Got new Dell Studio 15 - Query Regarding Partition

[varuog]

Hii friends.

Finally I received my Dell Studio 15. The Topo Black Colour is really good. Overall, though I've not used it much, I found it quite good. Especially the keyboard.

Anyways, as I had ordered for a 500GB disc, I got it into two partitions. One of 450Gb and the other (recovery drive) of 50 Gb.
Now, I am not very happy about this.
Firstly because, I believe that partitioning the drive increases performance.
Secondly, if I have a single drive, I might loose all my data if I need to reinstall windows in future.

So, I've thought of dividing the dics into 4 drives. First of 50 GB and the other 3 of 150GB each. I plan to install Windows Vista & Ubuntu in the 1st drive.

What are your opinions? Did I go wrong anywhere? Or are there any better solutions. Please help me.

Thanks in advance.

 

[dissel]

I don't have your answer,

But do you get Win VISTA Full Installation DVD ? (As I ask earlier),

if not,by formatting the recovery partition you will lose the OS.(AFAIK)

 

[infra_red_dude]

Hii friends.

Finally I received my Dell Studio 15. The Topo Black Colour is really good. Overall, though I've not used it much, I found it quite good. Especially the keyboard.

Anyways, as I had ordered for a 500GB disc, I got it into two partitions. One of 450Gb and the other (recovery drive) of 50 Gb.
Now, I am not very happy about this.
Firstly because, I believe that partitioning the drive increases performance.
Secondly, if I have a single drive, I might loose all my data if I need to reinstall windows in future.

So, I've thought of dividing the dics into 4 drives. First of 50 GB and the other 3 of 150GB each. I plan to install Windows Vista & Ubuntu in the 1st drive.

What are your opinions? Did I go wrong anywhere? Or are there any better solutions. Please help me.

Thanks in advance.

Partitioning is a nice idea. I agree on what you said about data loss. I keep my OS and data on separate partitions. You would've mostly gotten a proper windows vista dvd. So just partition it the way you like and install the OS. You can either use vista's partition manager to manage partitions during install or gparted or some other stand alone partition manager.

Also, installing windows and ubuntu (via wubi) on the same partition isn't recommended. Either install it in a dedicated partition or use a virtual machine.

 

[MetalheadGautham]

I say avoid virtual machine unless its an experimental OS. Avoid WuBi unless you are totally new and/or want to install in a PC where you can't edit partitions or resize them due to lack of time or due to file clutter.

Always install Ubuntu in a dedicated EXT4 partition. And SWAP is not compulsary if you have over 1GB of RAM and don't mind not being able to hibernate.

 

[Pragadheesh]

but i dont think u can partition using vista dvd.! Dell would have restricted just one drive(C in your laptop. so when you try doing a fresh installation of vista by partitioning in a smaller volume(say 30gb), the rest 420 gb space disappears(excluding recovery drive).. I was facing a similar problem in my friend's laptop.. But didnt get any solution. Even vista's partition manager didn't work..

Later when i checked dell site to book a laptop for my sis, i found that they charge extra for partitioning your hard disk. so they restrict is from doing so. But anyone who have a solution or who have previously succeeded in partition dell laptop running on vista, post a solution here. even i'm in need of it.

 

[infra_red_dude]

I say avoid virtual machine unless its an experimental OS. Avoid WuBi unless you are totally new and/or want to install in a PC where you can't edit partitions or resize them due to lack of time or due to file clutter.

Always install Ubuntu in a dedicated EXT4 partition. And SWAP is not compulsary if you have over 1GB of RAM and don't mind not being able to hibernate.

Avoid Wubi - Yes
Avoid VM - I fail to get your point.

but i dont think u can partition using vista dvd.! Dell would have restricted just one drive(C in your laptop. so when you try doing a fresh installation of vista by partitioning in a smaller volume(say 30gb), the rest 420 gb space disappears(excluding recovery drive).. I was facing a similar problem in my friend's laptop.. But didnt get any solution. Even vista's partition manager didn't work..

Later when i checked dell site to book a laptop for my sis, i found that they charge extra for partitioning your hard disk. so they restrict is from doing so. But anyone who have a solution or who have previously succeeded in partition dell laptop running on vista, post a solution here. even i'm in need of it.

