hidden partition on acer laptop

[pimpgallant]

there is a hidden partition on my laptop those stores windows xp install files in case i need to reinstall. i can see the hard drive in partition magic, is there a way to make this visible in My Computer so i can take windows xp install files off this hard drive?

 

[g-paw]

1st, I don't think XP will run with out these files and not sure why you'd want to get rid of them. If you want to get rid of XP and use a different OS, just format the hard drive

 

[exenia]

You may be able to simply unhide the drive and see it, the problem is that you won't like what you see. The contents are not designed to be easy to dissect, and they will only have disk images, not installation files. Sometimes general imaging software like Ghost can be used to open those image files, but it won't be obvious what you're looking for. It'll be modular so the same recovery disk can be used for multiple hardware models, so grabbing the biggest file and imaging it onto your drive may still be missing a lot.

The best option is to just check your docs for what the manufacturer recommends in case you need to reinstall Windows. A lot of them use that hidden partition as a source for creating recovery CDs so they don't have to bother with shipping any.

 

[blue68f100]

Generally they put these hidden partitions on when thay do not supply you with a recovery CD/DVD.

If you want to remove it. Download the Live CD of Digital Dolly. This is a unix utility that can delete and resize your current xp partition.

 

[pimpgallant]

i dont want to delete the partition, just wanted to see the files. these files are just to reinstall windows.

 

[JonathanDeane]

i dont want to delete the partition, just wanted to see the files. these files are just to reinstall windows.

Yeah I think they stick those on most Laptops 🙁 🙁 🙁 On mine its a little shy of 4GB's... I wish they would just give you a copy of windows with your machine and be done with the crap.... But it is handy I guess lol

On my wish list for this would be the ability to update the partition.... maybe some one knows something that will do that ??? (Ghost simply refuses to be used on a partition on the same drive... and yes I have tried lol)

I mean it would be kinda cool to load it up strip out all the shovel ware they put on it, then install all your normal good aps then reimage the HD so that when you hit the restore button it brings you back to something that makes some sense...

 

[pimpgallant]

thats what i wanna do, add all the patches, etc and then try and install it on other computers! thanks for your imput

 

[weilin]

u wanna do that? Well you can, here's how. ** DO this at your own risk, the manufacturer's backup is assured to work while if you messed up somewhere, your's may not Always back up your important data either way because the drive may fail"

First install a disk partitioning software such as Norton Parition Magic and set aside a portion of your current hd as a place for a disk "image" (make sure its big enough to hold what you need My recommendation is atleast 5gb) Next install Norton Ghost. In Norton Ghost click on create recovery disks and have the disks saved to your newly created partition. Now if anything goes wrong, insrt the Norton Ghost cd rom and boot off that cd. then use hte cd to image the hd back if anything happens to your windows installation that you dont like (virus etc..) It would be helpful to mark the image drive as "read only" to prevent accidental tampering.
This is just a basic guide, nothing in detail.. I personally use a different system to maintain the office pcs (mine is so much more complicated).

EDIT: This only works for one computer, each pc (unless they r identical) requires its own image. Microsoft XP would lock up if too much hardware is changed to prevent you from taking one hard disk and moving to to another pc. (its a anti piracy thing). There was a time when you could disk ghost a image of one hard drive to antoher then take 1 of the hds out and use it on a different pc. Sadly, those days r over now...

 

[ericlecarde]

I had a acer laptop and I just used Partition magic to delete the extra partition. But Im sure you can "unhide" it as well. I pretty sure you can do the same through disk managment also. Dont wory about screwing things up because acer comes with its own reimage disks and they work great ( I know from experience).

 

[shamoo]

um insert use reg key here idea....
look for hiding partitions in windows xp regedit
on google.

 

[linux_0]

Those files are for system recovery it will be hard or impossible to use them to install. Even if you do manage to get something installed you will have to have OEM keys and you may need to activate.

Not to mention it would be a violation of the license.

Try one of these instead:

http://mirrors.kernel.org/

http://www.freebsd.org/

http://www.reactos.org/xhtml/en/index.html

They are legally free, open source and do not require stupid keys or activation.

GL :-D

 

[pimpgallant]

i dont like linux to much work 😀

 

[linux_0]

I suggested 3 alternatives:

0. Linux

1. freeBSD

2. ReactOS

There are also other alternatives such as:

0. netBSD

1. openBSD

2. FreeDOS

3. solaris x86

4. minix

5. and several others I'm forgetting about

:-D

 

[pimpgallant]

yeah while your hacking at away on your keyboard, going through command line, then going through books and google trying to figure out what the command is. while i just double click my way around. but i am not totally anti linux, i ran gentoo (stage 2 i believe) on a my old server box after it took like a day or more to combile. :lol: and tux is the best mascot

 

[linux_0]

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop

http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/

http://www.madpenguin.org/cms/?m=show&id=5971


You can install 99% of all apps you would ever need with yum or apt-get no compiling necessary!

 

[pimpgallant]

i doubt it will run world of warcraft. but maybe ill adventure into it again when i get an extra box to play with

 

[linux_0]

Actually I think it does work :-D

http://appdb.winehq.org/appview.php?iVersionId=2581


Granted some windows games will not run as well or at all due to vendor lock in, however some run great.

There's also Cedega:

http://www.transgaming.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=2&meid=-1


:-D


PS what are your full hardware specs?

 

[pimpgallant]

im on a crappy acer laptop atm it was free, but i just ordered from newegg last night
AMD Athlon 64 3700+ (939)
Open Box: MSI RX480 Neo2-F Socket 939 ATI Radeon XPRESS 200P
X800GTO 256MB DDR3
CORSAIR XMS 2GB DDR 500
not bad for 550 bucks

 

[cjfinz]

use partition manager 8. once this program is installed open and you will see the hidden partition. right click on it and click browse. this will show up the contents, and you can select the whole lot and right click copy and then paste to a hard drive which is viewable. make sure you have enough space on the destination hard drive. ul have to paste in the same window as your in, not go out of the program and paste via my computer.

 

[hulkbuster]

You may be able to simply unhide the drive and see it, the problem is that you won't like what you see. The contents are not designed to be easy to dissect, and they will only have disk images, not installation files. Sometimes general imaging software like Ghost can be used to open those image files, but it won't be obvious what you're looking for. It'll be modular so the same recovery disk can be used for multiple hardware models, so grabbing the biggest file and imaging it onto your drive may still be missing a lot.

Although thread is very very old: i h few questions
Unhiding the drive is not i want to do, the hidden partition has Disk Images, which means it can be burnt on a CD / DVD right.
My friend too has laptop that needs a quick FOrmatting, akthough he did not get a Recovery Dick, i m assuming the HIDDEN PARTITION EXITS , which contails an Image of Win. (i guess Installation) .
Can i write it on a CD,

 

[Guest]

Hi my na me is john and i have an acer laptop too.it has three hidden partitions.the one you want to open is the same recovery manager uses.i can " explore " this partition by running easus partition master.it's free and work sure
try it!

 

[Allnsmth]

Hi,

I think hard disk is provided with an extra recovery partition provided by the computer manufacturer (generally hidden). So never delete this partition, unless you know what you are doing!