Question about Windows XP Disks, harddrive partitions and restore utliity.

Correction: There are only 2 Dell partitions.

One is the PC Restore, another is somthing to do with checking hardware (never used it). The fourth one is just blank space. You can check to see how much free space is left on the Dell partitions, and resize them accordingly.

Major-Disaster,

1. NTFS (C) Capacity 228.1 GB This is your boot (C:\) partition.
2. FAT32 Capacity 4.642 GB This partition contains the image for PC Restore's use.
3. FAT16 Capacity 62.72 MB This contains Dell diagnostics.
4. Unallocated Capacity 7.844 MB This "leftover space" is common.

Now here is my question. I want to start backing up and altering these partitions.
1. What do these partitons do? 1 for Dell restore utility right?
2. Can i increase each of the hidden ones to 1GB each to make my C drive a nicer number (eg 228 - 3 = 225GB?) Adding to either #2 or #3 above will destroy your PC Restore capability (and probably render the Dell diagnostics unusable).
3. Can i create partitions on my C drive, say 25 GB windows, 100GB data, 100GB dackups? Yes, but this will change the Master Boot Records so steps must be taken to restore PC Restore (see this).
4. Will this affect the working of the dell restore utility? Yes, see above.
5. How do i get a physical Windows XP Media Centre disk? Contact Dell at one of the links in this post and request it.

Message Edited by Denny Denham on 02-26-2006 08:46 PM

do not format the fat16 or fat32 partitions and backup your MBR before you do a DVD install

there is dell code in the MBR that is not restored from a clean boot from the disk

the fat32 is an image of your system as shipped and can restore it to that condition it includes the dell MBR code

this enables you to automaticly restore your system to as shipped by pressing CTRL  F11 insted of CTRL F2 or F12 if you install from the disk you will lose this feature and only be able to access F2 or F12.

it removes the dell boot code.

The system image can still be accessed retsoring the code by tools downloadable from links in several messages posted throught this form godwells stuff read it.

if you format the image partition you cannot recover the CTRL f11 access feature at all.

 

 

Hello everyone,

Thanks for the replies.

Just a few more questions left ;)
1. Can i get rid of this free space and stick it somewhere useful, say my C drive?
2. Is threre any Dell software to resize partitions or do i have to buy some?
Correction: There are only 2 Dell partitions.
3. Could i resize the other 3 partions to 1GB each (or whatever) destroying them and then rebuild them?
4. Where iss the MBR?
5. If i use the Windows Disk to reinstall windows (instead of CTRL + F11) will this reinstall the Dell Restore utility or will it be lost? And i will only be able to restire my pc via reinstalling windows via a disk (or other backup), correct?

Thanks again

(Sorry im in England and so my post times seem a bit random! Am i in the wrong forum? Is all the advice still applicable to me in the UK? Sorry to spring this on you now!)

5. restoring from the DVD only replaces the Cdrive the other 2 partitions  the dell utility and the dell restoration partitions will not be formated and will remain in tact but however...

the Master boot recored will be over written and the restore partition will not be accessable from the CTRL feature but can still be accessed from The DOS prompt with the proper tools and the MBR can be restored by using the CTRL F11 feature and restoring the C Drive from the system Drive Image shipped from dell which is the system restore partition.

4. The MBR located in the very 1st sector of your hard drive.

This is what discribes the access locations to the operating system.

it is written by the bios of the system in addition the the general statments written to the MBR other extended code is also written there by DELL .

I personaly have not yet found out how to write code where and in what sysntax it should be written to change the MBR code.

the general code will access the utility partition as long as the partition type is listed as DE and it is able to boot to the drive. see working with sys files and dos command.

however accessing the  restore partition without the dell MBR code is done through the utility partition with dos. The DELL MBR code changes the partition type from DB to 0C fat32 thereby unhiding it from the operating system the system restore image is restored through synmantic ghost.

this rewrites the C drive containg windows the same as it was shipped from the factory trial ware and all.

3. I am currently working on rebuilding the system restore structure. sence i have formated all and lost the capability to do an as shipped system restore.

I have reloaded windows from the dvd.

i have rebuilt the partition structure which was difficult in that it was nessessary to format and create the DE utility partition 1st in order to be the 1st partition or partition 0 in the MBR.

then hinding it from windows in order to make windows C drive and to enable access from the bios boot F12. see drsfix

2. i used partition magic and fdisk

1. i think the very small space is system used to index services and stuff not sure though ?

 

 

Thanks for the great response pattyandme,

5. Oh right yes of course, i forgot becuase you only install windows on 1 partition, not all over the pc. How hard is it to restore/rebuild the dell restore utility (CTRL F11)? Are there any good guides?

i should of look at your 1st question well i didnt know what raid was at the time .

anyway

I had to completely rebuild the system restore as best i could to get an automated retore started.

because the DELL mbr code is not replacable for me. i formated and lost it from both areas and means of recovery.

godells stuff helped me a great deal in understanding what i had done. and in what i needed to do.

i will never have the restored image of as shipped with the MBR because i formated it.

that being said this is what i have done.

