Whats the difference between primary partition and extended partition?

[partogi]

Whats the difference between primary partition and extended partition?

I want to use two partitions on one drive. One for OS and the other for data. Which partition is better for data?

Thank you.

 

[marsmimar]

As I understand things, a primary partition is needed if you're going to boot an operating system. In Windows 7 you can have a maximum of 4 primary partitions. If you need more than 4 partitions on a hard drive, you'd make one of those partitions an extended partition which could support up to (I think) a maximum of 60 logical partitions (drives). For your purposes, having two partitions (a C: for the operating system and perhaps a D: for data) wouldn't be a problem if both were primary.

What is the Difference Between Primary and Logical Partition?

 

[gregrocker]

Please post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk Management drive map and listings:

1. Type Disk Management in Start Search box.
2. Open Disk Mgmt. window and maximize it.
3. Type Snipping Tool in Start Search box.
4. Open Snipping Tool, choose Rectangular Snip, draw a box around full map and all listings.
5, Save Snip, attach using paper clip in Reply Box.

Tell us what is on each partition and what you want to do and we will give you the steps.

 

[partogi]

This:

 

[bigmck]

The way yours is setup is fine for what you are going to do.

 

[AddRAM]

C: is way to small, you will soon run out of space on it.

 

[edwar]

Whats the difference between primary partition and extended partition?

I want to use two partitions on one drive. One for OS and the other for data. Which partition is better for data?

Thank you.

Neither a Primary or a Logical drive in an Extended Partition is Better or Worse for storing data. They will both work exactly the same.

May I add that if that is the only drive in your system, and you are running Windows 7, you are going to run out of space Real Fast. The C drive, Windows OS drive, is so small I'm surprised Windows even installed on it. I take it that is an SSD, right? The Windows partition should be somewhere around 40+/-GB at least as Windows by itself is going to take up about 12GBs before you install any programs. You should always have at least 15-20 Percent free space on the OS partition/drive. Otherwise Windows, or even Mac OS X, will Choke once you start to go below that percentage. It is even more important to have a good amount of free space on a SSD as otherwise the SSD can't do proper Wear Leveling.

 

[gregrocker]

I agree with AddRAM.

You need an OS partition large enough to install your programs and contain your paging file, possibly hiberfile if you want modern hibernate feature.

So I'd start with 50gb. Then copy your User folders to data drive, link them back to the related Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums.

This keeps your backup image lean so that if you need to reimage C the data is intact, current and waiting on D.

To extend C now, boot into free Partition Wizard bootable CD, rightclick D to Resize, slide left border to the right to add enough space to C, click OK.

Then rightclick C to Resize, slide right border to the right to take up the space you made, OK, Apply both steps. Partition Wizard Resize Partition Video Help.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Too Small

I agree with AddRAM.

My previous W7 Ultimate (64 bit) install (I re-installed W7 during September) only had OS files (and programs that auto-installed ) on it.
I also disabled Hibernation and moved the Page File to a separate HDD.
It used ~20 GB of HDD space.

If you plan to use the Windows default locations (Program Files, Program Files (x86) and User), you'll need to work out:

• How many programs you want to install and their combined size
• How many games you want to install and their combined size #
• How much space you'll need for your personal files (documents, music, pictures & videos) plus room for future expansion #

# I'd store these on a separate HDD/partition #

You'll also need to leave some extra free space so that the "Disk Defragmenter" can work efficiently (HDD only).
In XP that used to be 15% (I'm not sure what W7 "demands").

Using my PC as an example:

20 GB - Windows
04 GB - Program Files
04 GB - Program Files (x86)
00 GB - Games #
00 GB - User #
--------
28 GB - Sub-total
04 GB - Extra for defrag (HDD Only!)
--------
32 GB - minimum
​

You can get away with less if you are using W7 (32 bit).

Given those numbers I made my Windows partition 40 GB.

# I don't have any games installed in W7. #
# I store my Documents, Music, Pictures and Videos on separate HDDs/partitions. #

 

[partogi]

Thanks for the reply guys.

I only use my PC to watch movies and play some old games which is stored on D drive.

I'm planning to dual boot with XP but I think I read somewhere says we can't install OS on Logical drive. Is this correct?

 

[lehnerus2000]

You should have no problems ...

I'm planning to dual boot with XP but I think I read somewhere says we can't install OS on Logical drive. Is this correct?

I'm not sure about Windows OS (I have installed Linux distros in a Logical partition in the past).

You can have 3 Primary partitions and an Extended partition (containing multiple Logical partitions) so you can easily install XP and W7 on a single HDD.

Make sure that:

• You pre-partition your drive
• You install XP before W7

The partitions on my 1st HDD (1 TB) on my PC:

• 1 - Primary - W7 SP1
• 2 - Primary - XP SP3
• 3 - Primary - Ubuntu 10.04
• 4 - Logical - Documents
• 5 - Logical - Pictures
• 6 - Logical - Downloads

 

[CB]

I'm planning to dual boot with XP but I think I read somewhere says we can't install OS on Logical drive. Is this correct?

My thought. We can install XP to logical drive as long as we have one active primary partition. But must take a note that XP will put its boot files onto the available active primary drive. Means XP will run on logical drive with boot files on the primary, but be cautious that if someday something happen to the primary drive (accidentally deleted/erased) then XP won't be able to start when it's unable to find the required boot files on the other drive (primary drive).

Kevin

 

[gregrocker]

Rightclick on D using Partition Wizard to Modify>Set to Primary, OK, Apply step.

Now you have no worries about installing XP, however if you do it last it will steal the boot from Win7 without the ability to configure a Dual Boot, so you need to restart Win7 by Marking C Partition Active then run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times.

Once you've started up Win7 install EasyBCD (free Download at bottom of page - no name or email required) to add XP on the Add OS Entry tab.

 

[bigmck]

Thanks for the reply guys.

I only use my PC to watch movies and play some old games which is stored on D drive.

I'm planning to dual boot with XP but I think I read somewhere says we can't install OS on Logical drive. Is this correct?

Yes, you are correct. An OS must be on a Primary Partition. You would need to have two Primary Partitions for the OS and the third for your Data could be either Logical or Primary. You really need a bigger HDD if you are going to be storing movies on there.