installing NT system files

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Umwhat - 01 Jul 2005 13:32 GMT

I can format a 2 gigabite partition on the harddrive where I want to
install the boot files from the 3 Windows NT floppy disks . So when I want
to install the system files from the NT CD will I be given the option to
create a second 2 gigabite partition where I want to install the system files
?

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Umwhat - 02 Jul 2005 12:15 GMT

well , how about I upgrade the bios and then install Windows NT on one
partition ona 10 gigabite harddrive ?

> I can format a 2 gigabite partition on the harddrive where I want to
> install the boot files from the 3 Windows NT floppy disks . So when I want
> to install the system files from the NT CD will I be given the option to
> create a second 2 gigabite partition where I want to install the system files
> ?
>

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Ghostrider - 03 Jul 2005 21:31 GMT

> well , how about I upgrade the bios and then install Windows NT on one
> partition ona 10 gigabite harddrive ?

It might be easier to prepare the HD beforehand by setting
up the FAT16 or NTFS partitions before running setup. This
makes it easier to put the Windows NT system files into a
partition different from Drive C. However, note that Drive C
is still the boot partition and some NT files need to be
present in it. Also, there are limitations on the size of
the partitions --- 2.048 GB for FAT16 and 4 GB for NTFS, as
well as a 1,024 cylinder limit for the boot partition, IIRC.

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Umwhat - 03 Jul 2005 22:43 GMT

thanks for your reply Ghostrider .
How small am I allowed to make the boot partition and the system
partition .
Can the boot partition be 250mb and the system partition 1G ?
Do you think I can load all of Windows NT onto an Ultra ATA slave
harddrive (compatible with 33/66/100 ATA) in one computer and then move the
harddrive to another much slower UDMA 2 (ATA 33) computer ?

> > well , how about I upgrade the bios and then install Windows NT on one
> > partition ona 10 gigabite harddrive ?
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> the partitions --- 2.048 GB for FAT16 and 4 GB for NTFS, as
> well as a 1,024 cylinder limit for the boot partition, IIRC.

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Calvin - 03 Jul 2005 23:58 GMT

Hi UmWhat and everyone watching the thread,

Have a look at http://nt4ref.zcm.com.au/bigdisk.htm for my thoughts on
installing NT4 and what partition layout will best suit your needs.

Calvin.

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Umwhat - 07 Jul 2005 05:54 GMT

thanks for the links Calvin .
I still have some questions because I have'nt seen the motherboard bios
but I think it will be a 1998 bios .
So I could update the bios .......I could .
I could use the Seagate harddrive setup DiscWizard software but I'm still
uncertain if I could just as easily do the installation using the Windows
setup .
.....so after some reading , will I be able to install Windows NT from
the installation CD onto a first and only partition of 4Gigabites ?
.....and in that case I could choose the NTFS setup because Windows would
load a FAT16 file system and convert the system to NTFS after the reboot ?
Will I be able to set up partitions later through Windows , I think I
could .
I can load the updated IDE controller driver from NT SP4 update from a
floppy disk during Setup .
I have the modem driver for Windows NT which I have to install as PCI
controller after Windows is set up .
When Windows is installed I can load Internet Explorer 6 with SP1 from a
Demo CD and connect to the internet to download SP6(a) .
Getting to the internet connection stage to download the SP6(a) update
is the major objective .
Does that look ok for the Installation ?
I've reinstalled Windows XP a score of times but I most often forget
something .

> Hi UmWhat and everyone watching the thread,
>
> Have a look at http://nt4ref.zcm.com.au/bigdisk.htm for my thoughts on
> installing NT4 and what partition layout will best suit your needs.
>
> Calvin.

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Calvin - 08 Jul 2005 00:03 GMT

Hi Umwhat,

A few points:

1. Be careful partitioning the HDD during the install - how big is the drive in
total ?

If the HDD is bigger than 7.8 GB and you ask NT Install (as supplied, no mods)
to create an extended partition, you will get a extended partition that ENDS at
the 7.8GB barrier, and the area past that will be 'orphaned'. Hence why I
suggest using a 'big disk aware' 3rd party partitioning tool to do your disk
configuration.

2. The sizes you were mentioning for boot and system partitions should be fine -
the secret is don't let either of these partitions go past the 7.8GB barrier.

3. From what I have heard here (I don't use IE here, I'm a big Mozilla fan - so
no expert) you can't get IE 6 on a machine until it is advanced to at least SP4
(I think it was), but I know people wanting to use 'windows update' to download
and install SPs etc... are always complaining about what is basically a
'catch-22' situation.

SP6 can be manually downloaded and installed. This is ALWAYS the way I apply any
SPs, Hotfixes or Rollups. The other point to consider here is that until you
have some of the latest security related hotfixes applied to a NT4 box, it is
extremely dangerous to connect the machine to the Internet - several worms,
trojans etc... exploit security holes in the unpatched OS (eg: holes in RPC) and
you could wind up immediately becoming infected.

Have a look at http://nt4ref.zcm.com.au/patch.htm for a rundown on applying SPs,
Rollups and Hotfixes to a NT4 machine. There are links in the document to allow
manual downloading (from a secure machine of course, then put it onto a CD or
floppies etc...) of all the components you require. Once this is all done, THEN
you can install IE safely.

Hope this info helps.

Calvin.

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