Win7 + 4 Primary Partitions = Bleh?

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by Phazor, May 5, 2010.

  1. Phazor

    Phazor MDL Expert

    Sep 1, 2009
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    Hi Everyone,


    Problem here.

    One of my HDDs started to throw SMART errors so i went ahead and bought a 2TB to save the data before the drive gives up the ghost completely.

    Now i just wanted to partition the sucker but Win7 doesnt let me create a 4th primary period.

    It would always create the 4th partition as a extended/logical instead?

    It never was a problem under XP as far as i remember.

    Any idea why it would do that?

    And more importantly; how can i convince it that i really, really, really want that 4th primary?

    I know i could always try a third party partitioner but if at all possible i would rather not install another program just for that.

    See screenshot for details...
     

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  2. SoLoR

    SoLoR MDL Expert

    Jul 30, 2008
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    Tryed manualy with diskpart ? or during instalation? and yes MBR should allow 4 primary paritions...
     
  3. Phazor

    Phazor MDL Expert

    Sep 1, 2009
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    Nope, not yet.

    (Also doubtful if that would make any difference since 'DiskManagement' is practically the GUI version of fdisk.)

    No, im not reinstalling the OS.

    Its just meant to be a data drive. (RAW Volumes are to be encrypted with TrueCrypt.)

    Normally it should. Thats why i dont quite get this...
     
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  4. frisbee66

    frisbee66 MDL Addicted

    Jul 30, 2009
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  5. Rosco

    Rosco MDL Addicted

    Oct 29, 2007
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    #5 Rosco, May 6, 2010
    Last edited: May 6, 2010
    Windows always creates 3 primary partitions and one logical partition on a blank drive - it's the way they built it since the Dos days.

    Unfortunalely you need a third party partitioner to create 4 primary partitions - Windows has no problems recognizing them.

    You can also try Terabytes BootIt NG software which somehow allows unlimited - well over 200 - primary partitions on any one drive - wierd huh ? :p:p
     
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  6. Konde

    Konde MDL Junior Member

    Aug 1, 2009
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    When you have 3 primary partitions and XX MB Of free space do this on windows 7:
    Run > Cmd

    Diskpart
    List disk [look what is your disk]
    Select disk X [where x is your disk, it will say it has XXX MB/GB free]
    create partition primary
    format FS=NTFS quick [optional]
    Assign

    Exit.

    Ready, is THAT simple.
     
  7. Phazor

    Phazor MDL Expert

    Sep 1, 2009
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  8. Rosco

    Rosco MDL Addicted

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    #9 Rosco, May 6, 2010
    Last edited: May 6, 2010
    Partitioning under the GUI doesn't work that way - have become so lazy I don't resort to the command line much anymore. I don't really understand why they restrict choice from the Disk Management GUI app.

    I always found Acronis could partition a drive and use more of the space than M$ fdisk or diskpart - the M$ tools always seemed to leave amounts of free space while Acronis didn't seem to.
     
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  9. Phazor

    Phazor MDL Expert

    Sep 1, 2009
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    @ Rosco: I saw there was another post from you but you seem to have deleted it again.

    You solved the problem?
     
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