Lesson 4
Objective
Define how and when disk partitioning should be used with Windows 2000.
Define how and when disk partitioning should be used with Windows 2000.
Disk partitioning is a way of dividing your physical disk so that each section functions as a separate unit.
When you create partitions on a disk, you divide the disk into one or more areas that can be formatted for use by a file system,
such as File Allocated Table (FAT) or the NTFS file system.
Disk partitioning is a way of dividing your physical disk so that each section functions as a separate unit.
When you create partitions on a disk, you divide the disk into one or more areas that can be formatted for use by a file system,
such as File Allocated Table (FAT) or the NTFS file system.
Windows 2000 provides two built-in methods for partitioning disks:
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Windows 2000 Setup: The Setup program will give you the option of creating a new partition.
Use this method only when creating and sizing the partition on which you will install Windows 2000.
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Windows Disk Management Utility: Once you've installed Windows 2000, use the Disk Management Utility to partition the
remaining space on your hard disk.
Click the Learning Bridge for a refresher on how to create a partition using the Disk Management Create Partition Wizard.
During system setup, you'll be presented with different partition options, depending on what the Setup program detects
about the system on which you are installing Windows.
In some cases, you will be installing onto a brand new system with no existing partitions, or a system that has had all data removed.
However, in many cases you'll be installing onto a system that has already been in use, and you'll need to make configuration choices based on those partitions.
In some cases, you will be installing onto a brand new system with no existing partitions, or a system that has had all data removed.
However, in many cases you'll be installing onto a system that has already been in use, and you'll need to make configuration choices based on those partitions.
Disk partitioning options are only available during setup if you are installing from a CD.
If a partition already exists
If a partition already exists, proceed according to the bullet point below that matches your situation:
Deleting existing partition
- If there's enough unpartitioned disk space to hold Windows 2000, you can install a second partition.
- If the existing partition is large enough to hold Windows 2000, you can install Windows on that partition (without creating a new one). Be aware that if you install an operating system on an existing partition, the new operating system will overwrite the old one.
- If there is not enough unpartitioned disk space to hold Windows 2000, nor enough space within the existing partition, you can delete the existing partition, then create a new one.
Deleting an existing partition will render any data on that partition unavailable.
If there is no existing partition
If there is no existing partition, you can create and size a new one for Windows 2000.
The following SlideShow illustrates some of the installation partition scenarios you might encounter using Setup to install Windows 2000.
The following SlideShow illustrates some of the installation partition scenarios you might encounter using Setup to install Windows 2000.
In the next lesson you will learn how to select a file system.
