Formatting With GParted
For : GParted
By : je.saist
For : GParted
By : je.saist
Over Part 1 we looked at opening up Gparted and the default formatting on most Windows NT5 and Vista systems. Several OEMS, like Dell, HP, and Gateway have a different idea of a default partitioning format. Many of these computers forsake a physical Windows Xp or Vista installation disc in favor of a recovery partition, which contains the installation files for the Microsoft Products. In some cases the recovery partition is set to a fat32 partition that is hidden from the normal file system. In other cases, there will be an empty fat32 partition in front of the NTFS partition, and the recovery partition at the end of the drive.
The Good thing about both GParted and QTParted is that they have no problems finding the partitions that are tagged as hidden.
1: Shown below is a typical example of a modern NT5 or Vista Installation from Dell.
2: As before, just Left Click on the Partition you want to get rid of. In this case we'll start with the first fat32 partition.
3: Then Left Click on Delete.
4: The NTFS drive goes next. Left Click to Select.
5: Left Click on Delete
6: We'll now see that the two earlier partitions are now combined.
Away with the recovery partition. Left Click to Select.
7: Left Click on Delete
8: Left Click on Apply
9: Left Click on Apply (again)
10: Wait for the Operations to Complete
11: This drive is now cleared.
Return to Part 1 for default NTFS Installation?
Look at Part 3 for setting a specific format for the drive.