Just pop in the Vista DVD and partition during install. I don't see a reason why you are not allowed to do so. Don't choose the option to 'partition' and pay extra. Thats BS!

 

[varuog]

Also, installing windows and ubuntu (via wubi) on the same partition isn't recommended. Either install it in a dedicated partition or use a virtual machine.

Can you please tell my why ???

And, I've formatted my lappy and partitioned it using the Vista Boot Disc that I got.
Was able to make only a maximum of three partitions though. Still, it served my purpose.

Now, should I install the Ubuntu in the same drive where Windows is installed or on a different partition ??

 

[Arun the Gr8]

Can you please tell my why ???

And, I've formatted my lappy and partitioned it using the Vista Boot Disc that I got.
Was able to make only a maximum of three partitions though. Still, it served my purpose.

Now, should I install the Ubuntu in the same drive where Windows is installed or on a different partition ??

I dont know why this is happening. I recently bought a Dell Inspiron 1545 and repartitioned my hdd into 5 partitions without any fuzz. Did u delete the recovery drive bcoz i did mine. And mine didnt work anyways..

 

[arjie]

Can you please tell my why ???

And, I've formatted my lappy and partitioned it using the Vista Boot Disc that I got.
Was able to make only a maximum of three partitions though. Still, it served my purpose.

Now, should I install the Ubuntu in the same drive where Windows is installed or on a different partition ??

Well he said that installing Windows and Ubuntu on the same partition isn't recommended. That's sensible, of course, since that isn't even possible unless you use Wubi (which just installs Ubuntu to a file on your Windows system) because Windows doesn't install to anything but NTFS and Ubuntu doesn't install to NTFS.

Installing to different partitions on the same drive is quite straightforward, though, and is perfectly fine.

If you were unable to create more than 3 partitions, this may be a combination of the fact that Dell (used to) put a hidden restore partition at the beginning of your hard drive and the fact that you made them all primary partitions. It is only possible to have 4 primary partitions, the rest have to be secondary partitions within an extended partition.

 

[utsav]

Can you please tell my why ???

And, I've formatted my lappy and partitioned it using the Vista Boot Disc that I got.
Was able to make only a maximum of three partitions though. Still, it served my purpose.

Now, should I install the Ubuntu in the same drive where Windows is installed or on a different partition ??

i partitioned the HDD of my dell studio just after an hour of getting it ,what i did was that i deleted both the partitions and created a single partition of 30GB and rest was kept as unpartitioned space, after installing windows i went into control panel ,then administrative tools and then disk management and created 5 more partitions(total 6 including OS partition) from that unpartitioned space , thats the easiest way to make more than 3 partitions

 

[infra_red_dude]

Well he said that installing Windows and Ubuntu on the same partition isn't recommended. That's sensible, of course, since that isn't even possible unless you use Wubi (which just installs Ubuntu to a file on your Windows system) because Windows doesn't install to anything but NTFS and Ubuntu doesn't install to NTFS.

Installing to different partitions on the same drive is quite straightforward, though, and is perfectly fine.

If you were unable to create more than 3 partitions, this may be a combination of the fact that Dell (used to) put a hidden restore partition at the beginning of your hard drive and the fact that you made them all primary partitions. It is only possible to have 4 primary partitions, the rest have to be secondary partitions within an extended partition.

Perfectly answered!

Windows installation only allows you create primary partitions and that is limited to 4, as said. Just don't create more partitions as utsav said. Once installed create an extended partition with the remaining space and make logical partitions in that extended volume.

Also, Ubuntu is known to mess up via Wubi. At least during uninstall. I would either recomm. you to install in a native partition or use it as a virtual machine.

 

[varuog]

If you were unable to create more than 3 partitions, this may be a combination of the fact that Dell (used to) put a hidden restore partition at the beginning of your hard drive and the fact that you made them all primary partitions. It is only possible to have 4 primary partitions, the rest have to be secondary partitions within an extended partition.

Perhaps you are right !
But, when I first got the laptop, the total disc space was 500Gb.
Now, after I've formatted and partioned, only 465 Gb of memory is available. I have no idea where the rest 35gb went !

