FDISK DOS Partition Utility Tutorial
89Using Fdisk utility to partition a hard drive.
Fdisk is a DOS utility for partitioning hard drives. I always make the suggestion to my students to partition their personal computer hard drives. Partitioning a hard drive creates additional logical drives that the computer can use for storing files, data, and backups outside the primary operating system drive. Windows in time, will begin to slow, become unstable, get a virus, have a blue screen, or stop functioning for many different reasons. Windows is also the target for worms and viruses. Once a worm gets attached to your Windows operating system and steals all your personal information from your hard drive it begins to look for other computers to infect. It's hard to completely clean a computer from all infections because downloaders that get installed to your computer do not always appear to the anti-virus program as a concern. After you get a computer cleaned from all viruses and reconnect to the Internet the downloaders simply reconnect and download all the viruses again. The best solution then is to reformat your hard drive and reinstall your operating system. My suggestion for creating a partition will provide a place for storing important files, data, and backups outside the target drive.
WARNING: Using Fdisk will destroy all data on your hard drive. Make sure you have all important data backed up to another device that is not installed on your computer.
Now that you have all important data backed up to another device that is not attached to your computer lets get started with Fdisk and create a partition. Since Fdisk is a DOS utility it will be necessary to boot your computer to DOS. This can be accomplished several different ways. You can boot to DOS using a bootable floppy disk, bootable CD, bootable hard drive DOS partition, or bootable flash drive. On my computers I create both a bootable hard drive DOS partition and a bootable flash drive for maintenance. (Note: I have a youtube video that will help you create a DOS bootable device.)
Using Fdisk to partition a hard drive.
1. Boot your computer to DOS. After DOS has started type FDISK and press enter to begin.
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2. The first screen will ask if you wish to enable large disk support. You should answer YES otherwise you will be limited to small partitions less than 2 giga bytes.
Enable large disk support screen
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3. The MSDOS or MS Windows 98 (depending on DOS ver) Fixed Disk Setup Program begins.
Fixed Disk Setup Program Screen
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4. Type 4 and press enter to display partition information.
Partition Information Screen
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5. Press esc key to go to FDISK Options and then type 1 and press enter to create DOS partition.
FDISK Options Screen
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6. Type 1 to create primary partition. You need at least one primary partition to start or boot an operating system.
Create Primary Partition Screen
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7. Verify drive integrity begins checking disk.
Verify Drive Integrity Screen
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8. Do you wish to use the maximum available size? Answer no, otherwise you will have a primary C: partition using all the space in the drive.
Maximum Available Size Question Screen
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9. Verify drive integrity begins again.
Verify Drive Integrity Screen
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10. Enter partition size in Mbytes or percent. I would use at least 30,000 Mbytes for your primary partition where your primary operating system will be installed.
Enter Partition Size Screen
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11. Enter 30,000 Mbytes for our demo.
Enter 30,000 Mbytes Screen
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12. Partition status showing 46% drive usage (press esc key to continue).
Partition Status Screen
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13. WARNING! No partitions are set active.
WARNING! No Partitions Set Active Screen
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14. Set Active Partition (type 2 and press enter).
Set Active Partition Screen
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15. Set Active Partition (type 1 and press enter - status for C: changes to A). Press esc key to continue.
Set Active Partition Status C: Active Screen
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16. FDISK Options (select 1 for creating an extended partition).
FDISK Options Screen
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17. Create DOS partition or logical drive screen (select 2 for creating an extended partition).
Create Logical Drive Screen
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18. Verify drive integrity begins.
Verify Drive Integrity Screen
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19. Enter partition size in Mbytes or percent (you can use the remaining space or leave some space for future needs, such as, Linux.)
Enter Logical Partition Size Screen
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20. Enter 20000 Mbytes or 50%.
Enter 20,000 Mbytes Logical Drive Screen
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21. Partition status shows primary 46% and extended 31% usage.
Partition Status Screen
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22. No logical drives defined and verify integrity begins.
No Logical Drives Defined Screen
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23. Enter logical drive size in Mbytes or percent.
Enter Logical Drive Size Screen
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24. Enter 10000 or 50% for the first logical.
Enter 10,000 Mbytes Logical Drive Screen
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25. Verify drive integrity begins.
Verify Drive Integrity Screen
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26. Enter logical drive size (use maximum or 10001 Mbytes).
Enter Logical Drive Size Screen
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27. All available space in Extended DOS Partition is assigned.
Extended DOS Partition Space Screen
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28. FDISK Options (type 4 and press enter).
FDISK Options Screen
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29. Display Partition Information.
Display Partition Information Screen
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30. Display Logical DOS drive information.
Display Logical Drive Screen
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31. FDISK Options screen. Delete all partitions and begin again at step 1 (type 3 and press enter to delete partition or logical drive).
FDISK Options Screen
If you got this far checkout my youtube videos on FDISK & DOS
GParted - Great Open Source Hard Drive Partition Utility GParted is a great open source partitioning utility that is fast and easy to use. You can even run GParted from a Linux Live CD.
FDISK DOS Partition Utility Tutorial Fdisk is a Microsoft DOS utility for partitioning hard drives. You should have a partition for important data and operating system backup images. Backup images will allow you to restore your system quickly.
FIXMBR Windows XP Fdisk /MBR Tool The FIXMBR recovery console command for Windows XP performs the same function that Fdisk /MBR dose in DOS.
Partimage - Norton Ghost Clone Open Source Utility For Imaging and Backups Partimage is a fast open source (free Norton Ghost clone) utility that I have used in my PC lab to maintain 30+
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Comments
Hello, I use Ghost to backup my operating system. It provides a fresh image in case I need to re-image, which does happen from time to time. If your computer did not come with a Windows install CD you probably have an i386 folder on your hard drive that contains the Windows install files. I would copy those files to a CD or device not attached to your computer. There is a winnt32 file in this i386 folder that can be used to start a new installation of Windows. Your keycode should be on a label attached to your computer.
Hope this helps and thanks for the comment. Greg
You are awesome. Thanks for getting back to me so fast. Is the winnt32file in a separate folder? I am copying the i386 right now.
Okay, I have one more question. When I was copying the i386 file, it copied everything on my computer like shared folders and music and stuff.
Is the file you are talking about, the winn32 file the only one I really need to copy?
Hello, The winnt32 is in the i386 folder and is the Windows install file for installing Windows from Windows (installing Windows while Windows is already running). There is also a winnt file that can be used for installing Windows from DOS. I have a youtube video that refers to installing Windows from a DOS bootable flash drive. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at9EdP8qv08)
I will also try and do a hub on this topic.
Hope this helps. Greg
That would be awesome. Thanks again.
The link to the video says the url contains a malformed video ID.
Hello, Not sure why the link to the video is not working for you. I just tested it and it seems to be working.
The link to my youtube channel (which should work) is:
http://www.youtube.com/frenchge
Hope this helps. Greg
The problem with FDISK as opposed to other partition editors/creators, is that it can only do Windows partitions.
Hi Portamenteff, You make a very good point. Thanks for the comment. Greg
sandra rinck says:
4 months ago
Wow, that is veeeerrrryyyy interesting. I am too afraid to do anything is DOS. I messed around with dos once in an older computer and I wish I hadn't. :D
I do have a question. How do you make backups? How do you back up your operating system? My computer came with windows xp already installed so I don't have a disk to reinstall it if I need to.
Excellent hub. I suspected as much about virus protection software not finding all the viruses on my computer.