as your C: partition may end up with tons of compressed recovery programs, etc.).

When done, uninstall the VAIO Recovery application from Add or Remove Programs, as it will no longer be functional.

Again, it would be wise to have in hand a complete Recovery CD/DVD Set before proceeding.

Jef

Uh, guess I was too excited and forgot to log in….....
  Thanks again!

Happy to scoop out chunks of my brain!  :D

Jef