Problem partioning my hard drive without formating

[dicklaw18]

Hello everyone, im trying to repartion my computer without reformating for the new computer i got. Im trying to do a dual boot with vista and xp and i tried using linux live cd but none seem to boot up with my computer. The vista takes up the whole hard drive besides the recovery partion.
This is my computer
HP Pavilion dv6700t Entertainment CTO NB
- Upgrade to Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate (64-bit)
- Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo Processor T9300 (2.50 GHz, 6 MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
- 15.4" WXGA High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1280 x 800)
- 1GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
- 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS - For Core 2 Duo Processors
- HP Imprint Finish (Radiance) + Fingerprint Reader + Webcam + Microphone
- Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection and Bluetooth(TM)
- FREE Upgrade to 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive from 160GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive!!
- FREE Upgrade to LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support!!

 

[GraemeP]

You will have to format if you change the partion on that drive, unless its got unpartion space left.

 

[GraemeP]

You could try using software like Partition Magic i have never tryed it, It might do the job but it would cost for the software

 

[14049752]

Windows Vista allows you to resize your existing partition, so you don't have to format or use a third party product. Right click on "My Computer" or "Computer" or whatever the heck they're calling it now....then go to "Manage". Once there, go into disk management and then choose "Shrink" for the partition you want to shrink...then format the remaining space as a new partition.

Repartitioning the drive isn't really the problem, though. You have to be careful in how you actually install XP, so that the boot record doesn't get fubar'd.
Basically, follow this guide and you'll be good. http://apcmag.com/5485/dualbooting_vista_and_xp

I'm not especially fond of their method to shrink the vista partition...in my opinion, you may as well just do it inside Vista itself (since, in their guide it IS already installed), so skip that part and follow my directions above.

 

[GraemeP]

Thats a handy tool they added would of been good if XP had that. This is what i love about this site you learn something new every day.

 

[dicklaw18]

Thats a handy tool they added would of been good if XP had that. This is what i love about this site you learn something new every day.

my computer is vista ultimate but im not seeing that option anywhere

 

[14049752]

my computer is vista ultimate but im not seeing that option anywhere

Go to either run or search on the start menu, type in compmgmt.msc then, in that go to the disk management section. It's in there, it's in all versions of Vista.

 

[Blues]

It is there I have done this twice myself but its been months so I can't tell you where to go really.

 

[dicklaw18]

It is there I have done this twice myself but its been months so I can't tell you where to go really.

it worked but now when i tried to install xp it told me that it couldnt find a hard disk to install to. The hard drive under device manager says its a Hitachi HTS542525K9sa00 its a 250GB hard drive

 

[seedubya]

It can't find the hard disk because XP doesn't have the drivers for the sata controller. You'll need to download those, put them on a floppy, attach a USB floppy drive and press F6 when prompted during the beginning of the XP installation. It will then be able to see your hard drive.

 

[dicklaw18]

It can't find the hard disk because XP doesn't have the drivers for the sata controller. You'll need to download those, put them on a floppy, attach a USB floppy drive and press F6 when prompted during the beginning of the XP installation. It will then be able to see your hard drive.

is there any other way to do it other than having to buy a external floppy?

 

[14049752]

You can slipstream the driver into your Windows XP disc using nLite

 

[dicklaw18]

You can slipstream the driver into your Windows XP disc using nLite

hmmm how do i find the driver? the only driver i can find on the hp site is one thats in a install file.

 

[seedubya]

You Google for it and you get this as the first page

http://forums12.itrc.hp.com/service...47627+1206993049756+28353475&threadId=1211045

 

[generalj]

Download ubuntu Live Desktop CD.

use a iso burner to burn it to cd.

boot it up.

select install/boot (it wont install yet, it will just boot it in live mode)

open up a terminal and type "sudo apt-get install gparted" then hit enter. (without quotes)

say yes to install, let it install. then from the same terminal type gksudo gparted and then hit enter.

this utility has let me "resize" my vista and xp partitions so I can dual boot other os's on them.

 

[seedubya]

that still won't help with xp not being able to see the hard disk though....

 

[generalj]

Since you say in post #9 that you resized the partition. what all did it do? did it change the file system? I would highly recommend the ubuntu cd and gparted. actually you can download gparted bootable cd too. fire it up and see what is is listing as your drive? The partitions look right? the file systems? the boot flags? the space? You need to check all this our because something does not sound right here.

I really believe this is not a driver issue but an incorrect partition/format structure. You need a tool to let you see exactly these details. gparted live cd will allow this.

 

[14049752]

I really believe this is not a driver issue but an incorrect partition/format structure. You need a tool to let you see exactly these details. gparted live cd will allow this.

No...it's clearly a driver issue. Even if the partition were not formatted correctly, windows will still show a drive, and then let you format it. If the Windows XP install cd doesn't have a driver for the ide/sata/raid controller, though, it won't show any drives. Y'know...how you have to press "F6" and then use a disk to load drivers for some controllers. That's the issue here.

 

[generalj]

I have only had to use f6 for raid and scsi controllers. sata should be generic driver in xp. I thought I read above somewhere that the drive shows up in device manger under vista.

Also is this xp cd you are using sp1? I guess I am use to sp2, sp2 would have sata drivers already for sp1 I am not sure. If you cant find a driver and get it working atleast check out the partition/formatting details of the drive it might clue you in.

 

[14049752]

I thought I read above somewhere that the drive shows up in device manger under vista.

Yeah, the drive would show up in vista, because vista has the driver loaded and boots to it. The problem was that Windows XP isn't detecting the drive when trying to install it. The system's a laptop, I don't know what sata controller it uses, but XP (even sp2) doesn't have all of them built in. Most of the time when sata is automatically detected by XP, it's because the controller is able to emulate IDE or Windows has the driver already on the disc for common controllers.