NOTE: This guide is intended for everyone. However, if you are not currently very experienced at using your pc, I would suggest you thinking twice before following the suggestions presented below. As more experienced users know, it is mainly thorugh trial and error that you can learn about computers. Unfortunately, the risk in this case is that a mistake could cost you deleting or formatting your hard drive...therefore, if you are not more than keen to learn (and accept any consequences of any possible mistakes) it is probably better avoiding trying things out.

What does "splitting the hard drive into partitions" mean?

It means separating the hard drive in different parts, all distinct from one another. On some -if you wish- you can install a different operating system (or even the same operating system, in case something goes awfully wrong with the operating system you usually use), or you can save data, or all your applications etc. leaving the partition with the operating system (C:) as uncluttered as possible.

Why is it useful to split the Hard Drive in different partitions compared with using one partition only? What are the advantages?

Essentially because if you have any problems, these will automatically affect the main partition (C:) whilst the other partitions will not be affected. For example, if your computer gets a virus, this will first of all attack C: You can therefore appreciate that if you have all your personal files etc. on C, these may be affected too and you may loose all your work. By having different partitions, whatever you have saved in the other partions will be (quite) safe. In addition, as explained in the section dedicated to how take an image of the Hard Drive, if C is small, it will be very easy to save the image file on a CD or on an DVD (possibly re-writeble). And by taking an image you can fix within a few minutes any disaster that may have happened!!! Finally, defragmenting individual (smaller) partitions is much more quick than defragmenting a big one.

 What software can I use to make partitions?

Usually Partition Magic from Symantec or Acronis Disk Director Suite, but there are also other applications you can use. It is IMPORTANT to let these apps create emergency disks so that you can restart the pc if necessary. Partition software is here

 How can I install more than one operating system, completely separate one from the other, on the same pc? (For instance by using Partition Magic?)

It is not very difficult; however, remember that you may make some mistakes (and therefore don't try things out on a hard drive that contains important files, especially if you have not backed everything up on a CD or DVD).

There are two types of partitions: primary and logic. Operating systems are installed on the primary partitions; data, software ect are installed on the logic partions. It is important to avoid having more than one primary partition active. Therefore, to make it non-active, you have to run Partition Magic, right click on the partition that you want to hide and select the option that makes you hide the partition. In addition, it is always good practice to have at least two logic partitions to install your software and store important data.

 Having one or more operating system on your pc is simple: it is sufficient to make 2 or more primary partitions using Partition Magic; then, after re-starting the pc- hide the other primary partitions(s) except for the main one (that is the one that you intend to use on a daily basis). With PQBoot (small utility enclosed in Partition Magic) you can simply select the partition in which you wish to install another Operating System and re-start the pc, leaving the CD containing the operating system that you want to install (so that the CD will automatically start when the computer re-starts). If you have done everything correctly, the new Operating System will automatically install in the partition that you have selected and will be totally separate from the first one that you have installed previously in the other partition. If you wish, you can install Partition Magic here too (which contains PQBoot), so that you can easily switch between operating systems at a click of a mouse. If you want, you can install a second, third, fourth, etc., operating systems. It's entirely up to you.

HINT: It is always a good idea to use PQBoot to switch between partitions (there is also a DOS version that you can save on a floppy disk so that you can switch partition when you start your pc. Really, really useful). I would NOT recommend using the Boot Magic utility (or similar) which allows you to switch partitions when Windows is started: it often works ok, but sometimes it actually makes a big mess.