So, you've decided to take the
plunge. There are a few things you need to do before you start the process of
partitioning. The first is to choose your tool. Don't make a choice based only
on our recommendations or what a friend or colleague has told you. Visit the
Web sites of partitioning software developers, compare features, and read
reviews. Find out as much as you can and make an informed decision.
Once you've chosen your tool,
remember that while the software may make partitioning easy but it can also be
dangerous. If you make a mistake, like formatting the wrong partition or
choosing a primary instead of a logical partition, you can wipe that partition
out. This will destroy all of your files, wipe out your operating system, the
whole shebang. So, before you install the partitioning program read the
documentation. Thoroughly.
How Big?
Try to determine the size of the
partition you need. You'll want make the new partition as large as possible,
while leaving enough space on the primary partition. Say you want to install a
copy of Linux on the new partition and the distribution you're using recommends
6 GB of space. So, if you have 25 GB of free hard drive space you might want to
allocate 10 GB to the new partition. This should leave you with enough room to
add new Linux applications and files, and give you enough space to add software
to the primary partition as well.
It's always useful to check the
amount of free space you have on the hard drive you plan to partition. In
Windows, open Explorer. Right-click the label for the drive and select
Properties. The Properties dialog displays amount of free and used space. If
have less than 200 MB of free hard drive space and want to install another
operating system, partitioning is definitely not worthwhile. Any current
operating system probably won't fit on the partition. That said, there's no
reason why you can't set up a small (20 to 30 MB partition) for files or
software.
Clean Up
Do some basic housekeeping to free
up some space on your hard drive, and clean up any wayward clusters. Defragment
your hard drive and delete any temporary files in the emp or windows emp
folders. Even doing something as innocuous as emptying your Web browser's cache
can free up a few megabytes.
Remember to back up your important
files. In the off chance something goes wrong when partition the drive, you'll
at least have saved your important data.
Once your partition is in place,
you can use it to store your files, to install new software, or just about
anything else you can think of.