Updating to XP Pro questions

I have finally been able to install my upgrade of XP pro, with SP2 already included. I backed up my old C: drive to my D: drive (removable), and D now runs and boots up W98SE (as C: !!).

I formatted my 30 gig C: drive as follows. With my current D drive W98SE installed and booting from D. (dual boot selection).. XP C drive does not appear anywhere. I assume it is because it is NTFS format. Under W98SE, the other drives appear as D, E, and F because they are currently in Fat32 format.

30 gig non-removeable hard drive is currently formatted as follows:-
C: NTFS format 4 gig approximately to be used for XP Pro OS only, if possible.
E: Fat32 (at present), 8 gigs for Program Files and downloads.
F: Fat32 (at present), 6 gigs for data.
G: Fat32 (at present), 10 gigs approximately, balance of space on drive for backups.
(E, F and G are formatted only as Fat32, at present, no data in any of them).

My questions are as follows:-

(a) I can remove my existing D: Drive (10 gig--W98SE) and when I do so, drive letters will change from C; E; F: and G: above to C, D, E, and F which is what I want.
How do I set those drive letters (C,D,E,F) so that they will not alter when I use XP pro?
If I alter these all to NTFS I assume that W98SE will not find any of them.
(b) The D drive (W98SE), is in a removable bay where I can fit a floppy drive if required. I would like the W98SE drive to be shown as "G", under XP Pro. When I boot up selecting W98SE boot, will W98SE bootup as "C" and throw all the XP drive letters out by one letter, if I keep them as Fat32?

(c) Can my memory stick in USB be allocated a permanent drive letter? Not essential, but nice to have.

(d) In Win 98 I was able to set my built in CD/DVD drive to Z: using the last drive = Z command. How can I set my CD/DVD drive to Z: in XP Pro. I like Z as no matter how many other hard drives or floppies or memory sticks there are, the system always finds Z.

(e) I have an external CD-RW drive. In XP pro, I would like to assign it a permanent drive letter, if possible. This is not a major concern, but would be helpful.

(f) I have formatted C: (30 gig drive), to NTFS. How do I format the other 3 drives to NTFS, or should I keep them as Fat32? What are the pros and cons of having them all/some as NTFS or all/some as FAT32?

(g) How do I set a restore point to equal my initial bootup/installation of XP Pro, so I have a known good starting point?

(h) When a program, to be downloaded, shows it is suitable for XP, does it matter if the HD is formatted to NTFS, or Fat32? Does the HD format affect installation of the downloaded program?

(i) If I keep my 10 gig drive, W98SE, and format all the others as NTFS, can I tranfer data/ copy documents, from my 10gig drive to any partition on my 30 gig drive?

(j) Easiest solution, maybe, is to re-install XP Pro as a Fat32 partition and keep all partitions on both drives as fat32. Are there any real benefits in NTFS format in a home use, protected PC?
Sorry for the questions but I have not been able to find all answers elsewhere. Bazza

 

Right Bazza first things first, on XP all drive issues I find sort themselves out for some reason. For example, when I connect my ipod it always falls under the letter "I" and when I connect my usb memory stick it always comes up as "J", don't know why, or if I've set it to do this but it does. In Disk Management in Control Panel, there's a utility to change drive letters and it might work with removable drives, I'm not sure.

Now questions -

(f) - I, as I'm sure a lot of people here, find NTFS a lot better, far more stable and faster. I'd say that the more drives you can convert to NTFS, the better as FAT32 is outdated now.
(g) - You can set a restore point in System Restore located in Accessories> System Tools in the start menu.
(h) - Don't think it matters but as I said, NTFS is faster etc.
(i) - Yes you can transfer anything, be it FAT32 or NTFS formatted.
(j) - And as I've said, NTFS is just faster and more stable really, there's a good writeup by MA in the frequently asked questions on formatting, think it's like the first one so you might want to give it a read.

You'll find that XP, be it home or pro edition, is a lot more user friendly with far more features that you'll work out as you go along.
Hope I've helped in some way

 

Thanks mcadam. I wrote the earlier questions before I had time to investigate fully.
With both hard drives in, W98SE drive remains as C, whether I boot from XP or W98SE.

All XP drives show as D,E, F and G which is what I wanted to happen. Good 'ol M$

Most questions answered, thankyou.

A couple remain,

(1) how do I format remaining Fat32 partitions to NTFS?
(2) can I set internal CD/DVD drive to "Z" and how do I do it?
(3) Can I lock in D, E, F and G so they never change, for any reason?

So much to learn, so little time. Bazza
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To change drive letters got to start ---> Settings ---> control panel (classic view) open system management ---> computer management.

