Transcript Low-level Format

Partitioning a Hard Drive
©Richard Goldman
Revised January 8, 2001
Revised December 9, 2002
1

Unformatted
Hard Drive
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Hard Drive must be
low level formatted
before it is partitioned.



Low Level Format – Tracks
& Sectors are added
Normally done by Hard
Drive Manufacturer.
The SCSI drives usually
have software that will
allow you to Low level
format a drive if
necessary.
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Partitioning
C:
Primary Partition

Create Master Boot Sector



Master Partition Table
Master Boot Code
Located at:
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Cylinder 0
Head 0
Sector 1
Create Primary Partition
Volume Boot Record
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Located at:

First sector in partition
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Partitioning
C:

Extended Partition

Create Extended Partition
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Partitioning
C:

Logical Volumes in
Extended Partition

D:

Create Logical Volumes D:
& E:
Create Volume Boot Records
in each new volume
E:
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High Level
Formatting
C:

Format Primary Partition


Create Root Directory
Create File Allocation Tables
(2 FATs)
D:
E:
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High Level
Formatting
C:
D:

Format First Logical
Volume in Extended
Partition
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E:

Create Root Directory
Create File Allocation
Tables (2 FATs)
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High Level
Formatting
C:
D:

E:
Format Second Logical
Volume in Extended
Partition
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
Create Root Directory
Create File Allocation
Tables (2 FATs)
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C:
Install Windows 9X
Operating System

Install Operating System
on Primary Partition

DOS Kernel

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D:
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
IO.SYS
MSDOS.SYS
Command.COM
Windows 9X
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Use
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FORMAT C: /S
SYS C:
E:
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C:
Install Applications

Install Applications on any
Partition – Example:

Microsoft Office
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D:
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E:
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Word
Excel
Power Point
Quicken
Other Software
Location:

Most applications will select
C: as the default drive but
can be redirected to install
on other drives.
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C:
Store Data


D:
Store data on any
partition
Use partitions to
organize your data
E:
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Types of Partitions

Primary:
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Extended:
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A drive that is bootable (if an operating system is
loaded on it).
A drive that programs can be installed and run on.
A drive that can be used to store data.
A partition that can hold up to 23 (D:-Z:) logical
partitions.
Logical Drives Within an Extended Partition
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
A drive that programs can be installed and run on.
A drive that can be used to store data.
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Using FDISK to Create a
Primary Partition

Run FDISK
(from your Startup Floppy)
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Enter:
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[1] “Create a DOS partition or Logical DOS Drive”
[1] “Create a Primary DOS partition”
The size of partition you want to create
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Using FDISK to Create an
Extended Partition

Run FDISK
(from your Startup Floppy)
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Enter:
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[1] “Create a DOS partition or Logical DOS Drive”
[2] “Create an Extended DOS partition”
The size of partition you want to create
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Using FDISK to Create a Logical
Drive in an Extended Partition
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Run FDISK
(from your Startup Floppy)
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Enter:
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[1] “Create a DOS partition or Logical DOS Drive”
[3] “Create Logical DOS drive(s) in the extended
DOS partition”
The size of partition you want to create
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Partitioning Creates a
Master Boot Sector
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The first sector of a hard drive
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Cylinder 0, head 0, sector 1
Contains the Master Partition Table
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A list describing the partitions (4 max) on the disk
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Contains the Master Boot Code
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Where each partition starts and ends
How big each partition is
The type of file system
If it is bootable
Program that runs the boot program on the active partition
Created with:
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FDISK (DOS & Win 9X)
Disk Manager (NT & Win 2000)
Partition Magic or other third party program
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