install XP on new partition?

[Ext User(SpecialK)]

I have a hard disk that is formatted in NTFS and has files on it but no
OS.

Can I partition it and install XP on the new partition without
disturbing the existing files?

If so, how is this done? Can I do it by selecting a partition size
during setup less than the exisiting free space on the disk?




--
SpecialK

[Ext User(Ken Blake)]

SpecialK wrote:

> I have a hard disk that is formatted in NTFS and has files on it but
> no OS.
>
> Can I partition it and install XP on the new partition without
> disturbing the existing files?


Unfortunately, no version of Windows provides any way of changing the
partition structure of the drive nondestructively. The only way to do what
you want is with third-party software. Partition Magic is the best-known
such program, but there are freeware/shareware alternatives. One such
program is BootIt Next Generation. It's shareware, but comes with a free
30-day trial, so you should be able to do what you want within that 30 days.
I haven't used it myself, but it comes highly recommended by several other
MVPs here.


--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup


> If so, how is this done? Can I do it by selecting a partition size
> during setup less than the exisiting free space on the disk?

[Ext User(Brian Wescombe)]

"Ken Blake" <kblake@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote in message
news:O0WV615BHHA.3228@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> SpecialK wrote:
>
>> I have a hard disk that is formatted in NTFS and has files on it but
>> no OS.
>>
>> Can I partition it and install XP on the new partition without
>> disturbing the existing files?
>
>
> Unfortunately, no version of Windows provides any way of changing the
> partition structure of the drive nondestructively.

Windows Vista has support for re-sizing partitions without destroying data

[Ext User(Ken Blake)]

Brian Wescombe wrote:

> "Ken Blake" <kblake@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote in message
> news:O0WV615BHHA.3228@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> SpecialK wrote:
>>
>>> I have a hard disk that is formatted in NTFS and has files on it but
>>> no OS.
>>>
>>> Can I partition it and install XP on the new partition without
>>> disturbing the existing files?
>>
>>
>> Unfortunately, no version of Windows provides any way of changing the
>> partition structure of the drive nondestructively.
>
> Windows Vista has support for re-sizing partitions without destroying
> data



OK, thanks for the update. My experience with Windows Vista so far has been
minimal.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup