How do I format and partition my new external hard disk?

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Had just bought a new external HDD and didnt know how to partition it. Your step-by-step process was fantastic! Never had to think about anything just followed your instructions to the T! Thanks a lot...

Thanks a lot for this really simple guide. this is a very basic and often needed task and even windows help confuses you beautifully.

thanks you soo much ... i bought Maxtor 350 external HDD yesterday ..and i forgot to ask the shopkeeper to format it for me .... after searching about it on net i came across your step by step process ... thanks ..

Hi Leo
Thanks trillion times.For Such clear guiding steps.Your instructions are invery simple english but so precise and accurate.with your help i partitioned my 1TB external hard disk.Keep it up.Thank U

Thank you so much! I had just bought my new external hard drive and your well written instructions saved me from heart failure..lol.. when I thought I had messed up with the formatting.

Thanks Leo. I have been able to format my 500Gb external HDD which I bought with an enclosure. It happen that the HDD was not preformated and thanks to your guidance I have been able to do it. Many Thanks again.
Vishal from Mauritius

Please let me know if i can
1) Partition my External Disk
2) Make it Bootable
3) Install Windows & Office Applications
So that it works as a Virtual PC when connected to any another System, where i am not logged in as administrator.

When I delete the partition it will only give me the option to create new ones in NTFS format.

I want to create a partition in FAT32 format.

Can anyone tell me how to do that?

If I want to load OS's on this from multiple computers (hot-swappable), which partitions should I use and how should I format? My OS's need NTFS.
According to the partition options in Windows, I can have with Primary 1 to 3 primary partitions AND only 1 extended partition OR 4 primary partitions. Whereas with extended, I can have MORE than 4 partitions...
If I use extended, what do I miss out? What does a primary partition have which is missing in an extended partition? What do extended partitions have which primary partitions don't?

How can I do a HARD format(clear entire contents(all data) of HDD? I read this is the only way to erase some viruses and want to know how to do this when/if reusing a hard drive for an OS.

In install mode(XP) from disc which partition type(s) does it use/allow?

A little bit of research and I am still not quite certain:

"C: [PRIMARY PARTITION]is the only bootable one and is where all the DOS system files reside. Regular files can reside wherever you want them to."
.)[PRIMARY PARTITION] added to explain context

.)Then only on a primary can bootable files and OS's reside?
.)I would need a primary partition for EACH OS (unique to each computer) I wish to have, correct?
.)Within a single extended partition can I have more than one partition... or separate space?(I believe it was termed as a "Logical drive"...)

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