Implementing Hard Drives

Partitioning and Formatting Process

Bootable Disks Any removable media that has a bootable OS installed Any removable media that has a bootable OS installed Floppy, CD-ROM, USB thumb drive Floppy, CD-ROM, USB thumb drive All Windows and Linux installation CDs are bootable All Windows and Linux installation CDs are bootable

Partitioning and Formatting With Windows Installation CD With Windows Installation CD During text portion of install During text portion of install Can create single partition Can create single partition

Partitioning and Formatting With Windows Installation CD With Windows Installation CD Allows you to set the size of the drive Allows you to set the size of the drive Minimum of 8MB up to size of drive Minimum of 8MB up to size of drive

Partitioning and Formatting With Windows Installation CD With Windows Installation CD Can format the drive with a file system Can format the drive with a file system NTFS Quick NTFS Quick NTFS Regular – checks the drive NTFS Regular – checks the drive

Partitioning and Formatting With Windows Installation CD With Windows Installation CD Can create multiple partitions Can create multiple partitions

PATA Drive Letter Assignments Primary partition of the: Primary partition of the: 1. Primary master drive 2. Primary slave drive 3. Secondary master drive 4. Secondary slave drive Then all logical drives in the extended partition of the: Then all logical drives in the extended partition of the: 1. Primary master drive 2. Primary slave drive 3. Secondary master drive 4. Secondary slave drive C: D: E: F:

SATA Drive Letter Assignments Similar to PATA, but based on order set in CMOS Similar to PATA, but based on order set in CMOS 1. Primary partition of the first drive 2. Primary partition of the second drive 3. Primary partition of the third drive 4. Etc. 5. All logical drives in extended partition of first drive 6. All logical drives in extended partition of second drive 7. All logical drives in extended partition of third drive 8. Etc.

Disk Management GUI in Windows 2000,XP and vista GUI in Windows 2000,XP and vista Used to manage partitions Used to manage partitions Part of Computer Management Part of Computer Management Can be launched directly with diskmgmt.msc Can be launched directly with diskmgmt.msc Unallocated: 1-Empty space on HD (not Ex not Primary)

Creating a New Partition Alt-click in Unallocated space and choose New Partition… Alt-click in Unallocated space and choose New Partition…

New Partition Wizard

Disk Management Creating a partition in Windows Creating a partition in Windows Pick partition type, size, and assign drive letter Pick partition type, size, and assign drive letter Then choose propitiate format type ( FAT16, FAT32 or NTFS) Then choose propitiate format type ( FAT16, FAT32 or NTFS)

Creating a Logical Drive Once an Extended partition is created, you may create logical drives in it Once an Extended partition is created, you may create logical drives in it

Dynamic Disks Dynamic Disks are a new type of storage available since Windows 2000 Dynamic Disks are a new type of storage available since Windows 2000 Not available in XP Home (avail in XP Pro) Not available in XP Home (avail in XP Pro) Avail in Server 2000 and 2003 Avail in Server 2000 and 2003 Can convert basic to dynamic Can convert basic to dynamic Converting dynamic to basic Converting dynamic to basic causes all data to be lost causes all data to be lost Regular drives are known as basic disks Regular drives are known as basic disks Dynamic disks are divided into volumes instead of partitions Dynamic disks are divided into volumes instead of partitions

Dynamic Disks Spanning Volumes (one hard drive) Spanning Volumes (one hard drive) D: drive is spanned to include unallocated space D: drive is spanned to include unallocated space Effect is more space on D: volume Effect is more space on D: volume C:\ Volume 10 GBD:\ Volume 10 GB30 GB Unallocated space C:\ Volume 10 GBD:\ Volume 10 GB30 GB Unallocated space C:\ Volume 10 GBD:\ Volume 40 GB

Dynamic Disks Extended Volumes (multiple hard drives) Extended Volumes (multiple hard drives) Simple volume spanned across multiple disks Simple volume spanned across multiple disks Effect is more space on D: volume Effect is more space on D: volume C:\ Volume 10 GBD:\ Volume 10 GB New Disk – 80GB C:\ Volume 10 GBD:\ Volume 90 GB

Dynamic Disks Simple volume like a primary partition Simple volume like a primary partition Striped Volume (RAID-0) Striped Volume (RAID-0) Mirrored Volume (RAID-1) Mirrored Volume (RAID-1) Striped with Parity (RAID-5) Striped with Parity (RAID-5)

Formatting a Partition Can do in Windows Explorer Can do in Windows Explorer Can do in Disk Management Can do in Disk Management But you cannot But you cannot format current format current partition or primary partition or primary partition. partition.

