Delete Volume

I have 2 hard disks (both 80GB). The 2nd HDD has 4 partitions -each
being approx. 20GB. When I right-click any of the 4 partitions, one of
the items in context menu is "Delete Volume". I'd like to delete 2 of
the volumes but am afraid that doing so might make 40GB of the HDD
size permanently unavailable. So if I delete 2 partitions, will the
40GB space automatically be shared between the remaining 2 volumes or
do I have to do something to reallocate the 40GB space (that will be
freed after deleting 2 volumes) in the remaining 2 volumes?

The bottomline is I don't want to lose 40GB space in the 2nd HDD after
deleting 2 of the existing volumes. Suggestions please?

BTW, are "volumes" the same as "partitions"? The reason I'm asking
this is because I was told by the hardware guy that he will create 4
"partitions" in the 2nd HDD but, as already pointed out, right-
clicking any of the 4 "partitions" gives the "Delete 'Volume'" option
& not "Delete 'Partition'".

you may have to go into computer management > disc management in admin tools
instead of deleteing to get the space back but as long as you dont format it
with a different file system you should be good.
"Arpan" <arpan_de@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1192739788.644306.25520@k35g2000prh.googlegro ups.com...
>I have 2 hard disks (both 80GB). The 2nd HDD has 4 partitions -each
> being approx. 20GB. When I right-click any of the 4 partitions, one of
> the items in context menu is "Delete Volume". I'd like to delete 2 of
> the volumes but am afraid that doing so might make 40GB of the HDD
> size permanently unavailable. So if I delete 2 partitions, will the
> 40GB space automatically be shared between the remaining 2 volumes or
> do I have to do something to reallocate the 40GB space (that will be
> freed after deleting 2 volumes) in the remaining 2 volumes?
>
> The bottomline is I don't want to lose 40GB space in the 2nd HDD after
> deleting 2 of the existing volumes. Suggestions please?
>
> BTW, are "volumes" the same as "partitions"? The reason I'm asking
> this is because I was told by the hardware guy that he will create 4
> "partitions" in the 2nd HDD but, as already pointed out, right-
> clicking any of the 4 "partitions" gives the "Delete 'Volume'" option
> & not "Delete 'Partition'".
>

"Arpan" <arpan_de@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1192739788.644306.25520@k35g2000prh.googlegro ups.com...
>I have 2 hard disks (both 80GB). The 2nd HDD has 4 partitions -each
> being approx. 20GB. When I right-click any of the 4 partitions, one of
> the items in context menu is "Delete Volume". I'd like to delete 2 of
> the volumes but am afraid that doing so might make 40GB of the HDD
> size permanently unavailable. So if I delete 2 partitions, will the
> 40GB space automatically be shared between the remaining 2 volumes or
> do I have to do something to reallocate the 40GB space (that will be
> freed after deleting 2 volumes) in the remaining 2 volumes?
>
> The bottomline is I don't want to lose 40GB space in the 2nd HDD after
> deleting 2 of the existing volumes. Suggestions please?
>
> BTW, are "volumes" the same as "partitions"? The reason I'm asking
> this is because I was told by the hardware guy that he will create 4
> "partitions" in the 2nd HDD but, as already pointed out, right-
> clicking any of the 4 "partitions" gives the "Delete 'Volume'" option
> & not "Delete 'Partition'".
>

Way I understand it, the volume within XP is the filesystem information.
Not the partition itself.

For addressing deleting or adding partitons, go to disk management in XP.

Deleting a partition(s) does not cause that unallocated space move to other
parttion(s) that may exist on the same hard drive. After partition
deletion, the space is not usable until incorporated into another partition
on that hard drive. XP has no means of incorporating unallocated space on a
hard drive to an existing partition. XP can make a new partition from
unallocated space.

3rd party partitioning software can incorporate unallocated space into an
existing partition on the same hard drive. If you're adding unallocated
space to the windows partition, it may have to be done using boot media.
Always backup a partition before doing this procedure, its not always
foolproof.
Dave