Laptop and harddrives question

[heguru]

maybe try just partitioning 1 hard drive so it looks like 2 hard drive to the computer using it

OK. How to do it? Is there any software?

So all programs, folders are seperate for users?

How installation of software goes?

 

[Ethereal_Dragon]

1. What do you mean by 'Windows folder'?

2. My intention is: user1 should only access hd1 and see only programs installed on it and same with user2. Can I install programs seperately on different drives?

1. Filepath is typically, C:/Windows ... where a majority of the OS files are...

2. I am not too familiar with dual boot setups, but I believe that would be the only way to truely have 2 users each with their own dedicated portion of the hard drive as your are wanting.... If you install Windows with 2 different users, there will be Common Areas, as in areas in which ALL users have access.... If you are running XP Pro or 2000 Pro, you can (through the use of permissions) restrict access to certain folders, and also prevent users from using certain applications.

 

[mophead740]

yeh and if the hard drive is a decent size u could set it up like this(100GB hard drive for this example):
partition 1: 40GB allows access to only user 1 and has its own windows instalation
partition 2: 40GB own windows installation only allows user 2
partition 3: 10GB (or therabouts) both users have access but no programs are installed here

 

[heguru]

yeh and if the hard drive is a decent size u could set it up like this(100GB hard drive for this example):
partition 1: 40GB allows access to only user 1 and has its own windows instalation
partition 2: 40GB own windows installation only allows user 2
partition 3: 10GB (or therabouts) both users have access but no programs are installed here

It seems this works for me..
How to partion a hd ? Any advice please?

 

[mophead740]

u can do it wen istalling windows but if u dont want do that u can use fdisk in windows bu thAt will format the drive so try using something like nortons partition magic
it cost $120 AUD but its worth it because u can do all this stuff to ure partitions without losing data
it also haelps u to dual boot

 

[heguru]

Great!!

Will check on it...

Thank you King X13, Ethereal_Dragon and mophead740 for helping me out

 

[heguru]

u can do it wen istalling windows but if u dont want do that u can use fdisk in windows bu thAt will format the drive so try using something like nortons partition magic
it cost $120 AUD but its worth it because u can do all this stuff to ure partitions without losing data
it also haelps u to dual boot

OK. I did search on 'disk partition software', and found few software:
http://www.powerquest.com/home_homeoffice/products/system_performance/pm80/features.html
http://www.partition-manager.com/
http://www.acronis.com/promo/ADD/disk-director-011.html

My questions are:

1. Any particular recommandations if somebody are using any one of them?

2. Dell installs everything on the laptop before it comes to me. So I can install these partion manager after Windows XP already installed?

3. After partioning, one Windows XP installation can be used on both?


Thanks, hegu

 

[heguru]

Somebody can answer please ?

 

[Ethereal_Dragon]

I haven't personally ever partitioned a drive, but I believe the best thing to do would be to create 3 partitions....

1 partition for the Windows (whichever distro) Operating System
1 Partition for User A
1 Partition for User Z

No matter who starts the computer, Windows will be loaded from the OS partition, and you can have 2 users set up in Windows, and then just give each user access to thier own other partition... User A would have access to his partition, but not user Z's partition... and vice versa for User Z.

But, what is SOUNDS like you want to do is a dual boot, so that you pick which OS is booted, but I would imagine it might be confusing if you use the same OS as the dual boot... I also have no experience with dual boot systems....