Problem with formating an unformatted partition

Question

I'd like to format my black unformatted partition into another NTFS-partition, but it seems like it's not possible format it as I'd like to.

If I use diskmgmt.msc, it says: will be formatted into dynamic. Actually, I don't want to let this partition being formatted into dynamic.

So I wanted to format it with gParted and gParted says to me that it's not possible to have more than 4 primary partitions. I really don't know much about partitioning. I just wanted to have a new NTFS-partition to install Wubi-ubuntu on it (so I can choose between ubuntu/Windows7) until I learned more about all this stuff. So what can I do now?

Answer 1

You will not be able to make that a primary partition: 4 primary partitions is a hard limit.

From the article below: "The total data storage space of a PC hard disk can be divided into at most four primary partitions, or alternatively three primary partitions and an extended partition."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning#PC_partition_types

This is not going to be easy for you. My guess is that the first partition is the recovery partition, and I would not want to delete that (it will also render your computer unbootable as it will throw off your where your computer boots from). The second is to boot your computer, and you can't delete that.

In theory, what you could do is make a backup copy of the data from the D: drive (146GB), and then delete the drive. Then you would create a new Extended partition, which you could then create many logical drives on it, including a new logical D: to restore the data to, and a new partition for Linux.

In practice: Add a new drive. You will be much happier, have less work to do, and there is A LOT less that can go wrong. You will still have to work out the GRUB portion, but I am not an expert on that.