Partions on network storage?

[pullmyfoot]

Ok I have this router
Newegg.com - LINKSYS WRT350N Draft 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3x, 802.3ab, USB 2.0 Wireless-N Gigabit Router with Storage Link - Wireless Routers

And a WDC my book 320gig external drive that arrived at my doorstep today. Its going to be used as a dumping ground for all the computers in the house to back up stuff on and swap files and what not so its atatched to the USB port on my router. Everything works fine, I can see the drive and store stuff on it over the network and all the rest of the works.

Only thing that bugs me is that I cant seem to create partitions on the external drive with my router. I can format it and everything, but Ive spent half an hour trying and reading all the all the manuals and all I have managed to do is have one big 320gig partition and lots of "shares". I thought they would be partition-like at first although they share the same partition of 320gigs but on mapping two I find that they are nothing but the same partition with different names. Any other way I can hope to achieve my partitions?

Oh I just thought of this. If I partition the drive whilst atatched to my computer's USB port and then move it to the router will the partitions stay intact? Even after formatting. Ill try this tomorrow when I get back from school. Its late now (nearly 1am).

[Steve R Jones]

Just zap the current large partition (and lose everything on the drive) and create some more.

[uninstall.exe]

^^ Agree with him, its the easiest way...

1- Xfer stuff back onto a compiuter
2- Format the hard drive (external)
3- While in the format menu partition it to the size(s) you want!
4- Xfer data back on and enjoy!

[pullmyfoot]

Yeah but you see. My router does not allow me to set partition sizes!

[Steve R Jones]

Oh I just thought of this. If I partition the drive whilst atatched to my computer's USB port and then move it to the router will the partitions stay intact? Even after formatting. Ill try this tomorrow when I get back from school. Its late now (nearly 1am).

This would be the thing to try

[pullmyfoot]

I jsut tried it. Made 3 partitions of various sizes. Now I cant even see my drive in my router's set up page. Im at a loss . To add on top the previous post I posted, my router will only allow me to make one big 320gig partition. Thats the only option and its getting on my nerves

[pullmyfoot]

Oh. Cool. I was about to give up then I relized I forgot to restart my couter. So I restarted my router and violla. I could see the drive and better still all the partitions I created in windows itself appeared. So now everything works perfect the way I want it to. Thanks for your help