Can I add unallocated space to a drive that has already been formated? I have
70Gb of unallocated space on my HD that I need to assign to my C: dirve and
don't want to have to go through a complete rebooot or lose any data. Any
suggestions? Is it possible to move the C: Drive contents to another partion,
reformat the C:, and then move back without hindering any system operations?

"Siper1" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:23411F47-BC26-4F2C-B84C-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Can I add unallocated space to a drive that has already been formated? I
> have
> 70Gb of unallocated space on my HD that I need to assign to my C: dirve
> and
> don't want to have to go through a complete rebooot or lose any data. Any
> suggestions? Is it possible to move the C: Drive contents to another
> partion,
> reformat the C:, and then move back without hindering any system
> operations?

The usual method is to use a partition manager such as Acronis Disk
Directory. The process is non-destructive. However, since accidents do
happen, you should back up your important files to an independent medium
before going ahead.

It is possible to move the contents of drive C: out of the way and do what
you want to do. However, you need either another PC or a boot CD such as a
Bart PE boot CD to do this. You also need to be familiar with the Windows
boot process.

> Can I add unallocated space to a drive that has already been
> formated? I have 70Gb of unallocated space on my HD that I need to
> assign to my C: dirve and don't want to have to go through a complete
> rebooot or lose any data. Any suggestions? Is it possible to move the
> C: Drive contents to another partion, reformat the C:, and then move
> back without hindering any system operations?

Not if C: is your boot drive; you would lose your operating system due
to the format. Also, you cannot avoid doing reboots for any of these
type processes; time to buy a legit copy of windows. Keep in mind that
a format destroys all data on the drive being formatted.

you might simply
format the unallocated
space and get a new
drive letter for it.

then you can use that
space at your discretion
and which will be protected
if the system partition is
attacked.

afterwards, you can relocate
the entire My Documents from
the system partition onto the
new drive.

just right click on it, select
properties and simply provide
the new drive letter for its
default location and windows
will do the rest.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

"Siper1" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:23411F47-BC26-4F2C-B84C-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Can I add unallocated space to a drive that has already been formated? I have
> 70Gb of unallocated space on my HD that I need to assign to my C: dirve and
> don't want to have to go through a complete rebooot or lose any data. Any
> suggestions? Is it possible to move the C: Drive contents to another partion,
> reformat the C:, and then move back without hindering any system operations?

"Twayne" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:OWrO8%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Can I add unallocated space to a drive that has already been
>> formated? I have 70Gb of unallocated space on my HD that I need to
>> assign to my C: dirve and don't want to have to go through a complete
>> rebooot or lose any data. Any suggestions? Is it possible to move the
>> C: Drive contents to another partion, reformat the C:, and then move
>> back without hindering any system operations?
>
<snip>
; time to buy a legit copy of windows.
<snip>

Why would you say that? Does a "legit" copy of windows allow one to perform
the operations the op asked about?
Time to get a working brain, more like...

On Tue, 2 Dec 2008 08:35:02 -0800, Siper1
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Can I add unallocated space to a drive that has already been formated?


Only if you use third-party software. Partition Magic is the
best-known such product, but there are other choices both commercial
and freeware. I've never needed to use any of these, so I'll let
someone else recommend one.

By the way, doing this is a big step and it's always possible that
something goes wrong and you lose everything. So it's a very good idea
to be sure you have a backup on external media of anything important
to you before starting this.


> I have
> 70Gb of unallocated space on my HD



Why? That's a very unusual situation.


> that I need to assign to my C: dirve and
> don't want to have to go through a complete rebooot or lose any data.


As I said above, losing data is always a distinct possibility. Backup
before doing anything.


> Any
> suggestions? Is it possible to move the C: Drive contents to another partion,
> reformat the C:, and then move back without hindering any system operations?


Yes, but you need to use a third-party cloning program. Again, if you
do that, recognize that losing everything remains a possibility.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

This is call expanding the partition... Use a partition manager. I use
Partition Magic myself. You can extend the partion to use the unallocated
space on your c: drive.

--
Randem Systems
Your Installation Specialist
The Top Inno Setup Script Generator
http://www.randem.com/innoscript.html
http://www.rndem.com/installerproblems.html
http://www.randem.com/vistainstalls.html
http://www.financialtrainingservices.org


"Siper1" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:23411F47-BC26-4F2C-B84C-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Can I add unallocated space to a drive that has already been formated? I
> have
> 70Gb of unallocated space on my HD that I need to assign to my C: dirve
> and
> don't want to have to go through a complete rebooot or lose any data. Any
> suggestions? Is it possible to move the C: Drive contents to another
> partion,
> reformat the C:, and then move back without hindering any system
> operations?

> "Twayne" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:OWrO8%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> Can I add unallocated space to a drive that has already been
>>> formated? I have 70Gb of unallocated space on my HD that I need to
>>> assign to my C: dirve and don't want to have to go through a
>>> complete rebooot or lose any data. Any suggestions? Is it possible
>>> to move the C: Drive contents to another partion, reformat the C:,
>>> and then move back without hindering any system operations?
>>
> <snip>
> ; time to buy a legit copy of windows.
> <snip>
>
> Why would you say that? Does a "legit" copy of windows allow one to
> perform the operations the op asked about?
> Time to get a working brain, more like...

|Because it's likely true, and because the OP said he has to avoid a
"complete reboot".

Siper1 wrote:
> Can I add unallocated space to a drive that has already been
> formated? I have 70Gb of unallocated space on my HD that I need to
> assign to my C: dirve and don't want to have to go through a
> complete rebooot or lose any data. Any suggestions? Is it possible
> to move the C: Drive contents to another partion, reformat the C:,
> and then move back without hindering any system operations?

Twayne wrote:
> Not if C: is your boot drive; you would lose your operating system
> due to the format. Also, you cannot avoid doing reboots for any of
> these type processes; time to buy a legit copy of windows. Keep in
> mind that a format destroys all data on the drive being formatted.

Onsokumaru wrote:
> Why would you say that? Does a "legit" copy of windows allow one to
> perform the operations the op asked about?
> Time to get a working brain, more like...

Twayne wrote:
> Because it's likely true, and because the OP said he has to avoid
> a "complete reboot".

The OP did not say they *had* to avoid a "complete reboot" (which I take to
mean a clean installation)... The OP stated they 'don't want to have to go
through a complete rebooot or lose any data'...

I don't take that to mean they cannot do this - but they would prefer *not*
to - and I can agree with that (assuming 'a complete rebooot' in their terms
means a clean installation in reality.) Who wants to copy all of their
stuff, format and install everything again, put all of their stuff back?
Tedious, time consuming and partly why products like Ghost and TrueImage
exist.

Not wanting to do something and having to avoid something are different by
scale. Yes - you can do both at the same time (I don't want to get shot, I
have to avoid getting shot) bot the latter implies you have no choice and
the OP clearly inferred they had the option of doing so - they just did not
want to.

There are couple of ways to do what the OP wants to do and avoid the
complete installation nightmare.

- Use a third party partition management application to expand their
partiton to utilize the unpartitioned space.
- Use a third party imaging application to make an image of the current
partition and then delete the partition, create the new partition and apply
the image to the new partition - it should adjust for them.

In either case (although it *should be* redundant in the second one) they
should first do an additional backup before proceding. I say 'additional'
because they should be backing up their own files in a consistent periodic
scheduled way already.

There are likely more ways to do it cleanly and easily - but those are two
very tried and tested ways that have proven themselves..

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html