In computer management explorer go to disk mangement, here you can change all your drive setting including formatting to NTFS, drive names and letters

 

Thanks a heap, criminelis. I thought I answered this earlier. May have posted a reply to the wrong thread. Gotta keep taking the tablets. Anyhow, thanks again. After I log off I will carry out drive management and formatting. Then I've got to install ZA, Avast, etc., on my XP partitions. Bazza

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Thanks Halo. I've only got an old version of Partition Magic (v4.0) which lists W98 and NT. Not XP unfortunately. I am pretty sure that my FAT32 cluster sizes in W98SE are 8kb clusters.

(a) Are you sure that the convert method will result in 512kb clusters?

(b) Is there another parameter that you can set to get smaller cluster sizes? 512kb clusters are a hell of a waste of space as you would know.

(c) How can I check existing/future cluster sizes, in both W98SE and XP pro?
I've forgotten (for W98SE) as it was a long time ago that I last checked.

Thanks for the link, also. Some heavy reading for me there. Bazza

PS. Getting there, very slowly. Learning curve is like Mt. Everest at present. Doing lots of reading and storing hints for future action/reference. Baz
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As halo suggested, Partion magic is a way to save data while switching format types, but it's very time consuming and you need enough disk space to temporarily store data...
also keep in mind that programs and dll's installed on that partition might not work properly, as they need to be run on FAT32.

My suggestion is that you store all files that you wish to keep into your XP partiton and use the windows diskmanager and reinstall programs so they can run without conflicts afterwards

 

I don't have any data on my 3 x FAT32 partitions on my XP drive, as yet. Only one partition is formatted to NTFS and that is where I installed XP. I am using my W98SE drive at the moment until I learn more about XP pro. Don't want too many stuffups if I can avoid them. Bazza

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Thanks Halo. Definitely no data on these 3 partitions as yet. Will the XP Management Console give me any control over cluster sizes, or what size clusters will I end up with. Don't want 512kb size, if possible. Bazza

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Thanks again Halo. Will log off now and give it a try. 7.30am Sunday morning. Been on for a few hours today. Time to go. Have a happy long weekend to all you Yanks. Bazza

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Halo, formatting worked beautifully. I am going to fresh install my most used programs today, offline, starting with ZA, Avast and SlickRun. It is going to take a while but it will be worth it. Lots of stuff on my W98SE system (nearly 6 years old), that I installed, ran a couple of times, and promptly forgot about.

Always assumed you were a Yank, Halo. Just watching, live, some of the Indianapolis 500 on our commercial TV.

haveagoodweekend, both you Poms and Yanks. Toss a shrimp on the barby? Bazza
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Glad for any help, tweaks, etc., you may have.

Being a Pom, you are probably acquainted with PCUtilities and PCUtilities Plus, computer mags. Distributor here occasionally bundles 3 copies of PCU for just about the same cost as a single copy.
Older copies, than current one, but a hell of a saving.
Just bought editions 52, 53 and 54 as a bundle.
A lot of very interesting tips in these as well as hundreds/thousands of programs on their CD/DVD's included. The 2 or 3 full working programs that is part of their cover story are usually worth the cost of the bundle.

Will check out those links. Thanks for reminding me of the BlackViper site, as well.

Aussies have an interest in F1 as we have Mark Webber racing. haven't heard how well he went as it was run while I was asleep. As I write this I can hear the TV broadcasting the Indianapolis 500. Getting near the end. (6.13 am here Monday). Hope that lady racer goes well. Bazza
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Just heard she finished 4th. Well done, girl. Baz

 

Thanks Halo. Bazza

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Halo, 2 great links for anyone wishing to improve the performance of XP.
BlackViper is still offline, as you said. Bazza

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Latest saga is that my Gateway Solo 9300 P2/400 laptop BIOS does not support XP. Only W95/W98 and 2000. Too old, I figure, for XP.

It will run XP if I have my W98SE removable hard drive fitted but will not if I remove the W98SE drive.

I've visited the Gateway support site and downloaded a BIOS update. Now I have to swop my hard drives so W98SE becomes the fixed drive and XP becomes the removable drive. Then I have to prepare a W98 bootdisk and put the downloaded BIOS update on the floppy. Then flash the BIOS, I guess. Have never attempted this so am worrying a bit. I've heard/read of flashing BIOS terror stories. Any further advice before I start. I am not far enough into setting up Xp so if I lose that I am not worried. Bazza

 

It's been a while since I flashed the BIOS on a Gateway, but the file you download should create a bootable floppy for you when you click on it... Other tips include verifying the update is for your computer/motherboard and be confident that the power won't go out in the middle of the process. That's about all I've got this morning

 

Thanks, Noahawk, I've also downloaded bootdisks for XP and W98SE on separate floppies as well the Gateway BIOS flash download. Note your hint about mobo/computer. Power shouldn't be a problem as my laptop battery is fully charged. Bazza

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Like you said, this can be slightly dangerous... Just making sure - don't want MG.com to lose a member for a while because of this

Good luck with it