Need instruction on formatting and partitioning

[Bomba]

I just got a Seagate 250GB FreeAgent Desktop USB External HD. The problem is that I don't know what to do with it now. Someone told me that I need to format and make partitions on it before I can use and start moving files out of my overload C drive. But the person who told me didn't have a clue. I've spent the last 6 hours searching the internet for instructions. I see them for everything but external HD and don't really understand what I am seeing anyway. Can someone please walk me through this?

[DenisOxon]

Hi,

Have you plugged it in USB port and switched it on ?

Does you computer recognise it and install drivers ?

If so nothing else to do, except use it.

To use it, go to windows explorer and you should find it under My Computer, probably drive E or so.

Come back if you need more help

Denis

[Bomba]

I appreciate your reply. HD is connected but useless to me without partitions.

[DenisOxon]

The disk has a partition, so how many do you want and why ?

What operating system are you running ?

Denis

[Bomba]

NM. I asked what I thought was a simple enough question. I will do without or buy smaller externals. I don't want to spend 8 hours defragging a huge hd. I am sincerely sorry to have wasted your time. I asked at the time of my last post for the thread to be deleted and for myself to be banned.

[DenisOxon]

Hi

You are not wasting our time - tell us what operating system you are using and I should be able to tell you how to partition it.

Denis

[Bomba]

I am using windows xp sp2 on a dell dimension
Here is a screenshot of my problem.

http://i14.tinypic.com/5zpyxx3.jpg

[DenisOxon]

Please try this

1) right click in unallocated piece. You should find an option to create a partition. Decide how big, say 80Gb, click ok etc

2) you will then be left with about 150Gb unallocated , repeat 1)

3) ditto 2 or until you have used up all space.

Then go to each partition and format it. (Right click on partition then format)

Denis

[Bomba]

Ok it's working now I think. When I kept trying to use the wizard and have it partition and format at the same time, I got these 8mb partions with a huge amount of unallocated left over. Now I have 4 partitions that are all about 58g and they are being formatted one at a time.

Thank you so much for your help.

[DenisOxon]

Thanks for letting us know - glad to hear it is working..

Denis