[woriedgirl]

I have a windows 7 home basic on my laptop , I have no partitions in it . So all my files are erased when I format it. How do I partion my hard disk ? Do I have to format it again? Can't I do it without formatting my hard disk?

[Curlyben]

Why do you need to create partitions ?
If it's simply a case of saving data, just create a Data folder and make sure you back it up.

[woriedgirl]

But I want to partition it. I can't backup all my files .

[shreck]

Hi,

Right clic on the "computer" icon (on your desktop), and "manage". A window appear, on you left you've got a list with the word "storage", clic on the little arrow on the left of it and you got "disk managment" (something like that, got a french computer... ). You now got on the main part of the window your "disk 0". Right clic on "c:\" and you get something like reduce the volume. Then with the "free" space, right click on it and you'll be able to create a new partition.

This will help if your Windows is not working anymore, you will be able to install it again on the C:\ part and it won't delete your files on the other partition

[woriedgirl]

Got it right till shrink volume but after that got confused... please be a little elaborate about what to do after that.

[shreck]

Well, once you've the shrink volume window, you have to choose how much space you want to be free in order to create your new partition(I recommend to keep at least 20% of your disk for the system partition).
For example, if you have a 500Go disk, your first partition (where you got Windows 7 installed) should be at least 100Go, so you will have a 400Go free space unpartitioned.
Then, right clic on the free space and in the menu you'll have something like "create a new partition".
Select the NTFS file system and increase the space you want to be for your new partition (usually 100%, in my case 400Go), then clic "ok".
(do not have a windows 7 at work, only at home... is just a remembrance)

Tell me if it's not enough :)

[woriedgirl]

I'll tell you what I get when I click on shrink volume..
{
Total size before shrink in MB:462630
Size of available shrink space in MB: 208482
Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB:208482(this one is already given by the computer... as the available space, I can manipulate it further)
Total size after shrink in MB:254148
}
Now you tell me what do I do?

[shreck]

I think you should change the amount of space to shrink to 180000 MB (you know, in order to keep free space on your first partition)
Now, you clic "ok" and you'll got a new (free) volume of 180000 MB.

Right clic on this new volume, and in the menu you will have "create a new partition".
Then you should have something like "enter the amount of space for your new partition", you have to write 180000MB and then you clic "ok".

Now your disk should have 2 partitions, one of ~180000MB and the other one of ~282620MB.

[woriedgirl]

The new partition that I created is of 175.78 gb but it has no name assigned to it , and is being displayed as unallocated space .What do I do after this?