# partitioning external hard drive?



## amagab (Jul 14, 2006)

I was thinking of getting two 250gb external hard drive but have now found one that is 500gb.

Is it possible to make two partitions on the 500gb drive and mirror them?

What is needed to do that?

Thanks!


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## MaverickUK (Nov 30, 2006)

Hey,

Yes that is possible.

Nick.


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## Compiler (Oct 11, 2006)

Run Computer Management, delete OLD (or included) paritition, create new ones.

How to get there (if you don't know commands): (Windows 2000 / XP / Vista)
{Your control planel must be in Classic mode, can't tell ya in Catagory mode}
Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management

Select the proper drive (like drive 1 or 2) that stats 500gb drive. Or if you plug it in after Disk Management is running, it'll show up there. Right CLick on the drive or partitions to select the modes you need to do.

Deleting partitons will remove data that is there.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Why would you mirror partitions on a single hard disk?  The whole point of mirroring is to avoid data loss for a hardware failure. Since there is only one piece of hardware here, if it fails, you're out of luck anyway.

Even if you get this working, it'll only make the data storage less reliable, hardly what I'd think you would want.


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## Compiler (Oct 11, 2006)

Oh... I didnt catch that...

And if you MIRRORed on the same HD itself, it would be SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW!

I thought it was just to get two different drive letters...


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## MaverickUK (Nov 30, 2006)

There's no reason it would be slower, but it's not going to benefit the user either way you look at it, i'd be pleased to know what amagb is trying to achieve by having the two same partitions on a single drive - oh well.

Nick.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

MaverickUK said:


> There's no reason it would be slower


Say what??? If it's mirrored, each write will be done twice with a seek between them! If that won't make it slower, please explain why not?


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## MaverickUK (Nov 30, 2006)

Very true, unless he uses another file system than the other, but, well, mirroring will obviously give him/her the exact same file system. Guess you caught me out there and dont mind my self-confusion.

Edit: Infact, i think i'm going wide of the mark here - i'll stop now 

Nick.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

Since usb drives are usually used for backups, I see no reason to partition into more than 1 partition. It seems counterproductive.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Right you are Chuck, I'm at a total loss too. All my USB and NAS drives are a single partition, since they're all backup drives.


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## Compiler (Oct 11, 2006)

MaverickUK said:


> There's no reason it would be slower, but it's not going to benefit the user either way you look at it, i'd be pleased to know what amagb is trying to achieve by having the two same partitions on a single drive - oh well.
> 
> Nick.


If you MIRROR on the same physical HD - the drive would have to write to itself twice.


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## MaverickUK (Nov 30, 2006)

Sure thing. I explained myself above, or tried to, haha.


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