Could someone here tell me if partition numbers are
ordered from the outer tracks to the inner tracks of
a hard disk, or from inner to outer? IOW, is partition
#1 on the outer or inner tracks?
> Could someone here tell me if partition numbers are
> ordered from the outer tracks to the inner tracks of
> a hard disk, or from inner to outer? IOW, is partition
> #1 on the outer or inner tracks?
Depends entirely on what was used to do the partitioning and the history of that.
The partition number is just an entry in the partition table and
which area of the hard drive is used in each partition table
entry is entirely determined by the entrys in that table.
You can see the data in the partition table entrys with any decent
partition table editor or any sector editor if you also use the data
on the first physical sector layout on the hard drive.
Its more usual for the outer tracks to be used for the
first partition, but thats not mandated by anything.
"Rod Speed" replied:
> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>
>> Could someone here tell me if partition numbers are
>> ordered from the outer tracks to the inner tracks of
>> a hard disk, or from inner to outer? IOW, is partition
>> #1 on the outer or inner tracks?
>
> Depends entirely on what was used to do the partitioning
> and the history of that.
>
> The partition number is just an entry in the partition table
> and which area of the hard drive is used in each partition
> table entry is entirely determined by the entrys in that table.
>
> You can see the data in the partition table entrys with any
> decent partition table editor or any sector editor if you
> also use the data on the first physical sector layout on the
> hard drive.
>
> Its more usual for the outer tracks to be used for the
> first partition, but thats not mandated by anything.
In the case of my Dell's XPS M1330 laptop, Disk
Management shows (from left to right):
78MB EISA configured partition
10GB Primary partition (D
136.47GB Primary Active partition (C
2.5GB Primary partition
Does this indicate which partition is on the outermost
tracks?
How does one delete an EISA partition? (Dell says
that the EISA partition is "completely inaccessible" to
the user.)
Timothy Daniels <SpamBucket@NoSpamPlease.biz> wrote:
> "Rod Speed" replied:
>> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>>
>>> Could someone here tell me if partition numbers are
>>> ordered from the outer tracks to the inner tracks of
>>> a hard disk, or from inner to outer? IOW, is partition
>>> #1 on the outer or inner tracks?
>>
>> Depends entirely on what was used to do the partitioning
>> and the history of that.
>>
>> The partition number is just an entry in the partition table
>> and which area of the hard drive is used in each partition
>> table entry is entirely determined by the entrys in that table.
>>
>> You can see the data in the partition table entrys with any
>> decent partition table editor or any sector editor if you
>> also use the data on the first physical sector layout on the
>> hard drive.
>>
>> Its more usual for the outer tracks to be used for the
>> first partition, but thats not mandated by anything.
>
> In the case of my Dell's XPS M1330 laptop, Disk
> Management shows (from left to right):
> 78MB EISA configured partition
> 10GB Primary partition (D
> 136.47GB Primary Active partition (C
> 2.5GB Primary partition
> Does this indicate which partition is on the outermost tracks?
Nar like I said you need to use a partition table EDITOR or
a sector editor to see the entrys in the partition table itself.
> How does one delete an EISA partition?
Any decent partition manager can do that.
> (Dell says that the EISA partition is "completely inaccessible" to the user.)
Its the maintenance partition, you dont want to delete it unless you know what you are doing.
"Rod Speed" wrote:
> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>> "Rod Speed" replied:
>>> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>>>
>>>> Could someone here tell me if partition numbers are
>>>> ordered from the outer tracks to the inner tracks of
>>>> a hard disk, or from inner to outer? IOW, is partition
>>>> #1 on the outer or inner tracks?
>>>
>>> Depends entirely on what was used to do the partitioning
>>> and the history of that.
>>>
>>> The partition number is just an entry in the partition table
>>> and which area of the hard drive is used in each partition
>>> table entry is entirely determined by the entrys in that table.
>>>
>>> You can see the data in the partition table entrys with any
>>> decent partition table editor or any sector editor if you
>>> also use the data on the first physical sector layout on the
>>> hard drive.
>>>
>>> Its more usual for the outer tracks to be used for the
>>> first partition, but thats not mandated by anything.
>>
>> In the case of my Dell's XPS M1330 laptop, Disk
>> Management shows (from left to right):
>> 78MB EISA configured partition
>> 10GB Primary partition (D
>> 136.47GB Primary Active partition (C
>> 2.5GB Primary partition
>
>> Does this indicate which partition is on the outermost tracks?
>
> Nar like I said you need to use a partition table EDITOR or
> a sector editor to see the entrys in the partition table itself.
In the event the partition editor lists beginning track nos.
for each partition, does the track no. start near the outer edge
or near the center of the hard disk?
Previously Timothy Daniels <SpamBucket@nospamplease.biz> wrote:
> "Rod Speed" wrote:
>> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>>> "Rod Speed" replied:
>>>> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Could someone here tell me if partition numbers are
>>>>> ordered from the outer tracks to the inner tracks of
>>>>> a hard disk, or from inner to outer? IOW, is partition
>>>>> #1 on the outer or inner tracks?
