Formating A New Hard Drive- Make this Partion Active?

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Formating A New Hard Drive- Make this Partion Active?

by Kermit Bengtson
(El Paso Texas U.S.A.)

Hello Monte,

Just built a new computer and installed new hard dirves in 2 other. A question keept poping up on the screen after I completed formating a paritition { Make this volume active ?} What does this mean and what is the effect if you do so?

Many thanks.

Kermit.

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Formating A New Hard Drive- Make this Partion Active?

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Apr 05, 2010
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"Active" drive
by: Support

Hello Kermit,

When the drive is the first or designated boot drive in the BIOS setup for boot devices then when you partition the drive you will be asked if the drive should be set to 'Active'.

This means that in the drive scheme that that partition will be the 'boot' partition. Normally when you install the Operating System the install program will make the install drive as the 'boot' drive by setting the drive as active.

Now if the BIOS is newer and supports SATA drives and you have more than one drive in the computer any SATA drive can be the boot drive unlike an older IDE drive. (SCSI Drives act the same way as SATA drives for the 'Active' drive). For an IDE drive to be partitioned and set to 'Active' or boot it has to be the Master not Slave drive. (CD or DVD drives don't count in this scheme).

Hope this helps...

Apr 05, 2010
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Ok! That Explains The Probem When Installing OS from an Image!
by: Kermibengtson

Thank you,Monte.

That eplains the problem, you had in your book "DIY Computer Repair" that you had when you installed the SSD Hard Drive and installed the Operating System from an Image, and the computer wouldn't boot.??!! You said that you forgot; to set the drive as "Active". Hope others will benifit from this and rebemember what is written in your book.

Side note;
I have the computer built for my server, and have been reading your book "Book How To Build A Server". Good reading, and now know that the Windows Install CD's" will set the C-Drive to "Active" so I don't have to.

Thanks, again.

Kermit.

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Formating A New Hard Drive- Make this Partion Active?

Comments for Formating A New Hard Drive- Make this Partion Active?

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Formating A New Hard Drive- Make this Partion Active?