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Windows 7 disk partitions
XPS M1210 Laptop
I upgraded hard drives from an 80 gig to a 320 gig +by cloning and went to windows 7 from XP.
Problems -
MediaDirect button now boots into Windows. At first I get the screen that says MD is starting but it ends up in Windows..
Other that this the system is working fine.
Looked at at disk partitions and I have four partitions
Disk 1 Flags Capacity Free Space Type
FAT16 Pri. 227.5 MB 219.2 FS: 0xDEEISA configuration
2 WD Prii,ACt. 283.6 GB 262.8 NTFS
3. FAT 32 1.999 GB 0 FS :FAT32 Partition 0xDD (hidden CTOS membump)
4 FAT 32 Pri. 12.26 GB 9.708 FS FAT32 Partition oxDB (Concurrent DOS, CTOS
What are these parititons for? Which can be deleted or modified?
Do I have two boot partitions, one that starts with MD and one that is Windows?
If I delete the MD partition what will happen with the Media Direct button, the Windows boot?
I want to install a Fedora partition, what would be the best option?
Thanks in advance
Davet50
14.4K Posts
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October 17th, 2009 09:00
This is the problem with doing a clone on a dell disk in that is copies all the Dell partitions and wastes some of the space.
The first partition the FAT16 is actually a ESIA format pratition. You can delete this but it is not an easy job. This is where the Dell diagnostics resides on the drive. Best advice here is to just live with it. If you want to delete if Google deleting a ESIA partition and you will find out how to do attempt to do this.
The 2 WD partion is your main partitin which house the OS.
Not sure what the 2 gig FAT 32 partition is maybe the Media direct partition .
The last partition is your recovery partition where the Factory restore resides. IF you are not interested in doing a factory restore and are willing to just go with a Clean install using your recovery disks then this partition can be deleted. I think it may not work now anyways
Nowein
13 Posts
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October 22nd, 2009 23:00
If you need Media direct to work properly, First insert mediadirect Disc and boot from it.. It will format your drive with one or 2 partitions(You can choose.. but not more than 2). Then restart with Win7 DVD.. install it onto first partition(the one next to EISA if it's visible)
But do you really need mediadirect?(I do not use it much..:emotion-1:)
If you want to skip it, Just insert win7 DVD, boot from it.. delete all partitions you see(Please back up your data..) If you have not backed up your data.. leave that partition with data intact.. and delete the rest. make partitions as u like.(Win7 will create a 100mb reserved partition to host some critical files that might help you recover from boot up problems.) Install Win7 in the 2nd partition.
In your case shown above.. i would deletePartition 3 and 4. (Leave 1.. it's just 227mb.. )
3 is Mediadirect.. u can delete it.
4 is XP recovery partition.. u will not use it anyway once you have win7.
Once you delete these.. your MD button might not do anything.. If at all you face any problems booting win7.. just insert win7 disc.. click repair.. it'll be fine.
Am sorry i never tried fedora.. so can't help.:emotion-6: