Creating and Deleting Partitions Using FDISK

When first setting up a hard drive, you need to consider how many partitions that disk will contain. For example, some people like to partition their single drive into two partitions and keep their data on one partition and Windows on another. This makes reinstalling Windows easier and helps to protect your data. Below are the steps for creating and removing partition using the fdisk utility.

Creating Partitions

Before you can FORMAT your hard drive, you must partition it. Most drives only have a Primary partition, but that partition can be split into an Extended partition which can be further divided into Logical Drives. The C: drive is normally the Primary partition. The logical drives after that can be labeled D: E: F: etc. To partition the drive you’ll need a boot disk. This disk (sometimes called a Startup Disk) will contain the FDISK utility. We recommend downloading one from bootdisk.com to match your Operating System, or you can make one in the Add / Remove Programs area of the control panel. You’ll need a formatted, blank floppy for this.

Once the boot disk has been created, insert the disk and reboot. You will eventually wind up at the A:/ prompt. Type fdisk and hit enter. you will be taken to a screen with the following options:

1. Create DOS partition or Logical DOS Drive

2. Set active partition

3. Delete Partitions or Logical DOS Drive

4. Display partition information

5. Change current fixed drive

You will choose option one first, then when asked if you want to use the entire amount of space for this you will say Y if you have no intention of partitioning further, or N if you want to create an Extended partition (recommended). Your Extended partition must take up the remaining space on the disk. You will then be able to create Logical drives.

Your Primary partition should automatically be set as the Active partition. If not, you may need to go to the option 2 to designate it as such.

Keep in mind that there are some restrictions on partition sizes. You may need to partition huge drives into 64 gigs or smaller.

Deleting Partitions

Before creating partitions on older drives, you will have to delete the current partitions. Backup any important data because all data will be lost after deleting a partition. To avoid losing data, you can use non-destructive partitioning software such as Partition Magic–but it’s wise to backup just in case.

If you have an NTFS partition on a drive FDISK will not be able to remove it. You’ll probably see an error like this NTLDR is missing. Press any key to restart. You can use a utility called delpart.exe to remove the NTFS partition. This is also available at bootdisk.com.

Hard Drive Utilities

Most hard drive manufacturers include partitioning and copying software with the new drives. This will be a disk similar to a boot disk that will provide a graphical interface that walks you through the process of transferring files from one drive to another and partitioning the new disk into the FAT 32 or NTFS format. This is by far the easiest way to go. However, it is still recommended that you know the differences between a Primary, Extended and Logical drive.

Windows Backup

Routinely backing up our important data is something we should all do.  Unfortunately, we don’t realize this until we’re scrambling to recover data on a hard drive that has just gone south.  Family photos, MP3s, that spreadsheet you’ve been doing for work–all gone.  You can avoid this traumatic experience by using the backup utility that comes with Windows.  This article outlines a few simple techniques you can use to make sure your computer data is safe.

The Better-Than-Nothing Backup Strategy

Get a CD burner and occasionally drag and drop your files onto a disk using the software that came with the device (Usually something like Roxio Easy CD Creator or Nero).  A flaw in this technique is that you will inevitably forget to do this, and before you realize it, it’s been a year since your last backup.

If you’re determined to be use this method, we suggest weekly backups as well as monthly backups, where you physically remove the backed up data from your home or office and store it at another location.  A house fire or other disaster could destroy both your PC and your backup sitting beside it on the desk.  So you’ll increase your odds if you keep a monthly copy in a safe deposit box, at work, or at a family member’s home.

Windows Backup

Windows has a backup program ready to go on your system.  Navigate to START, PROGRAMS, ACCESSORIES, then SYSTEM TOOLS and you’ll find the backup utility.  While older versions of this utility will differ slightly from XP Professional’s, you’ll be able to follow the Wizard when backing up.

You can backup the entire system, which isn’t a great idea.  Windows and other programs can be reinstalled.  So you’re probably better off keeping your data in a centralized location, such as your My Documents folder.  You can add folders within that directory by opening My Documents and right-clicking an empty space.  Name the new folders whatever you want and organize your data.  Then use the Windows backup utility to create a backup of your data.  Put this file on another hard drive, burn it to disk, or copy it over to another computer on your network.

Also, take a moment to schedule backups.  The Windows backup utility will give you a chance to schedule backups automatically. This is normally located under the Advanced tab at the end of the backup process.  Take a moment to set this up.

Gmail and Yahoo Mail

If you’re having a problem with finding media to backup to, take advantage of free Yahoo Mail and Google Gmail accounts.  You can get up to 2 Gigabytes of storage space on these accounts.  What does this mean?  You can email yourself attachments containing data.  So you essentially have an invisible hard drive Out There on the Internet.  This is great for temporary or redundant storage, but do not rely on it for the long term.

In Conclusion

No matter how you backup, make sure you never rely on a single source.  Rotate your backups out of the home, Email them to yourself or place them on a separate partition on your hard drive.  Take advantage of the backup utility in Windows and use the scheduler feature to automate things.  Be proactive with your data, and you will be better off when your system fails….and it will fail.  Eventually.

Creating a Windows Startup Disk

Depending on your Operating System, you will need at least one formatted floppy disk, but as many as six for Windows 2000 and XP.

Each Operating System could require a different amount of disks to complete the job.  For instance, Windows 98 will use one blank floppy while XP will need six.

To format a floppy, insert a disk, then go to START>RUN, then type format a:

Once the disk is formatted, visit our Downloads Page to download your version to your hard drive, then transfer it onto the floppy.

Keep this disk in a safe place.  It contains critical files necessary to boot your PC.

Replacing Your Motherboard CMOS Battery

Computers contains a battery to keep time when the computer is off, much like a watch or some alarm clocks. Just like a watch, the battery needs to be replaced when it runs low on power. You can purchase these batteries in most department or PC specialty shops. For most of us, the computer becomes obsolete long before we need to change the battery, but new technology allows us to keep our systems longer and longer by swapping out components.

How and Where to begin when changing the CMOS battery:

CMOS is an abbreviation for Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. You may need to change your CMOS battery if your computer clock isn’t accurate when you boot. However, if your pc loses time as the computer runs, that’s another problem.

It is important to get into the BIOS settings and write down any special settings. If you remove and replace the battery quick enough, you might not lose your settings, but it’s best to write everything down.

Remove the side panel so you have access to the motherboard. You should have the pc unplugged and be wearing an antistatic wrist strap to avoid damaging your boards.

1. Jot down notes if you cannot access the battery directly and need to remove cables. Note the connection and orientation of each cable. Do not unplug anything from the board unless absolutely necessary.

2. The battery is often only held in place by a couple of thin clamps that can be gently slid aside or raised enough to get the battery out. DO NOT BREAK THE CLAMPS.

3. Once the replacement is in, replace any cables, close the case and boot the computer. Go back into the BIOS and restore any settings, if necessary.

Discharge the CMOS

It is sometimes necessary to discharge the CMOS. This is done by a set of jumpers on the motherboard, often near the CMOS battery. The small plastic clip is normally on pins 1 and 2. To discharge the CMOS memory, make sure the power is off and move the jumper to pins 2 and 3. You can return the jumper to pins 1-2 after only a few seconds. Now the CMOS memory has been cleared.

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General Computer Troubleshooting

Computer problems are frustrating.  Becoming frustrated during the troubleshooting process will only lead to more problems.  So the important thing to do first is take a deep breath, think happy thoughts, and plan out your course of action.  Have tools ready, restore disks and drivers.  This will save you time and patience.

Before you begin, jot down notes about any recent activity you have taken:  Have there been any software changes?  Did you recently add any new hardware?  Did you unplug the PC and move it across the room?

If there have been no changes to the PC or its environment, then its time to pay attention to precisely what happens, if anything, when the PC boots.

Your first clues will be given during the POWER ON SELF TEST (POST).  A successful test results in a short, single beep.  This means that the BIOS received no errors from the hardware initializing during the boot process.  If there was a problem, the BIOS would issue a beep code specific to the BIOS manufacturer that describes the nature of the problem.  It is important to know what BIOS is on your motherboard.  You can determine this by watching the name that flashes in the upper left corner during boot, or by opening the case open and looking for the BIOS chip.  Common BIOS manufacturers are AMI BIOS, AWARD and PHOENIX.  An example of an Award BIOS beep code for a video card problem would be one long beep followed by two short beeps.

If you get no beep code, and everything seems to be spinning inside the case, then the main culprit is probably the processor.

Memory – Memory errors could generate a “201: Memory Error” message on the screen. Any error codes beginning with 2 indicate a memory error.

Keyboard – a problem with the keyboard will result in a “301: Keyboard Failure” error message followed by a short beep. System may halt or may ignore the error.

Floppy – any problems will result in a “601: Floppy Disk” error code appearing on the screen.

The Power Supply, or PSU, is another main culprit in hardware failures.  The Power Supply is the first connection to the outside world and can be damaged by unclean power, brown-outs, spikes and blackouts.  The PSU will appear to function normally, but may actually be damaged.  If you’re lucky nothing will happen when you press the power button.  Nothing at all.  But usually the lights will flash, the hard drives will spin, and you will immediately eliminate the PSU because it appears to be functioning correctly.  Thus, you are taken down a frustrating road of trial and error while attempting to find the source of the hardware problem.

Since power supplies are relatively inexpensive and by far the easiest piece of hardware to swap out.  We recommend replacing this first if there are no POST codes or hints to any other device being bad.

Software Troubleshooting

If the PC passes the POST, the hard drive begins to load the operating system into memory.  Software no w takes over and will sometimes generate errors at this point.  If you cannot boot properly at this point in the game, then you should first see if you can get into SAFE MODE.  Safe Mode is accomplished by repeatedly pressing the F8 key during this critical moment .  A new menu will appear with boot options.  You can choose Safe Mode here or a Step by Step Confirmation that will ask you to confirm when loading devices and drivers.  Keep your note pad handy because if you choose this option, you will need to know exactly what failed.

If, by luck, you are able to get into Windows, you can then run Scandisk (or CHKDSK) to determine if something is wrong with the file structure.  Or you can navigate to the Device Manager in the Control Panel (under SYSTEM) to get a visual on any devices that have errors or or conflicts.  You can disable hardware here or update drivers.

In Conclusion

Whatever the problem is, it’s important to take a step back and look at the situation.  Is it hardware or software?  Did I change anything?  Do I have a backup?  Maybe I should simply reformat and reinstall?  Or perhaps I have a virus or Trojan?

Routinely backup your important documents, do basic preventive maintenance on the fans and keyboard with compress air, use an Uninterruptible Power Source for your power supply, routinely update your virus definitions, and defrag monthly.  These are a few of the basic techniques that will keep things running smooth.

Upgrading Your Graphics Card

A new graphics card is one of the most upgradeable features for PCs and can significantly boost gaming performance.

Most newer computer motherboards come with an AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) slot on the board, even if they have graphics integrated on the motherboard itself.  This allows you to upgrade.  In most cases the AGP card will override the integrated motherboard graphics.  But in some cases, you’ll need to go into the BIOS Setup and disable it.

You’ll need the following:

• Non-magnetic screwdriver (for opening your case)

• Your graphics card installation manual

• Anti-static wrist strap

• New graphics card drivers

• Windows Installation CD (Possibly)

• Your computer manual (Possibly)

First, uninstall the current drivers for your graphics and set the display to standard VGA.

Next, turn off everything plugged into the PC.  Disconnect the current video cable, and touch an unpainted surface of the case to ground yourself while the PC’s power cord is still plugged in.  This grounds you via the ground in the plug.

Once you remove the case’s side panel, locate the brown slot at the back of the case.  Normally this is above several white slots.  This brown slot is the AGP.

Remove the current card, if necessary.

Line up the teeth of the card with the AGP slot and press firmly into place.  If it doesn’t go in easily, then you do not have it properly aligned.

Some newer cards also plug into the power supply.  So you will need a free power supply dongle in this instance or you can use the Y adaptor included with this type of card.

That’s it.  Now we’ll have to install the drivers for the card.  You may need the Windows installation CD, so have it handy.  You will also need the CD or floppy that came with the graphics card.

Turn on the PC.  The new hardware wizard should run immediately.  You will follow the onscreen instructions, rebooting when necessary.  Windows will then ask for the drivers.  Put the CD into the drive and navigate to the folder for your Operating System.  Click NEXT.

