C disk versus D disk

[Robert]

I know this must be very basic, but I just don't know. What is the
difference between a C disk and a D disk? I'm using Windows XP Home. The D
disk is defined as a "local disk" (in Explorer). Can I put data on this
disk, as it has 59 GB of free space? Is it ever erased? Will it restore if
I do a system restore? If not, can I transfer some of that space to my C
disk?

Thanks.

Robert

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Without actually looking into your PC I cannot tell whether you have two
physical hard drives, or a single drive partitioned into two (or more)
partitions. The System Recovery partition (if that is what you have rather
than a System Recovery CD) is normally hidden and marked as such even if you
choose to unhide it and would normally be much smaller than the 60gb you
mention.

Yes, you can use the d:\ drive for programs etc, however you cannot just cut
and paste them from the c:\ drive to the d:\ drive as their Registry entries
would not be correct and they would end up not working. You can choose to
uninstall them from the c:\ drive and using a custom install (usually an
option on the first screen) choose to install them on the d:\ drive.

Is the data ever erased from the d:\ drive?.... probably not until you tell
the PC you wish to do so!

Can you resize the partition (if it is indeed a single drive partitioned
into two)... not without either losing data and reinstalling everything ..
or using a third party software like Partition Magic which can do the job
without loss of data.

Cari
www.coribright.com


"Robert" > wrote in message
...
> I know this must be very basic, but I just don't know. What is the
> difference between a C disk and a D disk? I'm using Windows XP Home. The
D
> disk is defined as a "local disk" (in Explorer). Can I put data on this
> disk, as it has 59 GB of free space? Is it ever erased? Will it restore
if
> I do a system restore? If not, can I transfer some of that space to my C
> disk?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Robert
>
>

[Robert]

Thanks for responding.

The computer is a Sony VAIO PCV-RX650. I don't think it has 2 hard drives.
Right now local disk C has a capacity of 14.9 GB of which 13.3 GB are used.
Local disk D has a capacity of 59.5 GB of which 98.2 MB are used (note the
M). So there are more than 59 giga bytes of unused space on the D disk.
The 4 top folders which are on D disk now are "image", "msdownld.tmp",
"SonicStage", and "TEMP" and appear to be empty. This is a waste, isn't it?
Does the computer have to reserve 59 GB for System Recovery? What gives?
I'd like to be able to access some of that space, so do you recommend
Partion Magic? Is this a common situation?

Robert


"Cari (MS-MVP)" > wrote in message
...
> Without actually looking into your PC I cannot tell whether you have two
> physical hard drives, or a single drive partitioned into two (or more)
> partitions. The System Recovery partition (if that is what you have
rather
> than a System Recovery CD) is normally hidden and marked as such even if
you
> choose to unhide it and would normally be much smaller than the 60gb you
> mention.
>
> Yes, you can use the d:\ drive for programs etc, however you cannot just
cut
> and paste them from the c:\ drive to the d:\ drive as their Registry
entries
> would not be correct and they would end up not working. You can choose to
> uninstall them from the c:\ drive and using a custom install (usually an
> option on the first screen) choose to install them on the d:\ drive.
>
> Is the data ever erased from the d:\ drive?.... probably not until you
tell
> the PC you wish to do so!
>
> Can you resize the partition (if it is indeed a single drive partitioned
> into two)... not without either losing data and reinstalling everything ..
> or using a third party software like Partition Magic which can do the job
> without loss of data.
>
> Cari
> www.coribright.com
>
>
> "Robert" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I know this must be very basic, but I just don't know. What is the
> > difference between a C disk and a D disk? I'm using Windows XP Home.
The
> D
> > disk is defined as a "local disk" (in Explorer). Can I put data on this
> > disk, as it has 59 GB of free space? Is it ever erased? Will it
restore
> if
> > I do a system restore? If not, can I transfer some of that space to my
C
> > disk?
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Robert
> >
> >
>
>

[Spinner]

The system is not reserving that space, you simply have 2 partitions.
That has been common since "almost" the beginning or personnal computers.
You have access to that space, and can use it anytime you want.
You may install programs there, save any files there, whatever.
If you have programs that are taking up a lot of space on the C drive, you
can uninstall them from C and re-install them to D.
If you want to reduce the size of the D drive and increase the size of C,
then yes, you could use Partition Magic.


