How to Undo a Partitioned Hard Drive

Often when purchasing a new computer, the user will find that the manufacturer has partitioned the hard drive. Many times, not only will the drive have a hidden partition that holds the operation system install files, but the drive may be partitioned into drives C: and D: also. Short of reformatting the drive and using the DOS program FDISK to remove the partition, the user will need to download and purchase a program such as Symantec's Partition Magic to undo a partitioned hard drive.

Things You'll Need

• FDISK program
• Downloaded disk partition tool
• CDs, DVDs or floppy disks

Instructions

Using FDISK

1. Back up all important data from the partitioned hard drive to another medium.

2. Boot your computer using the drive that contains the FDISK program as the boot drive. You may have to change the boot drive sequence in your system BIOS to accomplish this task. Follow the onscreen instructions when you first turn on your computer to access your BIOS. Every brand of computer is different is how to set the computer to read a drive other than the "C" drive as the boot drive. On some brands it's simply a matter of tapping an "F#" key at startup, while other brands make you jump through hoops (such as IBM) to access the BIOS to change these settings.

3. Type FDISK at the command prompt after the computer boots if the program doesn't start automatically.

4. Choose the option to "Remove disk partitions" from the options given on the screen.

5. Type "Y" or "YES" when asked if you are sure if you want to perform this function.

6. Exit the program after the process is complete.

7. Format the drive by typing "Format C:" at the command prompt.

8. Reload your operating system and any programs you want on your hard drive.

Using a Partition Tool

1. Backup all data from the hard drive you are planning to change. While many partition software tools are not supposed to damage any existing data, mistakes can happen.

2. Place the disk containing the partition tool software into the appropriate drive.

3. Click on "Start" and then "Run." Type "Autorun" in the text box on the run screen if the program doesn't install automatically. The program should install.

4. Click the program icon on your desktop after the program has installed.

5. Follow the onscreen instructions to undo or delete the hard drive partition.

Tips & Warnings

• There are various partition software tools available online. While each perform similar operations, they each have their own specialized instructions for use. Be sure to follow the onscreen instructions for the program you are using to avoid data loss. If your hard drive has your operating system install files in a hidden partition, do not use FDISK, as all data on the drive will become unusable. If you have a hidden partition, use one of the software partition tools available.

References

• Symantec Norton Partition Magic
• Undoing a Disk Partition by Rob Pegoraro, Washington Post, March 26, 2005