 

tools

i should of look at your 1st question well i didnt know what raid was at the time .

anyway

I had to completely rebuild the system restore as best i could to get an automated retore started.

because the DELL mbr code is not replacable for me. i formated and lost it from both areas and means of recovery.

godells stuff helped me a great deal in understanding what i had done. and in what i needed to do.

i will never have the restored image of as shipped with the MBR because i formated it.

that being said this is what i have done.

 

tools i

with all that said.........

 

Partition C - 225GB
Dell Utility Partion - 1GB Hidden
Dell Restore Partition - 1GB Hidden
Free Space - 1GB

Then split C into partitions
25GB - Windows
100GB - Data
100GB - Backup

I think you can only have 4 primary partitions

1g DUP, WINDOWS, DRP, BACKUP with DATA and FREE SPACE as extended

Then using Acronis True Image
Turn the whole of the 100BG backup partition into an "Acronis Secure Zone" that cant be accesed by OS to keep backups secure from viruses etc.

While...
Still having CTRL + F11 working.

This should mean i should be completely safe and 100% backed up, as...
* I have RAID Mirror - Protect against hardware fualts,
* CTRL + F11 - Quick system restore (can then use Acronis to get back data)                       This is code from dell and launches dells restorable image  
* Acronis Quick System Backup restore backup feature   You should be able to use an additional Fkey to launch this with the MBR tool

* Worst case Windows Media Centre Disk to reinstall OS (if i get one from Dell), then use Acronis to get data back

did i mention i dont have a floppy drive.

i used the DELL resorce CD 

DOS.710 .. I figured the utility partition could be expanded sence I had to build it.

PTEDIT which can be copied from the partition magic folder if you have it. I use it on all three partitions that way if i get stuck i have a way to fix the MBR information.

DE.exe I used it to name the partitions but didnt require it for F12 so you wont need it unless you have DELLS MBR intact. in which case you should back it up.

dsrfix.exe I was able to resolve everything in dsrfix but the MBR issue. setting DE partitions as the 1st partition starting at sector 0,0,1  40 mb in size which required a full format needless to say. the MBR file compare could of been done. whats the point with out the MBR.

savepart.zip to make my own partition image this also automates the restoration process.

MBR RESOLUTION http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/utilities.html mbr.zip This is a DOS MBR TOOL is the best way i can describe it. This will create an fkey switch before booting into a partition. this will set the partition types and enable booting into one from the other in BAT files. PTEDIT is a manual type and boot partition designater which can be launched in both dos and windows. this TOOL enables you to do what ptedit does within batch files. in addition it enables you to add multiboot partition information into the MBR.

this is what i did I READ the README files of each of the above.

1 Created and formated the 06-fat16 partition 40mb made sure it was 0,0,1 which is nessessary for DELLS MBR but not a standard MBR. Create  07-NTFS partition 130mb ,Create 0C-fat32x partition 10mb large enough for a restoration image.

note: all 3 partitions are bootable format /s

installed windows xp to ntfs partition

reformated and installed a full Version of DOS 7.10 in my case lots of extra dos tools and utilities to the fat 16 partition. also copied the dell hardware diagnostics utility and supporting files.

In order to enable the f12 menu to boot to the utility partition the partition TYPE must be set to DE.  this is done with PTEDIT.

* windows boots , utility partition boots on f12

by setting the partition type to DE this also hides the partition from windows. its an unreconised partition to the OS. the F12 option sets the boot partition to the 1st disk bla bla bla.

Created an image with savepart and stored it on the fat32x partition at this time this partition was still not hidden within windows. The DELL MBR calls for this partition to be TYPE DB-fat32x. this can be changed with ptedit to conform to this. I however needed to do this manualy all the time.

when ever you change the partition type the pc needs to reboot before you get the end result. a hidden drive.

* The MBR currently looks like this  part 1 type DE 00, part 2 type 07 80, part3 type DB 00,

 Ive created a simple BAT file that is called or run from the autoexec.bat which loads dos into the utility partition when F12 key is pressed. from there I call another bat file whis uses the MBR TOOL to change the

* MBR to this part 1 type DE 00, Part 2 type 00,Part 3 type 0C 80 then  reboots the computer to the restoration partition. were i have savepart restore the files to C:NTFS within dos. once this image is created the partitions must remain the same for the drive or the image could be crupted.

the readme files for savepart explain this.

the MBR TOOL aslo resides on this partition and needs to return the drive MBR information back before rebooting to windows.

i currently havent set up the CTRL F11 instructions but i have expermented with a simple F9 instruction and find it remains in the MBR once placed there. The full funtionality of this MBR TOOL will resolve this issue once i become more familier with it.

I know the savepart.exe works i have used it.

this too is fully automated from with in batch files DOS side.

so in the end i was able to duplicate the method if not the code. In addition was able to get an image of my programs as well. Eventualy realising a multiboot dos.710 - windows xp pro mce isolation.