The 35MB partition contains Dell diagnostics (accessible by using F12 at startup). You can leave that partition alone for convenient diagnostic access if you choose. You should delete the 35GB partition then create a new partition (or more, if desired) from the 35GB of unpartitioned space. When you finish installing XP you will need to reinstall your system drivers (chipset driver first) before reinstalling your applications. At the end of the XP installation there will be nothing on the hard disk except XP.
Thanks for your help just one point the 33gig is what it shows me is free on the 120gig HDD its not really a partition as such, the only partition is the 35mb. So if I leave the 35mb and just go ahead and reinstall on the free section (33gig) or do I still need to create a partition on part of that free 33gig to enable the reinstall?
If the 33GB is unpartitioned space you can create a partition from it during the XP installation and install XP there, but this will leave you with two installations of XP on the system, the new one and the one you are currently using.
However you state that "the 33gig is what it shows me is free on the 120gig HDD its not really a partition as such, the only partition is the 35mb." Clearly you must have a partition of approximately 87GB (the difference beween the 120GB capacity of the hard drive and the 33GB unpartitioned space).
Denny Denham
2 Intern
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18.8K Posts
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January 31st, 2006 15:00
The 35MB partition contains Dell diagnostics (accessible by using F12 at startup). You can leave that partition alone for convenient diagnostic access if you choose. You should delete the 35GB partition then create a new partition (or more, if desired) from the 35GB of unpartitioned space. When you finish installing XP you will need to reinstall your system drivers (chipset driver first) before reinstalling your applications. At the end of the XP installation there will be nothing on the hard disk except XP.
Dazzerman
26 Posts
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January 31st, 2006 21:00
Thanks for your help just one point the 33gig is what it shows me is free on the 120gig HDD its not really a partition as such, the only partition is the 35mb. So if I leave the 35mb and just go ahead and reinstall on the free section (33gig) or do I still need to create a partition on part of that free 33gig to enable the reinstall?
Thankyou.
Denny Denham
2 Intern
•
18.8K Posts
0
February 1st, 2006 00:00
If the 33GB is unpartitioned space you can create a partition from it during the XP installation and install XP there, but this will leave you with two installations of XP on the system, the new one and the one you are currently using.
However you state that "the 33gig is what it shows me is free on the 120gig HDD its not really a partition as such, the only partition is the 35mb." Clearly you must have a partition of approximately 87GB (the difference beween the 120GB capacity of the hard drive and the 33GB unpartitioned space).