1. What is it? First off, a partition is required to run any DOS, Windows, Linux, Sparc and Mac computer. If there are others, then I don't use them.
2. Why do we do it? Partitioning is taking the raw format of the disk drive and making them usable for the operating system.
3. Is it necessary? Simply stated...YES!!!
That's it.
Now, there are infinite ways to partition a disk drive.
Top three are as follows (these are my top three):
1. One big one (used 9 times out of 10). That means the operating system will make the drive as big as it can get. Windows has a 250GB limit per partition and 120GB for Linux.
2. Partition the drive into 2 sections. The first one being for OS and programs and the second one being all the data. This works out well, if you want to backup your data and not worry about the programs. Most companies use this to only backup what is unreplacable.
3. Again partitioning the drive into 2 sections. That way I can put all of the drivers, and other files to restore a broken computer. If you wanted to erase a drive and start over, but your drivers are lost or on the C: drive, this makes it very easy to reinstall the system back to noraml.
Finally, with the price of disk drives falling the 250GB+ drive is getting easier to obtain. So, if you want to use 500GB drive in Windows, you will have to partition the drive into 2 partitions. Both being about 250GB each. That means will have a C: and a D: drive. Now there are programs that fools Windows that a 500GB is one big drive. Those are drivers.
There are so many other reasons to partition, but not only partition but to format as well.
And all of you thought you knew the answer.