HDD Partitions

Partitions are virtual divisions that we do to a HDD. They actually do not split the HDD into parts but they virtually do that. By partitions we will be able to organize well instead of having one single drive.

Partitions are folders. By having our data organized in folders we will be able achieve effective data storage, in here the folder i.e. each partition is referred as disk. Each disk acts like a folder, but it gives many options that are not possible for a folder, this makes the difference. And these partitions gives the MBR too……..

Partitions are of 3 types:

1. Primary partition.
2. Extended partition.
3. Logical partition.

Primary partition:

Primary partition is treated as first partition of the HDD. The main necessity for creating a primary partition is because only this type of partition have MBR. It is explained as follows.

MBR means Master Boot Record. It tells the system where the OS is installed and which is the first file that it has to start on. With out and MBR their cannot be an OS. You can create up to 4 primary partitions.

Note: Only one partition is created during installing windows, by the use of computer management tool from the administrative tool in control panel we can create the rest of the primary partitions .

Extended partition:

The left over space after the creation of primary partition and leaving the unallocated space is called as extended partition. This called so because it is just an extension of primary partition except that it has no MBR. It contains logical partitions i.e. it gives it space to create a logical partition.

Logical partition:

It is the sub-partition of extended partition. It is used as an additional drive. Extended partition's space is useless unless its space is assigned to logical partitions.