1. Welcome Guest! In order to create a new topic or reply to an existing one, you must register first. It is easy and free. Click here to sign up now!.
    Dismiss Notice

2 Hard Drives And Finding Listed Programs

Discussion in 'Windows Vista' started by CarolsSis, Sep 8, 2011.

  1. CarolsSis

    CarolsSis Registered Members

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2011
    Messages:
    206
    Location:
    home
    Operating System:
    Windows Vista Enterprise
    I was poking around and discovered I have 2 hard drives. Never noticed this before and was wondering why. Also, I see listed on a paper label on laptop various programs by Acer. One is video conferencing, and I can't seem to locate it. Acer 4720Z laptop, Vista Home. And help would be appreciated. Not able to find what I needed at Acer site. Thanks.
     
  2. BeeCeeBee

    BeeCeeBee ADMINISTRATOR IN MEMORY

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2009
    Messages:
    7,201
    Location:
    New Jersey "Stronger than the Storm"
    Operating System:
    Windows 7
    I don't know where you were poking but that machine only has one hard dive and no room for a second inside that case. I suspect that you may be confusing lettered partitions for actual physical drives.

    As for the Acer software does anything show when you look under Acer in your list of all programs in your start menu?
     
  3. woodyblade

    woodyblade Inactive Staff Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2009
    Messages:
    720
    Operating System:
    Windows 8
    Was probably looking in Disk Management (Start > Right Click on Computer > Click Manage > Select Disk Management), Acer laptops have Recovery Partitions on (12GB in size I think), which is probably what they saw otherwise it would be the System Reserved partition (about 100MB in size), these aren't usually visible in Computer from what I know so should be visible in Disk Management or similar software.
     
  4. Plastic Nev

    Plastic Nev SUPER MODERATOR IN MEMORY

    Joined:
    May 2, 2009
    Messages:
    2,801
    Location:
    In front of a monitor in Blackburn Lanc's UK.
    Operating System:
    Windows 7
    Also there could be a partition labelled as DATA "D" drive, Acer seem to like partitioning the main drive into two parts. My Packard Bell, (Owned by Acer) came with two partitions like that. Though not too sure but I think the general idea is to back up your data onto it in case the OS on the "C" drive goes wrong and has to be re-installed.
    Nev.
     
  5. CarolsSis

    CarolsSis Registered Members

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2011
    Messages:
    206
    Location:
    home
    Operating System:
    Windows Vista Enterprise
    I did find these two listed in my computer, both around 50GB. (C) drive and (D) data drives. I did look in all programs for video conference, also on Acer site, could find nothing. Thanks for the help.
     
  6. KenB

    KenB Registered Members

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2010
    Messages:
    1,223
    Location:
    Wirral UK
    Operating System:
    Windows Vista Home Premium
    Hi,

    Re Video Conferencing software:
    I found this - not much - but a little explanation :)
    http://acer--uk.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3021/~/introduction-to-acer-vcm

    Just to clarify:

    If you goto Start > type in .......diskmgmt.msc ......ENTER
    You will see something like the pic in the attachment.
    (ignore the red arrows - I used this for something else)

    Alongside Disk 0 are 3 partitions ( yours should be similar )
    The first one is what woodyblade mentioned - 9.77GB This is used by Acer to store the Recovery Files.

    The other two C:\ and D:\ are available to you.
    If D:\ is not used so far - you can use it to store photos / files etc.
     

    Attached Files:

  7. woodyblade

    woodyblade Inactive Staff Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2009
    Messages:
    720
    Operating System:
    Windows 8
    Hmmm well you learn something everyday, my Acer laptop never had a Data partition till I created one, had a System Reserved Partition and Recovery which were hidden and the standard C: Drive.
     
  8. DSTM (Dougie)

    DSTM (Dougie) Registered Members

    Joined:
    May 3, 2009
    Messages:
    8,270
    Location:
    SYDNEY AUSTRALIA
    Operating System:
    Windows 7
    Why have a Data partition on the same Drive?. What happens if the Drive goes belly up?
    It will happen.
    It makes more sense to me to invest in an external if your Data has any value.
     
  9. woodyblade

    woodyblade Inactive Staff Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2009
    Messages:
    720
    Operating System:
    Windows 8
    Already covered that base :), External drive that I do a full drive backup to usually every month.

    Just makes more sense to have that Data partition because as far as I see it the OS is more likely to muck up with software, viruses etc than the HDD failing, which would allow me to format that OS partition not having to worry about my Data because it's on a separate partition and external drive :)
     
  10. KenB

    KenB Registered Members

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2010
    Messages:
    1,223
    Location:
    Wirral UK
    Operating System:
    Windows Vista Home Premium
    Hi woodyblade,
    Mine didn't either - I created it.
    I only put the thumbnail up to try to explain to CarolsSis what she may be seeing in Disk Management.
     
  11. Plastic Nev

    Plastic Nev SUPER MODERATOR IN MEMORY

    Joined:
    May 2, 2009
    Messages:
    2,801
    Location:
    In front of a monitor in Blackburn Lanc's UK.
    Operating System:
    Windows 7
    The data partition would seem to be a fairly new idea from Acer/Packard Bell then.

    However the other question asked about video conferencing seems to have got lost on the way.

    I think it is possibly a reference to the ability to do that via messenger or as in my case an uninstalled version of Skype which came with the machine.
    I tried installing that, it failed, then there was the problem encountered with the W7 service pack 1. I haven't bothered with Skype since, so don't know if Skype will work with the later versions of it.
    Nev.
     

Share This Page