Disk Partitioning

Question

Hi,

I wanted to gather thoughts and concerns regarding the disk partitioning policy of Dell. I recently received my Inspiron i8600 with a 80GB HDD.

Over the years, I have been accustomed to using disk partitions to organize and store data on the various computers I have owned/used. Thus, I was expecting similar usage from my new notebook.

However, I was surprised to find (on talking to a couple of tech support reps) that Dell does not support multiple partitioning on their systems. Thus, I wanted to know:

a) Is this a formal policy which I can find some in print?

b) Should this be a cause for concern if I choose to partition my HDD?

c) Is there a particularly good reason why Dell does not support partitioning?

Cheers,
Jay

Inspiron 8600 P 1.4Ghz
15.4 in WSXGA+ w/ 128MB nVidia GeForce FX 5650
80 GB HDD
4X DVD+RW

bacillus · Answer

IMO as long as you have the original OS installed on your pc then dell is obliged to give you support regardless of how you partition your hdd!

Infinite_Trial · Answer

yes, they do not support multiple partitions. however you may get lucky because some techs support this.

yanceuy · Answer

Only reason I can think of why dell does not support partitions is it would make reloading your operating system harder or messier if you need to. Most dell systems that ship out nowadays have what they call 'utility partition', which contains preloaded system diagnostics which you can use if you don't have the drivers and utilities disc that contains your system diagnostic tools. If you choose to partition your hard drive, you will lose this partition.

Ed C · Answer

There is no reason Dell would not support you if you partition the HDD. They don't care. Partitioning puts no more stress on a drive then having it all 1 partition. The first thing I did when I got ALL of my Dell notebooks is partition the HDD, I did my i8200 with Partition Magic 8 and left the original OS installed, still running fine. If you don't tell them how will they know. Even if you wipe the drive first then reload the OS. Partitioning does not make reloading the OS harder, if anything it makes it easier. It's the same whether you have 1 or 5 partitions. So go ahead. Personally I wouldn't run a PC, no matter how big or small a HDD, with just 1 partition. Never have and never will. Not even my work PC that I don't own has 3 partitions on it.

raw_jay · Answer

All,

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts. Seems like we all agree that disk partitioning is a good way to go.
I was able to find help on partitioning from similar threads on the community forum and work my way around.

However, this experience with Dell's Technical Support and engaging them on the phone for 4 hours and talking to 3 of their departments has been a dissatisfier. I continue to hold on to my Inspiron is due to the great expertise and various thoughts provided by users of this community forum. Thanks guys ... keep up the good work!

Cheers,
Jay

Inspiron 8600 P 1.4Ghz
15.4 in WSXGA+ w/ 128MB nVidia GeForce FX 5650
80 GB HDD
4X DVD+RW

dierk · Answer

? on meaning of 'does not support' disk partitioning: I could imagine two possibilities that Dell fears: 1) Complaints from owners who partition drive on own and lose their boot capability; 2) Questions from owners who are seeking to partition their drive. Given the apparent corporate stress (that is, Cost Factor) brought by Tech Support, Dell might have decided that it does not want Techs spending (or Wasting, depending upon one's point of view) time trying to sort out Partitioning questions / problems. Easier, less time consuming - and thus Cheaper - to simply state 'we don't support....' However, such an official stance need not equal 'we will void your warranty if YOU partition drive.'  As others have noted, there are a number of good reasons TO partition - and also commercially available software to help one do it fairly easily & safely.... 'Always' use 4 partitions on a drive running Windows - the only quibble being multiple drive systems (ie: desktops...). Like the logic of doing so, but obviously not everyone agrees...

atucker · Answer

I too have used Partition Magic to partition my drives. In my case, I have the "send it in" service contract. The instructions from Dell when sending it in are to remove all drives and memory - they wouln't know anything about the drive. If you have the Dell "on-site" service, it is handled by contractors who could probably care less whether the drive is partitioned or not. It is MY computer, thank you .

