I can’t create a new partition

Cause: If your computer has multiple hard disks or has unallocated space on the first disk, you can create additional partitions. Having partitions works like having different hard disks, by enabling you to store data in a more organized manner. Different partitions on the same disk can use different file systems and can be used for different purposes. To create a new partition, you must have unallocated space from which to create the partition, you must be logged on as an administrator, and you must use the Disk Management utility to create the partition.

To create a new partition, follow these steps:

1. Log on with an administrator account.

2. Click Start--> Control Panel--> Administrative Tools--> Computer Management.

3. In the Computer Management console--> right-click the unallocated space on the desired disk where you want to create the new partition and click New Partition.

4. The New Partition Wizard appears--> Click Next on the Welcome screen.

5. In the Select Partition Type screen--> click either Primary Partition, Extended Partition, or Logical Drive, (See the Windows XP Help and Support Center for more information about partition types). Click Next.

6. In the Specify Partition Size screen, choose the size in megabytes for the partition--> Click Next.

7. In the Assign Drive Letter and Path screen, you can choose a drive letter or mount the drive to an empty NTFS folder. (See the Windows XP Help and Support Center to learn more about mounting to an empty NTFS folder.) Click Next.

8. In the Format Partition screen--> choose the file system you want to use. This screen also allows you to choose to run a quick format, which is faster than a full format (full is usually better), and enable file and folder compression. Make your selections and click Next.

9. Click Next--> and then click Finish. The new partition is created and formatted according to your settings.

Prevention: You can use the Disk Management utility to reformat drives and delete drives; but proceed with caution because both of those functions destroy all information on the chosen drives!