Primary/Extended/Logical Partitions - Only allowing me 4

[foolios]

I am trying to create 5 partitions on one of my drives but for some reason I can only get 4 set up. After 4, the last empty part of the drive won't give me the option of making it a partition.

If I try to make the 4th primary or if I make it extended, I can't use that last 10 gb's as another partition. Only if I combine the 4th and 5th part into just a 4th partition will it work out. But I really want this 5th partition.

Windows tells me that I can only have 4 primary which is why I tried to go the route of making the 4th and 5th extended - then logical.

Not working, all I get is details option on that last drive and no create a partition option.

Thanks in advance.

[cluberti]

You can have at most 4 primary partitions on one physical disk, and there's no way around this. That's why extended partitions exist - you make one primary partition (the boot partition), and one extended partition taking up the rest of the drive. You should be able to create as many logical partitions inside that one extended partition as you desire.

[Ponch]

You can use Ranish Partition Manager to have up to 34 (to be verrified) primary partitions on your disk but you can only see 4 of them once booted. There is a GUI to manage partitions and to choose which one to boot. You'll have to read the documentation before understanding what you do, as only that can save you from disaster. Also I can't tell how it deals with big HDDs.

Use Ranish from a dos boot disk or cd, set the MBR on "Boot Manager" and TEXT, create a Boot Manager Partition at last cylinder (so you can always remember where it is). You can't format NTFS partitions from within Ranish but you can create them and format them later.

[foolios]

This forum is absolutely amazing. The knowledge you guys have is just awesome.

Thanks so much for the link to something I never heard of before. Excellent program.

Also, thanks so much for explaining about the extended and logical partitions. I didn't realize how to use them. I was trying to create two extended of which went over the limit of 4. But once I read your post and realized I could create one extended and multiple logical drives,

That solved my situation.

Thanks a million to the both of you.

Edited November 8, 2007 by foolios

[Markymoo]

you can have more than 4 partitions if you convert your drive from basic to dynamic in disk management

Edited December 4, 2007 by Markymoo