Allen T.

naqoyqatsi · Answer

it's like this, if you tinker with your hardware and you know the risks that this involves then you can do it with no questions asked. same thing with the partition, you know the benefits and risks that multiple partitions can do to your computer, so if you want to do it then go on with it.

caetravlr · Answer

Very interesting topic. As my post in another thread states, that is the FIRST thing I did when I got my new I8500 (probably the same exact IBM HDD that is in your 8600). I cannot stand having my software and operating system on the same drive as my data, and have NEVER run a computer that way. I am a software engineer, and think that I am competent to set up my computer the way I want it. However, after 2 months, out of the blue, I was having trouble saving a file to my second partition, and it started making lots and lots of noise, and then crashed (Blue Screen dump). After rebooting, it ran a checkdisk on the data partition, and found all sorts of bad indexes and tried to fix them, but it still doesn't work. Anyway, I called Dell tech support, ran the diagnostic utility from the included CD, so it appears there is no physical damage to the drive (at least not by Dell's standards). I am running a utility now that is finding most of the files that I didn't want to lose (should have all been backed up regularly anyway), but I will end up reformatting and reinstalling the whole thing.

What really gets me is that the tech support guy told me that the only way to fix it was to put it ALL back on one partition. That is pure and utter garbage if you ask me. I have a Sony laptop that is 4 years old that I have been running the same way the whole time. I have been able to upgrade and reinstall the OS several times with no problems whatsoever. To be told that I can only run it with one partition is completely unacceptable.

I would love to hear anyone else's experiences with a similar setup, particularly on the 80GB hard drive in the Inspiron.

naqoyqatsi · Answer

you couldnt have said that any better..

L4 · Answer

it's like this...... buy a car from any manufacturer. after a few weeks you replace the engine. new engine runs fine for months... then one day it just won't start. if you brought your car back to the manufacturer to fix it, they won't support it, because you modified the parts, therefore your responsible for the effects. dell runs the same way. if you screw up your system because of your tweak, why blame dell? you're the one who installed the addition, so you're the one responsible for it. it's not like dell does not know that HDs can be partitoned and be run with diff operating systems, nor they are afraid of your partiton questions.

on the other hand, partition magic is the way to go.

naqoyqatsi · Answer

dell would be willing to replace the hard drive, but they won't be willing to guide you with multiple partitions. like with your analogy, "By law, if you go buy a K&N air filter, Bosch Platinum plugs, and other high performance additions to the engine, the auto manufacturer is still responsible for that transmission or that crankshaft that goes out because I in no way altered those, only made the automobile more efficient." you can put it in but automobile manufacturer won't necessarily guide you in how to install these upgrade parts.

L4 · Answer

go to services in this site, check on 'dell standard support services' its implied here..

caetravlr · Answer

Actually, I have had Partition Magic completely screw up a computer for me before. But that might have been user error, I probably should use it to help me with what I have been trying to do.

And in reference to the engine analogy, I take a slightly different view on it. Yes, if I go buy a Ford Mustang, and cram a big block 454 in there, and wonder why the transmission falls out 3 weeks later, then Ford should not be responsible for that, I agree. I did NOT go buy a Sony Hard drive and try to cram an uncompatible part into my computer. By law, if you go buy a K&N air filter, Bosch Platinum plugs, and other high performance additions to the engine, the auto manufacturer is still responsible for that transmission or that crankshaft that goes out because I in no way altered those, only made the automobile more efficient.

What I did was install Dell's exact setup on a smaller partition, and make my computer more efficent, and more user friendly, and was well within every operating design parameter that computers are designed to run under. Therefore, if the hard drive goes bad, then Dell should replace it. It is not bad at the moment according to the diagnostics. Since the operating system that Dell has chosen to ship with its systems is designed to run just as well with multiple partitions as it is with one, they should be completely responsible for supporting that if someone who thought enough to spend $2500 with them is smart enough to set it up that way. I am sure if I wanted to press the issue, I could find where that is their obligation. I am well within my rights to set up the computer that way, and have not overclocked the chip, or done anything outside of everyday computer usage.

That is my opinion, and if I was the CTO of a major company who was a longtime Dell customer, I would be rethinking who we buy our equipment from after receiving an answer like that.

Storage, Drives & Media

Disk Partitioning

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