Computers & Electronics

Advanced format HDDs

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  • Apr 22nd, 2014 8:37 pm
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Sr. Member
Aug 12, 2011
539 posts
24 upvotes

Advanced format HDDs

On a multi-partition, multi-boot system, if I install Windows 7 first and format all partitions with Windows 7, do I need to run a partition aligning software for XP on another partition?
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Deal Expert
User avatar
Feb 24, 2003
22164 posts
10326 upvotes
Toronto
In order to prevent Win7 from creating the 100mb hidden partition, it is best to boot with the Win7 installation disc or usb key, select repair, launch diskpart from the command windows, create your primary partition, reboot, and install 7 to the primary partition you created. Using diskpart will properly align the drive.
Deal Addict
Oct 31, 2012
4547 posts
1045 upvotes
London
pattern39 wrote: On a multi-partition, multi-boot system, if I install Windows 7 first and format all partitions with Windows 7, do I need to run a partition aligning software for XP on another partition?
No.
Sr. Member
Aug 12, 2011
539 posts
24 upvotes
Btw, how exactly does the partition aligning stuff work? Does it write something to the firmware of the hard drive or something on a hidden part of the hard disk (perhaps the FAT????) so that the value persists after a reformat?
Deal Addict
Oct 31, 2012
4547 posts
1045 upvotes
London
pattern39 wrote: Btw, how exactly does the partition aligning stuff work? Does it write something to the firmware of the hard drive or something on a hidden part of the hard disk (perhaps the FAT????) so that the value persists after a reformat?
It doesn't persist after a format. It's just a matter of where the first sector is started when formatting, making sure to align the beginning of the 512 byte virtual sector to the beginning of the physical 4KB sector.
Deal Expert
Feb 29, 2008
30106 posts
5547 upvotes
Montreal
The windows xp formatting tool is not alignment aware. In windows 7, by default, all partitions are 1mb aligned.

You would need to create the partitions using windows 7 installer. Then install xp, then install windows 7.

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