Extended or Primary Partition...?

[Legend]

When you are formatting a partition using the Disk Management feature within XP, it gives you the option of making it an Extended or Primary partition. Which should I go for, or does it not matter? I already have a 50GB C: drive for Windows, Apps etc. and just want the remaining 100GB for files and stuff. I want to be able to format C: (if and when necessary) without losing any data on the other partition. Does making it Extended or Primary make any difference?

 

[FunkyCowie]

so long as C: is primary it doesn`t make too much of a difference tbh, not that Ive noticed any way... but if you do extended you still have to set up logical drives in that partition

 

[randeesha]

make it extended, and then create logical drive(s) in this extended partition

 

[b.cummins]

I would use a secondary program like Acronis Disk Director, just to be on the safe side.

EDIT: with acronis you can do all the things you just asked about as well

 

[rpstewart]

The only reason for using Extended Partitions is that your limited to 4 Primaries on a single disk, so if you want 5 or more partitions per disk then you need to use Extended Partitions. Otherwise there's no reason not to use Primaries.