Hard Disk Management

For many users and system administrators, intelligent hard disk management really forms the core of efficient system management. Until a new technology evolves to replace the hard disk, we're stuck with the problems and limitations created by what is, in a sense, a crude system of motors, spinning platters, and very delicate parts, such as read/write heads floating just microns above a flying surface that can be easily ruined by particles as small as those found in a puff of cigarette smoke. Perhaps some day hard disks will be relics of the past, bookends, like the 5MB drives I have on my bookshelf. (They make good doorstops, too.) Until that time, though, we're stuck with the peculiar vagaries of hard disks. The good news is that high-capacity drives are cheap and plentiful these days.

No doubt, the majority of Windows XP users will never set up RAID arrays, multiple-booting arrangements, or dynamic disks; use encryption; or need to do any remote disk administration. Perhaps they will perform occasional disk cleanups and defragmenting as well as learn to share folders over the network. These tasks are enough to get by with. Yet, with a bit more knowledge gleaned by reading through this chapter, you will learn how extensive Windows XP's hard disk configuration capabilities are.

NOTE

RAID is short for redundant array of independent (or inexpensive) disks. In this hard disk scheme, two or more drives are connected together in combination for higher fault tolerance and performance. RAID arrangements are used frequently on servers but aren't generally necessary for personal or client computers.

This chapter describes the following:

• Using Windows XP's disk management tools

• Learning organizational strategies for arranging files and partitions on your hard disk

• Working with the supplied Disk Management utility

• Managing removable storage

• Cleaning up your drives

• Defragmenting and repairing your drives

• Converting to NTFS

• Compressing files

• Encrypting files

• Freeing up space

• Backing up your data

• Zipping files

• Using third-party file system tools

• Troubleshooting hard disk problems