>>>>
>>>> Depends entirely on what was used to do the partitioning
>>>> and the history of that.
>>>>
>>>> The partition number is just an entry in the partition table
>>>> and which area of the hard drive is used in each partition
>>>> table entry is entirely determined by the entrys in that table.
>>>>
>>>> You can see the data in the partition table entrys with any
>>>> decent partition table editor or any sector editor if you
>>>> also use the data on the first physical sector layout on the
>>>> hard drive.
>>>>
>>>> Its more usual for the outer tracks to be used for the
>>>> first partition, but thats not mandated by anything.
>>>
>>> In the case of my Dell's XPS M1330 laptop, Disk
>>> Management shows (from left to right):
>>> 78MB EISA configured partition
>>> 10GB Primary partition (D
>>> 136.47GB Primary Active partition (C
>>> 2.5GB Primary partition
>>
>>> Does this indicate which partition is on the outermost tracks?
>>
>> Nar like I said you need to use a partition table EDITOR or
>> a sector editor to see the entrys in the partition table itself.
> In the event the partition editor lists beginning track nos.
> for each partition, does the track no. start near the outer edge
> or near the center of the hard disk?
Timothy Daniels <SpamBucket@NoSpamPlease.biz> wrote:
> "Rod Speed" wrote:
>> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>>> "Rod Speed" replied:
>>>> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Could someone here tell me if partition numbers are
>>>>> ordered from the outer tracks to the inner tracks of
>>>>> a hard disk, or from inner to outer? IOW, is partition
>>>>> #1 on the outer or inner tracks?
>>>>
>>>> Depends entirely on what was used to do the partitioning
>>>> and the history of that.
>>>>
>>>> The partition number is just an entry in the partition table
>>>> and which area of the hard drive is used in each partition
>>>> table entry is entirely determined by the entrys in that table.
>>>>
>>>> You can see the data in the partition table entrys with any
>>>> decent partition table editor or any sector editor if you
>>>> also use the data on the first physical sector layout on the
>>>> hard drive.
>>>>
>>>> Its more usual for the outer tracks to be used for the
>>>> first partition, but thats not mandated by anything.
>>>
>>> In the case of my Dell's XPS M1330 laptop, Disk
>>> Management shows (from left to right):
>>> 78MB EISA configured partition
>>> 10GB Primary partition (D
>>> 136.47GB Primary Active partition (C
>>> 2.5GB Primary partition
>>
>>> Does this indicate which partition is on the outermost tracks?
>>
>> Nar like I said you need to use a partition table EDITOR or
>> a sector editor to see the entrys in the partition table itself.
>
>
> In the event the partition editor lists beginning track nos.
> for each partition, does the track no. start near the outer edge
> or near the center of the hard disk?
Like I said in my original, the lower numbers are the outer tracks.
"Arno Wagner" wrote:
> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>> Could someone here tell me if partition numbers are
>> ordered from the outer tracks to the inner tracks of
>> a hard disk, or from inner to outer? IOW, is partition
>> #1 on the outer or inner tracks?
>
>> *TimDaniels*
>
> There is no natural correspondence. Typically sector numbers
> are ordered from outer track to inner, since that gives a better
> speed "experience" at the start. But there are disks that do this
> for the first platter, then for the second again and so on. There
> are even disks that do the first outside in and the second in
> reverse.
>
> Arno
The type with alternating numbering direction seems to
maximize arm movement since it would flatten a file to one
platter and not use the same tracks in the same cylinder but
on other platters for the file. Or am I missing something?
"Rod Speed" wrote:
> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>> In the event the partition editor lists beginning track nos.
>> for each partition, does the track no. start near the outer edge
>> or near the center of the hard disk?
>
> Like I said in my original, the lower numbers are the outer tracks.
Previously Timothy Daniels <SpamBucket@nospamplease.biz> wrote:
> "Arno Wagner" wrote:
>> Timothy Daniels wrote:
>>> Could someone here tell me if partition numbers are
>>> ordered from the outer tracks to the inner tracks of
>>> a hard disk, or from inner to outer? IOW, is partition
>>> #1 on the outer or inner tracks?
>>
>>> *TimDaniels*
>>
>> There is no natural correspondence. Typically sector numbers
>> are ordered from outer track to inner, since that gives a better
>> speed "experience" at the start. But there are disks that do this
>> for the first platter, then for the second again and so on. There
>> are even disks that do the first outside in and the second in
>> reverse.
>>
>> Arno
> The type with alternating numbering direction seems to
> maximize arm movement since it would flatten a file to one
> platter and not use the same tracks in the same cylinder but
> on other platters for the file. Or am I missing something?
Yes. Disks do not necessarily interleave tracks on different
cylinders today. Some just seek to the next cylinder and just
switch platters when the end of one is reached. Since today a
head-switch requires a seek, it is just as slow as a seek in
the first place.
partition numbering on a HD 
Linear Mode
