ServersLearn Windows XP Professional: Windows XP's Disk Management Tools (Page 3) Page...

Learn Windows XP Professional: Windows XP’s Disk Management Tools (Page 3) Page 3

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DiskPart

The command
line tool DiskPart is also available in Windows
XP Professional. DiskPart allows the administrator to handle
disk administrative tasks from a command prompt.

You start
your session at the command prompt by typing the following:



H:Documents and SettingsJZANDRI>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 1.0
Copyright (C) 1999-2001 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: P42GHZ

DISKPART>

This will
put you into the DiskPart program session. If you needed to
get a little more information on DiskPart before starting
your session and tried the standard :diskpart
/?, this is all you would get:



H:Documents and SettingsJZANDRI>diskpart /?

Microsoft DiskPart version 1.0
Copyright (C) 1999-2001 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: P42GHZ

Microsoft DiskPart syntax:
diskpart [/s ] [/?]

/s - Use a DiskPart script.
/? - Show this help screen.

However, if
you started the program and then typed HELP, you’d get much
more information:



H:Documents and SettingsJZANDRI>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 1.0
Copyright (C) 1999-2001 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: P42GHZ

DISKPART> help

Microsoft DiskPart version 1.0

ADD - Add a mirror to a simple volume.
ACTIVE - Activates the current basic partition.
ASSIGN - Assign a drive letter or mount point to the
selected volume.
BREAK - Break a mirror set.
CLEAN - Clear the configuration information, or all
information, off the
disk.
CONVERT - Converts between different disk formats.
CREATE - Create a volume or partition.
DELETE - Delete an object.
DETAIL - Provide details about an object.
EXIT - Exit DiskPart
EXTEND - Extend a volume.
HELP - Prints a list of commands.
IMPORT - Imports a disk group.
LIST - Prints out a list of objects.
ONLINE - Online a disk that is currently marked as offline.
REM - Does nothing. Used to comment scripts.
REMOVE - Remove a drive letter or mount point assignment.
RESCAN - Rescan the computer looking for disks and volumes.
RETAIN - Place a retainer partition under a simple volume.
SELECT - Move the focus to an object.

DISKPART>

For the
most part, this command line tool is highly effective when
you are using any of the above commands via scripting. The
only other time it is easy/necessary to use it is from
the Recovery Console, as it is one of the commands
available from the console.


[NOTES FROM THE FIELD] –
Do not modify the structure of dynamic disks with the
DiskPart command line tool because you might damage your
partition table within the dynamic disk structure.

To exit the
DiskPart program simply type EXIT at the program prompt.

The
Diskpart Command Line Utility is available for

download from Microsoft for Windows 2000
and is part
of the Windows 2000 Resource Kit Tools as well. (It is
included as part of Windows XP Professional.) As with any
software available for use from any version of the Resource
Kits or the download site, it is not supported under any
Microsoft standard support program or service. In other words, you use it at
your own peril.

 

That’s a
wrap for this week. Be sure to check back in next week for
the next article in this series.

In
the meantime, best of luck in your
studies and please feel free to contact me with any
questions on my column and remember,

“Security isn’t about risk avoidance, it’s about risk
management.”


Jason Zandri
Jason@Zandri.net


www.2000trainers.com

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