hidden partition on acer laptop

1st, I don't think XP will run with out these files and not sure why you'd want to get rid of them. If you want to get rid of XP and use a different OS, just format the hard drive

Generally they put these hidden partitions on when thay do not supply you with a recovery CD/DVD.

If you want to remove it. Download the Live CD of Digital Dolly. This is a unix utility that can delete and resize your current xp partition.

Yeah I think they stick those on most Laptops On mine its a little shy of 4GB's... I wish they would just give you a copy of windows with your machine and be done with the crap.... But it is handy I guess lol

On my wish list for this would be the ability to update the partition.... maybe some one knows something that will do that ??? (Ghost simply refuses to be used on a partition on the same drive... and yes I have tried lol)

I mean it would be kinda cool to load it up strip out all the shovel ware they put on it, then install all your normal good aps then reimage the HD so that when you hit the restore button it brings you back to something that makes some sense...

u wanna do that? Well you can, here's how. ** DO this at your own risk, the manufacturer's backup is assured to work while if you messed up somewhere, your's may not Always back up your important data either way because the drive may fail"

First install a disk partitioning software such as Norton Parition Magic and set aside a portion of your current hd as a place for a disk "image" (make sure its big enough to hold what you need My recommendation is atleast 5gb) Next install Norton Ghost. In Norton Ghost click on create recovery disks and have the disks saved to your newly created partition. Now if anything goes wrong, insrt the Norton Ghost cd rom and boot off that cd. then use hte cd to image the hd back if anything happens to your windows installation that you dont like (virus etc..) It would be helpful to mark the image drive as "read only" to prevent accidental tampering.
This is just a basic guide, nothing in detail.. I personally use a different system to maintain the office pcs (mine is so much more complicated).

EDIT: This only works for one computer, each pc (unless they r identical) requires its own image. Microsoft XP would lock up if too much hardware is changed to prevent you from taking one hard disk and moving to to another pc. (its a anti piracy thing). There was a time when you could disk ghost a image of one hard drive to antoher then take 1 of the hds out and use it on a different pc. Sadly, those days r over now...

um insert use reg key here idea....
look for hiding partitions in windows xp regedit
on google.

i dont like linux to much work

yeah while your hacking at away on your keyboard, going through command line, then going through books and google trying to figure out what the command is. while i just double click my way around. but i am not totally anti linux, i ran gentoo (stage 2 i believe) on a my old server box after it took like a day or more to combile. and tux is the best mascot

i doubt it will run world of warcraft. but maybe ill adventure into it again when i get an extra box to play with

im on a crappy acer laptop atm it was free, but i just ordered from newegg last night
AMD Athlon 64 3700+ (939)
Open Box: MSI RX480 Neo2-F Socket 939 ATI Radeon XPRESS 200P
X800GTO 256MB DDR3
CORSAIR XMS 2GB DDR 500
not bad for 550 bucks

Although thread is very very old: i h few questions
Unhiding the drive is not i want to do, the hidden partition has Disk Images, which means it can be burnt on a CD / DVD right.
My friend too has laptop that needs a quick FOrmatting, akthough he did not get a Recovery Dick, i m assuming the HIDDEN PARTITION EXITS , which contails an Image of Win. (i guess Installation) .
Can i write it on a CD,