How to Create Disk Partition?

Disk management in XP

Windows XP provides a comprehensive disk management tool to create partitions in the Hard Disk Drive. You can create new partitions, delete existing partitions, change drive letters etc using the disk management tool.

In the old days of Windows 98 one would use FDISK, a DOS based Disk partition tool to create Partition both FAT and FAT32. FDISK does not support NTFS partitions. Before installing Windows 98 you have to partition and format the hard drive. Windows 98 setup does not have option to create partition and format the hard drive. You will typically use FDISK before installing Windows 98.

Windows XP changed all these by providing built-in partition tool. When setting up Windows XP you will asked to select a partition to install Windows. For new Disk with no partition you can create a partition from within the setup. You can enter the amount of disk space in MB and format the disk (both Normal / Quick format). If you did not create all the partition while installing (just C: is created) you can create other partitions once XP is installed and started.

To do this go to control panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management

You can find Disk Management option.

Primary partition is shown in violet color
Extended partition is shown in Green Color
Logical drive is shown in blue color

You can right click and carry out the desired action. Creation of extended partition, Creation of Logical drives, Changing drive letters etc.