UNSOLVED
55 MB "Type DE" partition
Hi.
I'd like to put 4 primary partitions on my harddisk.
While analysing what's on (as shipped), I noticed a 55 MB partition at the very beginning of the drive, calles "DELLUTILITY". It's a "Type DE" (as opposed to FAT, FAT32, NTFS, ext3, ...). I never heart of this filesystem before?! It contains a drawer "DELL" with the file "GERMAN".
- Can I delete this partition without harming the system?
- What does this partition do?
Thanks,
geohei
I'd like to put 4 primary partitions on my harddisk.
While analysing what's on (as shipped), I noticed a 55 MB partition at the very beginning of the drive, calles "DELLUTILITY". It's a "Type DE" (as opposed to FAT, FAT32, NTFS, ext3, ...). I never heart of this filesystem before?! It contains a drawer "DELL" with the file "GERMAN".
- Can I delete this partition without harming the system?
- What does this partition do?
Thanks,
geohei
geohei wrote:
Hi.
I'd like to put 4 primary partitions on my harddisk.
While analysing what's on (as shipped), I noticed a 55 MB partition at the very beginning of the drive, calles "DELLUTILITY". It's a "Type DE" (as opposed to FAT, FAT32, NTFS, ext3, ...). I never heart of this filesystem before?! It contains a drawer "DELL" with the file "GERMAN".
- Can I delete this partition without harming the system?
- What does this partition do?
Thanks,
geohei
It also gives you access to the Restore Partition which is the 3rd partition that is 4GB or 5GB in size. Pressing and when the half inch Blue Dell banner flashes across the top of your screen will launch the Restore Menu. It's still got all the Bloatware in there, but at least it's got the Drivers and stuff loaded nicely.Later,Bub
@tphillips63 wrote:
That is the diagnostics partition and its easier to have it there in case you want to run diags on your system before boot up rather than have to find the CD that has it to boot from just to run diags.
Do you mean that this single file is a diagnostic tool?!
There's nothing on this partition apart from that 1KB file /DELL/GERMAN (that's at least what PartitionMagic could find). Also ... PartitionMagic showed the drive virtually empty, which confirms more or less that there's not very much on it.
Besides that ... how can I run diagnostics before I boot (as you said)?Message Edited by geohei on 09-23-2006 10:10 AM
@BubBowen wrote:
It also gives you access to the Restore Partition which is the 3rd partition that is 4GB or 5GB in size. Pressing and when the half inch Blue Dell banner flashes across the top of your screen will launch the Restore Menu. It's still got all the Bloatware in there, but at least it's got the Drivers and stuff loaded nicely.
Later,
Bub
Are we talking about a DELL XPS700?
Pressing CTRL-F11 during the whole boot process doesn't pop up any RestoreMenu.
Besides that, there's no 4 0r 5 GB partition at the end of the drive.
Regards,
[edit]
... later ...
F12 pops up the "Boot Menu". This allows (amongst other tools) to run the diagnostic tool.
Nevertheless, there's no "Restore Menu"!
On top of that, the provided docs don't mention CTRL-F11 or any "Restore Menu" ;(
Regards,Message Edited by geohei on 09-23-2006 10:18 AM
- Can I delete this partition without harming the system?
- What does this partition do?Yes, you can delete it without harm.See my webpage, Inside the Dell Utility Partition.See Inside the Dell PC Restore Partition for background about the other partition mentioned. However, not all models have that feature, and you've confirmed yours does not.Dan Goodell
geohei wrote:
@dg1261
Thanks for the information. Very useful!
If I understood this correctly, there's no image on my harddisk, which allows to restore the WINXP system 1:1 as it was shipped. Right?
Regards,
Right. XPS machines on the high end (LOL) don't get it loaded.
tphillips63
4 Apprentice
•
2629 Posts
•
7922 Points
425
0
Posted September 22nd, 2006 22:00