WinXP advice needed

[Heretic Apostate]

I have a 20GB hard drive. For some reason, WinXP has seen fit to split it into a C drive (15GB) and a D (backup, 5GB) drive.

What is the purpose of the backup drive? If it's for backing up my computer, how do I use it? (I'm especially interested in this after having my last computer self-destruct last week.) If it's not for backing up my computer, is there any way I can merge the space back into my C drive? Or would you tech gurus recommend against that?

If I shouldn't mess with the D drive, can anyone recommend a cost-effective external hard drive? (I'm already using all four connections: 1 hard drive, 1 fast CD-ROM, 1 CD-RW/DVD-ROM, and 1 ZIP, so the tech here says I can't put in another hard drive. ) Something in the range of another 20GB would be best, I think...

I'm not used to having less than 30GB to work with, so having to fit everything into 15GB just isn't working for me.

 

[MarauderX]

Not sure why your XP is installing that way, but it may have to do with how you initially set up Windows. I think there is an MCSE help thing somewhere on the Microsoft website that might help you there.

As far as adding a hard drive, I would add a fire-wire card and an external hard drive. Get something meaty like 80 or 120G so you can play around and keep things on it that you don't need on your main HD. Share it across your LAN through your connected PC, and you instantly have a giant storage bin for everyone. I am doing that now, and I love it so far. The only drawback is getting other people to keep their folders organized....

 

[Sakzilla]

Do you have a compaq? Some companies partition the drive (it's not XP doing it) and the "d" drive holds files the 'restore' disk will use to put the computer back to like new condition, software wise. Couple of problems with this:

1. The D drive does not retain total integrity, so you eventually will get a message stating that you must contact tech support to restore your computer (this magically happens AFTER the warranty is up).
2. Add up capacity on Drives C and D and I bet they don't fully add up to your drive capacity - the partition the OEMs do is sloppy and you lose space.

Outside of getting a full copy of Windows and completely wiping the machine, I thing you are stuck with the partition.

As to a second drive, you are correct about not being able to add a 5th device. your controller card can only take 4 items. But if you have a slot for a firewire card, you could instead add another controller card and then add the '5th'drive - the new hard drive. I too run a DVD, a CD-RW, and a Zip drive. But with the second controller card, I have been able to add a second 80GB drive to my original (which was kindly partitioned by Compaq at the factory )

Another benefit to getting the second drive is this - with such a small primary drive, get XP running on there with no problems and put EVERYTHING ELSE on the second drive. Any system maintenance/Norton/defrags/etc. will go faster and smoother if only the OS is on the one drive. And putting the music, programs, games, files, etc. on the second drive means you can tweak files at leisure and not run the risk of whacking your OS (especially if you play MMORGs or anything that requires hundreds of patches to stay current).

Hope this helps...

 

[Psionicist]

The backup partition is useless because it is on the same drive as the rest of the system - if the drive fails, the backup parition will fail too because it is on the same physical drive (it might be nice for software backup if you format the c drive often but other than that is is a waste of space). I would recommend you to get more drives then buy an IDE controller card for PCI if the channels on the motherboard aren't enough.

( *bragging*Currently 1100 GB and two DVD-burners here. *bragging* )

 

[Heretic Apostate]

Do you have a compaq?

Nope. Some brand named "Systemax." http://www.systemax.com/

It was basically a seriously-reduced floor model at the local Office Depot. Basically, with my cash flow (or lack thereof), I couldn't afford a new computer. So I'm tossing in a few upgrades to this one (moved over the ZIP from my old computer, tossed in another 512MB of RAM, and am adding a CD-RW/DVD-ROM).

Some companies partition the drive (it's not XP doing it) and the "d" drive holds files the 'restore' disk will use to put the computer back to like new condition, software wise. Couple of problems with this:

Must have been on the Windows OEM disk, then, because we reinstalled Windows to remove any accumulated errors...

