Any laptops without hidden partitons

[PCessna]

Hey all,

I'm looking to see about a newer laptop, but so many brands hide their partitons in the Windows Registry, that it makes it hard to not only install another version of Windows or re-installl windows, but likely to Install windows.

Someone said HP locks theirs, Gateway hides, seen some about acer hiding.

Anyone know a good brand? IBM Possibly doesn't hide theirs (lenvo)

[LaRoza]

Get a Thinkpad with Linux on it.

[PCessna]

Get a Thinkpad with Linux on it.

Short and sweet good reply :D

[lisati]

My two-year old Toshiba laptop came with a recovery DVD instead of a recovery partition. I've no idea if they still use that approach.

[PCessna]

Can anyone link me their, It seems non obvious on their site, or do I need my Vanilla tea D:

[PCessna]

Can anyone link me their, It seems non obvious on their site, or do I need my Vanilla tea D:

SUSE Linux? I'ma be sick, Hell no, If I got one it'd have Ubuntu in 3 min.

[arpanaut]

SUSE Linux? I'ma be sick, Hell no, If I got one it'd have Ubuntu in 3 min.

At least you'd not have to deal with Windows favoring, Linux blocking "malware", and you could be pretty sure that the hardware is supported.

[PCessna]

At least you'd not have to deal with Windows favoring, Linux blocking "malware", and you could be pretty sure that the hardware is supported.

What..s

[arpanaut]

If you get any laptop with any version of Linux on it, that would be true.
I've got a 2 year old Compaq that I had no problem re-partitioning and getting a dual boot going. I even was able to keep Quick Play working for the windows set-up

I don't think it's that big of an issue for newer systems, Vista is even more tolerant of coexisting with other OS...

And if you are just going to blow away the stock OS it is not going to make any difference anyway if you do a full format of the drive and install whatever... Just do your homework on the hardware, It will save you a lot of grief!

[wrtpeeps]

Hey all,

I'm looking to see about a newer laptop, but so many brands hide their partitons in the Windows Registry, that it makes it hard to not only install another version of Windows or re-installl windows, but likely to Install windows.

Someone said HP locks theirs, Gateway hides, seen some about acer hiding.

Anyone know a good brand? IBM Possibly doesn't hide theirs (lenvo)

Just buy one and format it?

[jflaker]

Hey all,

I'm looking to see about a newer laptop, but so many brands hide their partitons in the Windows Registry, that it makes it hard to not only install another version of Windows or re-installl windows, but likely to Install windows.

Someone said HP locks theirs, Gateway hides, seen some about acer hiding.

Anyone know a good brand? IBM Possibly doesn't hide theirs (lenvo)

ANY partition can be blown away. When you install, you can opt to use the entire disk and the installer will blow away all partitions and partition it for Linux. I have never seen a disk in 20 years that could not be repartitioned unless the drive was fubar'd

[PCessna]

ANY partition can be blown away. When you install, you can opt to use the entire disk and the installer will blow away all partitions and partition it for Linux. I have never seen a disk in 20 years that could not be repartitioned unless the drive was fubar'd
So Linux just needs to know it see a HD? Because if I put XP disk on this computer, It will say

NO HD
No Partitions

Or not list any.

It's just Windows that can blow away the registry's hiding games, eh?

[Icehuck]

I have a HP laptop(bought in December) and the recovery partition was in no way hidden from me. I saw it removed it and recovered the space with no issues while in Windows.

[LookTJ]

These "hidden" partitions are not hidden, but are recovery partitions. Most recovery partitions use FAT file systems(at least the ones I used). So it's easily deletable, boot gparted and delete :)

[jflaker]

So Linux just needs to know it see a HD? Because if I put XP disk on this computer, It will say

NO HD
No Partitions

Or not list any.

It's just Windows that can blow away the registry's hiding games, eh?

You can use the livecd to resize any of the partition or delete them altogether....Windows is saying there is no room for a NTFS partition. If you are installing Ubuntu you can choose to resize the partitions or just use the whole disk.......

If I am not making sense it may be that I didn't understand what you want to do.

[FuturePilot]

So Linux just needs to know it see a HD? Because if I put XP disk on this computer, It will say

NO HD
No Partitions

Or not list any.

It's just Windows that can blow away the registry's hiding games, eh?

From experience XP only says that if you have a SATA drive.

[LaRoza]

It actually is possible to have hidden partitions that cannot be seen.

[p_quarles]

From experience XP only says that if you have a SATA drive.
That's correct. The XP installation disk does not contain the drivers necessary for reading or writing a SATA disk.

This has nothing to do with partitioning.

It actually is possible to have hidden partitions that cannot be seen.
The ways I know of require the use of an logical volume tool, i.e., software. So, the worst they could do is keep you from accessing it. You can certainly still format the disk or overwrite the "hidden" partition.

[LaRoza]

The ways I know of require the use of an logical volume tool, i.e., software. So, the worst they could do is keep you from accessing it. You can certainly still format the disk or overwrite the "hidden" partition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Host_Protected_Area

[Barrucadu]

Toshiba laptops don't have hidden/recovery partitions - they use the good old fashioned recovery disc approach :)

[PCessna]

Toshiba laptops don't have hidden/recovery partitions - they use the good old fashioned recovery disc approach :)

Yeah, but for Laptops, If I can't get an Apple, I'd get Gateway or HP. HP makes me sick. I'd even get a Dell with Ubuntu. Dell isn't too bad. Comaq + Toshiba = Sickningly unawesome D:

I know Gateway plays hiding games, But someone said HP just locks.

I don't know what I can use to format over hidden partitions, Like this comp im using now, Recovery and Main partition is completly hidden, Nothing but somehow wubi and Vista can detect I even have a HARD DRIVE. I use Wubi (yeah I know :[), 64-bit ubuntu. 32-bit said 'Can't create swap space', not matter what. 64-bit installed and was up and running in a couple min (what im using now). It was also only because Wubi couldn't connect to 32-bit mirror :D

This computer's warranty has 2 more years, and I don't need Gateway to deny helping mew with any Vista issues or hardware issues if I truly install Ubuntu on this computer, So I'm gonna wait and keep with Wubi.

[plb]

I just picked up a toshiba satellite a215 and it has no recovery partition...just a disk.

[andamaru]

My Gateway came with a recovery partition + a QEM copy of windows xp, and you can make a copy of the recovery partition with a tool they provided. Then I got a linux disk and wiped the hard drive.

[Nepherte]

I have a Sony Vaio. It comes with a recovery partition, as so many laptops. I just burned the partition on two cds (Sony gives you a tool for it) and removed the partition.

[Daveski]

This computer's warranty has 2 more years, and I don't need Gateway to deny helping mew with any Vista issues or hardware issues if I truly install Ubuntu on this computer, So I'm gonna wait and keep with Wubi.

If it is a standard 2.5" HDD and it is easy to remove, then why not put the current drive in a box and buy a new one? Pop it in the laptop and format it / create as many Linux partitions as you like. If you need to call for help or invoke a warranty call, just bung the old drive back in.