I even tried booting with a ubuntu cd and totalled the disc space. It still sums upto 465gb.
Somebody please help me ...

 

[utsav]

^^are you using a computer for the first time in ur life??

that 465GB space is normal and when the laptop comes with factory installed OS its 450 GB for the windows OS partition and rest 15GB is allocated to recovery partition , didnt u notice that thing when u first got the lappy?

every HDD's actual space is less than the stated space coz the manufacturer calculates space based on kilobytes , megabytes and gigabytes theory which means 1000KB=1MB , 1000MB=1GB , 1000GB = 1TB

but windows and whatever OS u use calculates space based on Kibibytes , Mebibytes ,Gibibytes theory which means that 1024 Kibibyte = 1 Mebibyte and 1024 Mebibyte = 1 Gibibyte and 1024 Gibibytes = 1 Tebibyte so on so obviously your HDD space will always be shown less than the stated space, what leads to the confusion is that these terms are not widely known to common people and they end up confused filing disputes against the manufacturer's for giving false information .

i hope this clears up ur confusion

 

[varuog]

Thanks for your answer ... but I don't think that what you told is correct. In fact you should have read my previous post more precisely.

I have clearly mentioned that when I initially got the lappy, the total disc space was 500gb - in which the primary partition was 450gb & the recovery drive was 50gb. So, that sums up to 500gb. Right?

Now, after I've formatted the disc, the total space shown is 465gb.

I even contacted the customer care, and he couldn't give a proper answer. The only option was to give the laptop for servicing in which they would restore it back. But, that would erase all the data. So I didn't opt for it.

Still, thanks for the replies !!!

 

[infra_red_dude]

Thanks for your answer ... but I don't think that what you told is correct. In fact you should have read my previous post more precisely.

I have clearly mentioned that when I initially got the lappy, the total disc space was 500gb - in which the primary partition was 450gb & the recovery drive was 50gb. So, that sums up to 500gb. Right?

Now, after I've formatted the disc, the total space shown is 465gb.

I even contacted the customer care, and he couldn't give a proper answer. The only option was to give the laptop for servicing in which they would restore it back. But, that would erase all the data. So I didn't opt for it.

Still, thanks for the replies !!!

What makes you think the answer he gave was wrong? All 500GB drives are in fact 465GiB. They are in fact 500,000,000,000 bytes and not exactly 500GB.

So divide that by 500,000,000,000/(1024 * 1024 * 1024) = 465.66128730773926 GiB. You can do the math yourself.

 

[acewin]

interesting, and not possible. you cant get exact 500GB as shown in our windows. you can see 5000000000 or like that but not 500 GB, reason is industry standards they sell you 500 x 10^3 x 10^3 x 10^3 Bytes, instead of selling 500 x 1024 x 1024 x 1024 Bytes

which actually comes out to be 465.66 GB with exact calculations, which your new readings show which is right

 

[utsav]

Thanks for your answer ... but I don't think that what you told is correct. In fact you should have read my previous post more precisely.

I have clearly mentioned that when I initially got the lappy, the total disc space was 500gb - in which the primary partition was 450gb & the recovery drive was 50gb. So, that sums up to 500gb. Right?

Now, after I've formatted the disc, the total space shown is 465gb.

I even contacted the customer care, and he couldn't give a proper answer. The only option was to give the laptop for servicing in which they would restore it back. But, that would erase all the data. So I didn't opt for it.

Still, thanks for the replies !!!

check this screenshot *img216.imageshack.us/img216/3116/hddactualspace.th.jpg

Disk 0 is the 500GB HDD of the lappy which shows 465.76GB only in actual
Disk 1 is my 640GB external HDD which shows up as 596.17GB only so there you can understand that every HDD space is calculated on the basis of that theory which i mentioned earlier and there is nothing to worry

 

[billyboybad]

do not make too many partitions, minimum for the the drive u installing the OS & rest for the data.

 

[infra_red_dude]

do not make too many partitions, minimum for the the drive u installing the OS & rest for the data.

Any specific reason behind this advice?

 

[utsav]

do not make too many partitions, minimum for the the drive u installing the OS & rest for the data.

point a valid reason too dude