Maintaining and Troubleshooting Hard Drives

ScanDisk and CHKDSK ScanDisk and CHKDSK check for bad clusters on hard drives ScanDisk and CHKDSK check for bad clusters on hard drives Also checks for invalid file names and tries to fix them Also checks for invalid file names and tries to fix them Looks for lost clusters or chains that do not have a filename associated with them and deletes them Looks for lost clusters or chains that do not have a filename associated with them and deletes them Checks the links between parent and child folders Checks the links between parent and child folders Launched via Error-Checking tools from Windows Explorer Launched via Error-Checking tools from Windows Explorer

Error-Checking Can check the drive Can check the drive Can be set to automatically fix errors Can be set to automatically fix errors Can scan for and recover bad sectors Can scan for and recover bad sectors

Defragmentation Disk Defragmenter Disk Defragmenter Consider using regularly (monthly or weekly) Consider using regularly (monthly or weekly) Will slow down system while running Will slow down system while running If not done, system may slow down due to fragmentation If not done, system may slow down due to fragmentation Can be scheduled Can be scheduled

Disk Cleanup Allows you to purge system of unneeded files Allows you to purge system of unneeded files Files in the Recycle Bin Files in the Recycle Bin Temporary Internet Files Temporary Internet Files Downloaded Program Files Downloaded Program Files Temporary Files Temporary Files Allowed us to compress file. Allowed us to compress file.

Troubleshooting Three broad categories Three broad categories 1. Installation Errors 2. Data Corruption 3. Dying Hard Drives

Troubleshooting Installation Connectivity Connectivity Hard drive error Hard drive error No fixed disks present No fixed disks present HDD controller failure HDD controller failure NO boot device available NO boot device available Drive not found Drive not found Solutions include Solutions include Checking the cables to make sure they connected properly Checking the cables to make sure they connected properly Reseating the hard drive controller (if an expansion card) Reseating the hard drive controller (if an expansion card) Use autodetection in CMOS Use autodetection in CMOS Check the jumper settings Check the jumper settings Some EIDE drives are incompatible on the same controller Some EIDE drives are incompatible on the same controller

Troubleshooting Installation CMOS CMOS CMOS configuration mismatch CMOS configuration mismatch No boot device available No boot device available Drive not found Drive not found Missing OS Missing OS Solutions Solutions Always run autodetect in CMOS Always run autodetect in CMOS

Troubleshooting Installation “Trying to recover lost allocation unit” indicates the drive is dying “Trying to recover lost allocation unit” indicates the drive is dying Partitions Partitions Failing to partition Failing to partition Invalid drive specification error Invalid drive specification error Making the wrong size or type of partition Making the wrong size or type of partition extend partition and you try to install OS extend partition and you try to install OS Format Format Failing to format Failing to format Drive is not accessible Drive is not accessible Invalid media type Invalid media type

Troubleshooting Corruption Data Corruption Data Corruption Caused by many things such as power surges, accidental shutdowns, viruses, and more Caused by many things such as power surges, accidental shutdowns, viruses, and more Show up as Show up as File is missing or corrupt File is missing or corrupt Download location information is damaged Download location information is damaged Unable to load file Unable to load file Cannot find command.com Cannot find command.com Error loading operating system Error loading operating system Invalid boot.ini Invalid boot.ini Try running Error Checking utility Try running Error Checking utility

Troubleshooting Installation Corrupted data on bad sectors Corrupted data on bad sectors The built-in error correction code (ECC) checks the drive for bad sectors The built-in error correction code (ECC) checks the drive for bad sectors Disk checkers can be used for fixing problems pertaining to corrupted data Disk checkers can be used for fixing problems pertaining to corrupted data

Troubleshooting Dying HD Dying hard drive Dying hard drive The following sounds indicate a drive about to die The following sounds indicate a drive about to die Continuous high-pitched squeal Continuous high-pitched squeal Series of clacks, a short pause, and then more clacks Series of clacks, a short pause, and then more clacks Continuous grinding or rumbling Continuous grinding or rumbling Boot drive issue would show up as “no boot device present” Boot drive issue would show up as “no boot device present” Second drives simply do not show up Second drives simply do not show up

Third Party Partition Tools Third-party partition tools allow you to create, change, and delete partitions without destroying the data Third-party partition tools allow you to create, change, and delete partitions without destroying the data PowerQuest’s Partition Magic PowerQuest’s Partition Magic VCOM’s Partition Commander VCOM’s Partition Commander