Another benefit to getting the second drive is this - with such a small primary drive, get XP running on there with no problems and put EVERYTHING ELSE on the second drive. Any system maintenance/Norton/defrags/etc. will go faster and smoother if only the OS is on the one drive. And putting the music, programs, games, files, etc. on the second drive means you can tweak files at leisure and not run the risk of whacking your OS (especially if you play MMORGs or anything that requires hundreds of patches to stay current).

Hope this helps...

So, if I open up the case, what would a slot for a new controller card look like? How much do they cost?

I'm looking to add a hard drive before too long, maybe after a few checks come in from my contract with the county (which means, a couple months... I hate getting paid monthly, rather than biweekly or even weekly...), unless we're talking about only a hundred dollars or so...

How would one of these new hard drives be installed? I think that there's only one bay left open, and that's a 3.5" slot...

I really appreciate all the help, guys! I'm hoping to add about 1GB of data a month to my computer. (I've identified over 200 PDFs I'd like to buy from svgames.com, and I'm sure I could download TONS of music from iTunes...) Add in the dozens of games I have here, and you can see how having only 6GB left on the C drive is problematic.

 

[gariig]

You need one of these http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=16-115-005&depa=1 from Newegg at about $23 shipped. Then you get 2 more ATA controller ports..so 4 more devices Hard drives are pretty cheap, if you need help I will look around for you.

The other option is to buy a HUGE Firewire/USB hard, take it out, and replace it with your smaller one. Now install that huge hard drive in your computer. So you will now have a HUGE hard drive and a descent sized backup drive. Just another option, I would go with the one above, though.

Gariig

 

[Heretic Apostate]

Well, looks like my computer doesn't have another slot for another hard drive controller. Oh well, I'll just have to get an external hard drive.

Got another question for y'all:

I live with my folks. (This is both for economics--still in the underemployment setup--and because my folks are old, so they need someone around to help out.) My dad is working off an old Pentium I, using a dialup to log on to the internet only to get his mail. (He has the $10 for 5 hours deal at AOL, so that's all he does.)

I want to set up a user account on my computer so he can log in, use my much faster computer to play his games, and possibly log on to the internet through my account.

The trouble is, SBC Yahoo DSL won't log on a non-administrative account, which I'm guessing is the primary account on a computer.

So, is there any way to convince Windows XP Home to give limited administrative priviledges (just to log on to my DSL line) to my dad's account?

Or do I have to give him full access to my files, with all the hassle that involves?

 

[Haradim]

The trouble is, SBC Yahoo DSL won't log on a non-administrative account, which I'm guessing is the primary account on a computer.

So, is there any way to convince Windows XP Home to give limited administrative priviledges (just to log on to my DSL line) to my dad's account?

If it truely needs an Administrator account (which seems very odd to me) to access your service, then I don't think you will be able to do much more than create another Administrator account for your dad. XP Home doesn't let you do a huge amount of user tweaking (so far as I have discovered).

Poking around on my laptop, it seems XP Home only (easily) allows two types of user: Admin and Limited. I can only assume that Limited isn't working for you.

Or do I have to give him full access to my files, with all the hassle that involves?

Not necessarily. Go to your Documents and Settings. You will find a folder with your Administrator (or whatever) username. Right-click and go to Sharing and Security, and select 'Make this Folder Private'. Everything in and under that folder will not be available to other users (even Admins, as far as I can tell).

Only those folders can be made private, so far as I can tell. So if you need to keep anything out of sight, keep it in your My Documents, or any other folder that resides under your Documents and Settings profile.

 

[gariig]

Go to www.dslrepots.com and ask on their forums about using a router with your DSL. A router is a piece of hardware that allows two computers to connect to each other and share an internet connection. The one problem would be if your dads computer can handle a Network card. I don't remember if Pentium 1's had PCI cards in them so you are stuck getting an older ISA card...that means it sucks and it will probably cost you a bunch.

You could always talk him into updating 4 generations

Gariig