Use disk overlay software like this to partition and format a new hard drive only as a last resort, such as needing to overcoming a BIOS limitation that can't properly recognize the entire size of a large drive.
There are utilities that occasionally won't function properly due to the way the partition tables are written by the software, such as Diskeeper, PerfectDisk, Partition Magic, and Drive Image, to mention a few.
Either use the Windows CD to partition/format the drive, or use a Win9x <A HREF="http://www.mirrors.org/archived_software/www.bootdisk.com/original.htm" target="_new">boot disk</A> and the <A HREF="http://fdisk.radified.com/" target="_new">FDISK</A> tool. If you are getting a large drive, and wish to have partitions that are FAT32 and over 32GB, use the Win9x boot disk, and format the partitions from DOS. Don't use the /s switch with the FORMAT command when creating the file system in DOS. And keep the file system intact when installing the operating system.
If you are planning to use NTFS, then the FAT32/32 GB partition size limitation in WinXP doesn't apply, of course, and you can use any one of methods I've mentioned to create the partition(s).
I normally recommend two partitions per disk, a 10GB partition for the operating system, and a second using the rest of the free space, which can be used for your personal files and programs that do not absolutely need to be installed in the system partition. Having at least two partitions per disk is essential for use with imaging software such as Drive Image 2002, so that the images can be written first to the hard drive, and then to CD-R disks. This method avoids possible corruption when burning the files to the CD's, with software such as <A HREF="http://www.nero.com/en/index.html#c1006342073790" target="_new">Nero Burning ROM</A>.
I believe that anyone contemplating building a new system should include purchasing software of this type as a part of the total cost of the system, with the two most popular being Powerquest's <A HREF="http://www.powerquest.com/driveimage/" target="_new">Drive Image 2002</A>, and Symantec's <A HREF="http://www.symantec.com/sabu/ghost/ghost_personal/" target="_new">Norton Ghost 2003</A>. This is an excellent investment, and can save your bacon if something goes wrong.
Toey
<font color=red>First Rig:</font color=red> <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=17935" target="_new"><font color=green>Toejam31's Devastating Dalek Destroyer</font color=green></A>
<font color=red>Second Rig:</font color=red> <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=15942" target="_new"><font color=green>Toey's Dynamite DDR Duron</font color=green></A>
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