do i have another hard drive?

I think i might have another harddrive because when i go into my computer there is localdisc(C) and localdisc(d) And when i click on the localdisc(d) it says it has not been formated would you like to format now? and when iam at ym dads house his computer has only localdisc(c) and mine has 2 (c) and (d) iam currently using (C) it is a 19.2gb HD and the (D) is a 17.2 because when i click would u like to format it says its capasity is 17.2GB and i can either choose from FAT32 which my (c) HD is currenty using whats the difference between FAT32 and NTFS? and could someone tell me if i have another HD i think i do but when i format will all of the files on the local disc (c) be wiped and if i get the other HD working how will i use it if iam currenly using the (c)? Thanks i would like it if someone answers my question.

 

You don't have two hard drives. Your ONE hard drive is partitioned into two partitions making it seem like you have two. I strongly recommend you format the hard drive in NTSF format. And no, formating the D drive will not erase the C drive. What you have in you computer is one 40GB HDD.

 

Oh so i have just 1 hard drive i dident realize that. Ok ill put it in that format and whats the difference between the NTSF and the FAT32 because i asked my friend when i went back to school and he said to put it on the FAT32 but you look more what you are talking about with this stuff. After i format it will it just say 40gb harddrive under local disc C or will i have to switch between local disc d and c when i want to use the hard drive? Thanks for the reply

 

You do not need to actually format the drives, simply convert them from fat32 to NTFS.

At the command prompt and type: convert c: /fs:ntfs
Change the c: to d: for the other drive.

 

That's not going to work for the issue he's facing. Any drive that says "would you like to format now" either has a problem with the partition, or the MBR...or it just hasn't been formatted yet. You cannot convert a drive if there's no format information. Drive C, being FAT32 can be converted as posted.

Also...you cannot change the root drive letter. In other words, the drive that Windows is installed on, has a permanently drive letter placement and cannot be changed.

Once you format, you will still have one drive, two partitions. C and D. Use D as you would any other drive....you can use it for storage, or even install applications to. Should you use it for storage of all your programs and backups of your important files...and someday need to reformat and reinstall to C, you won't lose anything except what you had installed and running.

 

Ok so what should i make the other hard drive NTFS or a FAT32 then format?

 

Ok so what should i make the other hard drive NTFS or a FAT32 then format? because i never formated the hard drive yet

 

Before doing anything mentioned you want to make sure that is not a partition made for the factory restore of your system. If the system restore is in a format not recognized by windows it will say it is not formated.

 

so what do you suggest ido just go ahead and format the drive as a NTFS or a FAT32?

 

What is your system make and model #. If the second partition is a restore partition I wouldn't recommend formating it. Unless you have Windows install cd and all the software cd's that is needed for a later install when needed.

 

i dont know the model number but the make is dell and i dont have a widows install disc

 

As Whompus pointed out, most OEM machines have a restore partition...(marked as D) though I've yet to see one that takes up half the drive like your's does.

If you feel confident you don't need the partition, you can format and use it.

If you don't want to take any chances...just get yourself another drive and install as a secondary (slave). Decent 250GBs are about $70 at some online shops.

 

Yeah i would rather use it because right now i only have 4gb of free space and i need more ok but when i frmat what do i use NTFS or FAT32? and waht is the difference between them?

 

Format using NTFS, Quick Format.

You could Google all day for info on the difference, but basically...better file support, larger file size support, less problems with defragmentation. (just the quick end of it)

 

but is there a risk of anything when i do this? can it like mess up my computer really bad? and my stuff all on C will be safe right like all my files and programs on my c drive?

 

No risk of doing anything to the c drive. The only thing lost if you format the d drive is the dell system restore.

 

so what would the dell system restore do would i really need it and i format it under NFTS right not FAT32? Thank you for your help i dnt really know waht iam doing with all fo this stuff

 

The system restore is the way you would reinstall windows and all the software that came installed on the computer when you purchased it, if something happened and you needed to reinstall.

 

Oh ok but iam going to get a 32gb HD from my dads house could i use that for system restore?

 

From your questions the short answer will have to be no.

You could move the restore partition to the second drive and resize the first drive to be a single partition of 40 gig. resize the second drive for the restore to still be found by the bios as drive d and the second partition on it for storage.

That gets a bit technical and walking you through it would not be an easy task. Your best option may be keep the original drive as it is. Use the 32 gig you are getting instead of formating the restore partition.