If all goes fine, you might want to tweak the display settings by either going to the Control Panel or by right-clicking on the Desktop and selecting Properties.  You can change the resolution to a setting your monitor can handle.  In most cases this will be 800X600 @16-bit colors or 1024X768.

Benchtest Your PC

Troubleshooting On The Bench

There’s nothing more frustrating than a freshly built PC that will not boot.  Normally, you’re starting with all new components and you’re not sure if any of them work to begin with.  This article deals with a few common techniques computer technicians use when dealing with this common problem.

Before you begin yanking out cables and components, just go over your connections one last time. A common mistake is the connection from the case power and reset switches to the motherboard.  Carefully review the motherboard’s manual to make sure these connections are right.  Not only do the connectors need to be on the correct pins, they must also be in the correct orientation.  If that is good, make sure the | / O switch on the back of the power supply is in the “|” position.  Then, give the computer a little shake.  Do you hear any screws bouncing around between the motherboard and the case?  This can cause the system to blow or go to ground.  Lastly, make sure the CMOS jumper is on pins 1-2.  If it is on pins 2-3 the motherboard will not boot.  This jumper is located near the watch-like battery on the motherboard.

Still no POST?  Now carefully remove any PCI and AGP cards.  Unplug the power supply and IDE cables to make life easier.  You may already be able to get to the screws that hold the motherboard to the case.  Personally, I like to remove everything except the CPU and heat-sink before pulling the motherboard.

Once all components are out of the case, place the motherboard on an antistatic bag (use the bag the motherboard shipped it, if possible) or a piece of cardboard.  Be sure not to leave the motherboard running on the cardboard unattended because there is a remote possibility it could cause a fire.

You may need to rest the cardboard and bag on top of the case depending on the amount of wire you have with the case wires and the power supply leads.  You can short the pins on the motherboard to boot without actually using the case wires but we are not going to cover that here.

Now make sure you only have the bare minimum of components connected to the motherboard.  This means only one stick of memory (if the motherboard allows only one stick), the CPU and the video card.  Nothing else.  The only thing we’re trying to do here is get the system to POST. A successful POST should result in a single, short beep.  Make sure the motherboard has a built in speaker or you will need to connect an external speaker via pins on the motherboard.

If you still get nothing, begin swapping out spare parts if you have them at your disposal.  Otherwise, you will need to start returning the components, starting with the motherboard, then the CPU.  Before returning them, look for visible signs of damage (scorch marks on the CPU, bubbling capacitors on the motherboard, etc…).

Good luck.  The most important ingredient in troubleshooting a new PC is patience.

Scandisk or chkdsk

Lost Clusters on HDD

Frequently running Scandisk or chkdsk can help save your data.  Hard drives can develop bad clusters over time, and those utilities can help retrieve corrupt data, and also prevent data from ever being written to those bad sectors again.  Running these disk management tools will help reduce crashes and further loss of data.  They may also help make you aware of impending hard drive failure.

Lost clusters in a lost chain

A typical error, such as “lost cluster in a lost chain” indicates that data is present but there are no pointers pointing to that data.  You can run chkdsk to attempt to recover the files, or you can simply repair the errors by selecting N when prompted for action.  This will correct the errors but not save the data.  Or you can press Y, which will attempt the associate a folder to that data.  If a folder cannot be found, it will save the data in a folder labeled .xxx.  The “xxx” is a sequential number, so the folder will probably be named .000 if the folder does not exist.

ScanDisk
This utility exists in Windows 9.x systems, such as Windows 98 and ME.  To access this utility, navigate to START>PROGRAMS>ACCESSORIES>SYSTEM TOOLS, then scandisk.  You will be given the option to do a Thorough Scan, which is recommended as it physically scans the surface of the drive for errors.  You can also specify if you want the errors corrected automatically, which is normally fine unless you want to attempt to recover the data.

Chkdsk
Chkdsk is available in Windows 2000 and Windows XP.  To run a chkdsk, go to My Computer and right-click the drive you want to scan, then select Properties.  Under the Tools tab, you will see a section for Error Checking.  Click Check Now.  Again, you will be given options Automatically fix the errors, or to attempt to recover the data.  You may be prompted to reboot so this utility can run before Windows loads.  This is normal.