[SOLVED] Create partition; option not available

Kurt123 · 05-12-2008, 02:48 PM

I'm using Windows XP Pro.

I have a single partition (NTFS) drive set as a slave to my main drive. It's a Seagate with an advertised 137 GB (although the properties says its capacity is only 111 GB). It has 1 folder on it which currently holds about 98 GB of data files (no systems files).

I am trying to use Partition Magic 8.0 to partition the drive into 2 partitions: the 1st partition (2GB, FAT32) will hold my swapfile, and the second partition (all remaining space NTFS) will hold the data folder (and any data files in the future).

In PM the drive looks like this:

The problem is that when I select the drive the "Create partition" option is grayed out. I've turned off System Restore for the drive, and it definitely only has 1 partition.

I did notice that the "Resize/Move partition" option is available. When I chose that it says 0.0 MB for Free Space Before (see screenshot).

I can move it so it Free Space Before changes to "6,957 MB" (see screenshot) ...

... but I'm reluctant to hit OK because I don't even know if this will make the Create partition option become available.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

**eneles** · 05-12-2008, 10:51 PM

Hi

Yes, to create a 2 GB FAT32 partition at the beginning of the drive:
Right click the drive >> Resize/Move partition >> create 2,000.0 MB Free space before.
The "Create partition" option will now be available.
Right click the unallocated 2GB space and create a primary partition.

BTW, how big is the HDD supposed to be?
I'm asking because it's possible your computer has a 137 GB limitation for HDDs.

Kurt123 · 05-15-2008, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eneles

Yes, to create a 2 GB FAT32 partition at the beginning of the drive: Right click the drive >> Resize/Move partition >> create 2,000.0 MB Free space before. The "Create partition" option will now be available. Right click the unallocated 2GB space and create a primary partition.

Excellent. That did it! Worked great.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eneles

BTW, how big is the HDD supposed to be? I'm asking because it's possible your computer has a 137 GB limitation for HDDs.

The manual for the harddrive says it has a "capacity over 137 Gbytes," but I recall it being advertised as 120 GB. Regardless, my computer says the capacity is 111 GB. The drive is a Seagate Ultra ATA/100. I'm using Windows XP Pro, Service Pack 3 on a Sony VAIO PCV-RX550.

**eneles** · 05-15-2008, 10:28 AM

Good news.

To find out what HDD model you have:
Look in Device manager >> Disk drives. The model name/number is something like ST123456.

05-12-2008, 02:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
Kurt123 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 6 OS: XP Home	[SOLVED] Create partition; option not available I'm using Windows XP Pro. I have a single partition (NTFS) drive set as a slave to my main drive. It's a Seagate with an advertised 137 GB (although the properties says its capacity is only 111 GB). It has 1 folder on it which currently holds about 98 GB of data files (no systems files). I am trying to use Partition Magic 8.0 to partition the drive into 2 partitions: the 1st partition (2GB, FAT32) will hold my swapfile, and the second partition (all remaining space NTFS) will hold the data folder (and any data files in the future). In PM the drive looks like this: The problem is that when I select the drive the "Create partition" option is grayed out. I've turned off System Restore for the drive, and it definitely only has 1 partition. I did notice that the "Resize/Move partition" option is available. When I chose that it says 0.0 MB for Free Space Before (see screenshot). I can move it so it Free Space Before changes to "6,957 MB" (see screenshot) ... ... but I'm reluctant to hit OK because I don't even know if this will make the Create partition option become available. Any ideas? Thanks.

05-12-2008, 10:51 PM	#2 (permalink)
eneles Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sweden/Denmark Posts: 20,577 OS: 98SE/XP SP3/Vista SP1/Ubuntu 8.04 My System	Re: "Create partition" option not available Hi Yes, to create a 2 GB FAT32 partition at the beginning of the drive: Right click the drive >> Resize/Move partition >> create 2,000.0 MB Free space before. The "Create partition" option will now be available. Right click the unallocated 2GB space and create a primary partition. BTW, how big is the HDD supposed to be? I'm asking because it's possible your computer has a 137 GB limitation for HDDs. __________________

05-15-2008, 10:28 AM	#4 (permalink)
eneles Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sweden/Denmark Posts: 20,577 OS: 98SE/XP SP3/Vista SP1/Ubuntu 8.04 My System	Re: "Create partition" option not available Good news. To find out what HDD model you have: Look in Device manager >> Disk drives. The model name/number is something like ST123456. __________________