Partitions and Volumes

Hard Disks perform a very simple function – to store data and then reliably retrieve it on command. However, before any information can be stored on a hard disk it must be both partitioned and formatted with a file system. A hard disk can contain multiple partitions and file-systems. As you will learn later this can be extremely useful.

A partition is a persistent division of a physical hard drive into logical segments. Each partition appears to the user like a separate hard drive. Volume is the terminology used by post-Windows 2000 machines for partition. Volumes are much more flexible in their configuration than the more rigid partitions.

Partitioning a hard drive makes each segment behave like a separate disk. This is ideal for dual-booting different operating systems.

Basic Partitions

Primary Partitions

• There may be up to 4 Primary Partitions per physical disk.
• The Boot partition may only be located on a primary partition.

Extended Partitions

• Extended Partitions can use up any free space not used by the Primary Partitions.
• You may have up to 3 Primary partitions and one extended partition on any physical disk.
• Extended Partitions need to be further divided into Logical DOS drives.

Logical-DOS Partitions

• Logical Partitions are placed inside the extended partition.
• The number of Logical partitions you may have is only limited by the number of free drive letters.
• The boot partition cannot be placed on a logical partition.

Basic Partitions

The oldest Windows operating system is always installed first as the newer operating system normally writes a new boot record.

A Logical Drive can contain an operating system but never the System partition.

Different Partitions may contain a File Systems not used by Windows, so if an additional operating system is required it can also be installed on the non Windows partition.

Creating a Primary Partition

To create a Primary Partition from within Windows 2003/XP, the Disk Management Utility is used. To access Disk Management, click on Start.

Right-click on My Computer.

Select Manage.

Computer Management will appear. Click on Disk Management.

Disk Management will appear. From this screen you may view, create and delete partitions.  To create a new Primary partition on Disk 1 right-click on the unallocated space on Disk 1.

From the choices menu, select New Partition.

The New Partition Wizard will appear. Select Next to continue.

The Partition Type page will appear. Select the type of partition required. Primary Partition is selected here. Click Next to continue.

Select a size for the new partition, in this case we will chose 2048MB.

Click on Next to Continue.

A drive may be made to appear as a folder on an existing drive (This is called Mounting). The Default Drive is the next available drive letter, in this case D. Select Next to continue.

You can also choose a Volume Label, which can be used to identify the volume. In order for the partition to be used by the operating system it will have to be formatted with a file system. NTFS is the file-system of choice for a Windows Server 2003 system. Click Next to accept the default values.

The summary page will appear. To close the wizard and create the partition click Finish.

The new Primary partition is now displayed on Disk 1 and has been assigned the drive letter D:.

The new partition also appears in My Computer.

Creating an Extended Partition

To create a new Extended Partition the Disk Management Utility is used. To create a new Extended Partition on Disk 1, right-click on the Unallocated space on Disk 1.

Select New Partition.

The New Partition Wizard will appear. Select Next to continue.

The Partition Type page will appear. Select Extended Partition.

…and then hit Next.

Specify the size of the partition. The maximum amount of space available on this disk is 2039 MB. To accept the default click Next.

The summary page will appear. To close the wizard and create the partition click Finish.

The new Extended Partition is displayed on Disk 1. In order to use the partition, logical drives will have to be created inside it.

N.B. The extended partition does not appear in My Computer as an extended partition without any formatted logical drives cannot hold any data.

Creating a Logical Drive

To create a new Logical Drive within the Extended Partition, right click on the Extended Partition on Disk 1.

Select New Logical Drive.

The New Partition Wizard will appear. Select Next to continue.

Logical Drive is selected, click Next to continue.

To specify the Logical Drive size click in the “Partition size in MB” box and change the value.

1024MB will create a 1GB Logical Drive . Click Next to continue.

A drive may be made to appear as a folder on an existing drive (This is called Mounting). The Default Drive is the next available drive letter, in this case E.

Select Next to continue.

NTFS has been selected for the file system. Select “Volume label” in order to give the new partition a recognizable name.

The new Logical Drive has been named WebSite, this describes the data the Logical Drive may contain. Click Next to continue

The summary page will appear. To close the wizard and create the Logical Drive , click Finish.

The new Logical Drive is now displayed inside the Extended Partition on Disk 1 and has been labeled WebSite (E:).

Similarly, the new Logical Drive appears in My Computer and is ready for use.

Dynamic Volumes

Because of the limitations of basic partitions, dynamic volumes where introduced in Windows 2000 and continue to be supported in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.

Dynamic volumes offer more flexibility than standard partitions. One of the main reasons for using dynamic volumes is to make use of volume sets (which are covered later).

Unfortunately pre-Windows 2000 computers cannot read or utilise dynamic volumes, furthermore you should not use dynamic volumes in a dual-boot environment even if all the operating systems are capable of supporting dynamic disks.

Dynamic Volumes are only supported on Windows 2000/XP/2003.

There is no limit to the number of volumes you may have on a disk.

Dynamic Volumes may be fault tolerant.

There are no Primary, Logical or Extended volumes.