"Robert" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for responding.
>
> The computer is a Sony VAIO PCV-RX650. I don't think it has 2 hard
drives.
> Right now local disk C has a capacity of 14.9 GB of which 13.3 GB are
used.
> Local disk D has a capacity of 59.5 GB of which 98.2 MB are used (note the
> M). So there are more than 59 giga bytes of unused space on the D disk.
> The 4 top folders which are on D disk now are "image", "msdownld.tmp",
> "SonicStage", and "TEMP" and appear to be empty. This is a waste, isn't
it?
> Does the computer have to reserve 59 GB for System Recovery? What gives?
> I'd like to be able to access some of that space, so do you recommend
> Partion Magic? Is this a common situation?
>
> Robert
>
>
> "Cari (MS-MVP)" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Without actually looking into your PC I cannot tell whether you have two
> > physical hard drives, or a single drive partitioned into two (or more)
> > partitions. The System Recovery partition (if that is what you have
> rather
> > than a System Recovery CD) is normally hidden and marked as such even if
> you
> > choose to unhide it and would normally be much smaller than the 60gb you
> > mention.
> >
> > Yes, you can use the d:\ drive for programs etc, however you cannot just
> cut
> > and paste them from the c:\ drive to the d:\ drive as their Registry
> entries
> > would not be correct and they would end up not working. You can choose
to
> > uninstall them from the c:\ drive and using a custom install (usually an
> > option on the first screen) choose to install them on the d:\ drive.
> >
> > Is the data ever erased from the d:\ drive?.... probably not until you
> tell
> > the PC you wish to do so!
> >
> > Can you resize the partition (if it is indeed a single drive partitioned
> > into two)... not without either losing data and reinstalling everything
...
> > or using a third party software like Partition Magic which can do the
job
> > without loss of data.
> >
> > Cari
> > www.coribright.com
> >
> >
> > "Robert" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I know this must be very basic, but I just don't know. What is the
> > > difference between a C disk and a D disk? I'm using Windows XP Home.
> The
> > D
> > > disk is defined as a "local disk" (in Explorer). Can I put data on
this
> > > disk, as it has 59 GB of free space? Is it ever erased? Will it
> restore
> > if
> > > I do a system restore? If not, can I transfer some of that space to
my
> C
> > > disk?
> > >
> > > Thanks.
> > >
> > > Robert
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[Robert]

Okay. I got it.


"Spinner" > wrote in message
news:xh8db.19591$a16.554@lakeread01...
> The system is not reserving that space, you simply have 2 partitions.
> That has been common since "almost" the beginning or personnal computers.
> You have access to that space, and can use it anytime you want.
> You may install programs there, save any files there, whatever.
> If you have programs that are taking up a lot of space on the C drive, you
> can uninstall them from C and re-install them to D.
> If you want to reduce the size of the D drive and increase the size of C,
> then yes, you could use Partition Magic.
>
>
> "Robert" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Thanks for responding.
> >
> > The computer is a Sony VAIO PCV-RX650. I don't think it has 2 hard
> drives.
> > Right now local disk C has a capacity of 14.9 GB of which 13.3 GB are
> used.
> > Local disk D has a capacity of 59.5 GB of which 98.2 MB are used (note
the
> > M). So there are more than 59 giga bytes of unused space on the D disk.
> > The 4 top folders which are on D disk now are "image", "msdownld.tmp",
> > "SonicStage", and "TEMP" and appear to be empty. This is a waste, isn't
> it?
> > Does the computer have to reserve 59 GB for System Recovery? What
gives?
> > I'd like to be able to access some of that space, so do you recommend
> > Partion Magic? Is this a common situation?
> >
> > Robert
> >
> >
> > "Cari (MS-MVP)" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Without actually looking into your PC I cannot tell whether you have
two
> > > physical hard drives, or a single drive partitioned into two (or more)
> > > partitions. The System Recovery partition (if that is what you have
> > rather
> > > than a System Recovery CD) is normally hidden and marked as such even
if
> > you
> > > choose to unhide it and would normally be much smaller than the 60gb
you
> > > mention.
> > >
> > > Yes, you can use the d:\ drive for programs etc, however you cannot
just
> > cut
> > > and paste them from the c:\ drive to the d:\ drive as their Registry
> > entries
> > > would not be correct and they would end up not working. You can
choose
> to
> > > uninstall them from the c:\ drive and using a custom install (usually
an
> > > option on the first screen) choose to install them on the d:\ drive.
> > >
> > > Is the data ever erased from the d:\ drive?.... probably not until you
> > tell
> > > the PC you wish to do so!
> > >
> > > Can you resize the partition (if it is indeed a single drive
partitioned
> > > into two)... not without either losing data and reinstalling
everything
> ..
> > > or using a third party software like Partition Magic which can do the
> job
> > > without loss of data.
> > >
> > > Cari
> > > www.coribright.com
> > >
> > >
> > > "Robert" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > I know this must be very basic, but I just don't know. What is the
> > > > difference between a C disk and a D disk? I'm using Windows XP
Home.
> > The
> > > D
> > > > disk is defined as a "local disk" (in Explorer). Can I put data on
> this
> > > > disk, as it has 59 GB of free space? Is it ever erased? Will it
> > restore
> > > if
> > > > I do a system restore? If not, can I transfer some of that space to
> my
> > C
> > > > disk?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks.
> > > >
> > > > Robert
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>