Can you partition a C drive without deleting what is on it?

[Patti Barden]

Using XP SP3, 500GB drive

Can I partition my C drive that has no partitions on but has the OS and data
and programs on it without
deleting anything?

Seems I have read it is not possible. I would like two partitions one for
data and one for OS and programs
so when I do a Disk Check or degrag it doesn't take so long.

Thanks for any advice.
Patti

 

[John John - MVP]

Using XP SP3, 500GB drive

Can I partition my C drive that has no partitions on but has the OS and data
and programs on it without
deleting anything?

Not to nitpick, but your C: drive *does* have a partition, the C: drive
*is* a partition.

Seems I have read it is not possible. I would like two partitions one for
data and one for OS and programs
so when I do a Disk Check or degrag it doesn't take so long.

You will have to use a third party tool like Terabyte's BootItNg or
Easus Partition Manager or other to do this.

MAKE SURE that you backup all your precious files before doing any
partition work! These tools are for most part safe to use but glitches
and errors while doing partition work can quickly lead to catastrophic
loss of all the data on the disk!

John

 

[Patti Barden]

Ok, thanks. I do have Paragon Partition Manager and Paragon Hard Disk
Manager but a novice on both.

Everyone always says make a "backup of files" before you do anything but how
do you backup 37GB data onto
a floppy disk?? That is the only option my XP gives me, that is why I bought
an external hard disk.

Thanks, Patti

Not to nitpick, but your C: drive *does* have a partition, the C: drive
*is* a partition.

OK, stand corrected.

 

[John John - MVP]

I don't use Paragon tools but I'm quite sure that you can use these
tools to backup your 37GB of data onto your external drive. I'm also
sure that you can use these tools to resize your existing C: drive and
create additional partitions with the free unallocated space that you
will gain when you resize the C: drive. When you resize C: don't make
the common mistake of making it too small!

John

 

[Patti Barden]

Thanks everyone - I am struggling.

If before I do anything I should make a backup/copy of my
37GB data in case anything goes wrong -
where do I put the backup/copy? If I partition
the EHD (external hard disk) and put the
backup/copy on it and then Clone
the C Hard disk and put the clone on the EHC,
I think that erases everything on the EHD which would negate
my backups. Using a CD or floppy would mean a lot of disks or floppies?
What am I missing?
Patti

 

[Tom Willett]

External hard drives are cheap.
: Thanks everyone - I am struggling.
:
: If before I do anything I should make a backup/copy of my
: 37GB data in case anything goes wrong -
: where do I put the backup/copy? If I partition
: the EHD (external hard disk) and put the
: backup/copy on it and then Clone
: the C Hard disk and put the clone on the EHC,
: I think that erases everything on the EHD which would negate
: my backups. Using a CD or floppy would mean a lot of disks or floppies?
: What am I missing?
: Patti
:
:
: : > Ok, thanks. I do have Paragon Partition Manager and Paragon Hard Disk
: > Manager but a novice on both.
: >
: > Everyone always says make a "backup of files" before you do anything but
: > how do you backup 37GB data onto
: > a floppy disk?? That is the only option my XP gives me, that is why I
: > bought an external hard disk.
: >
: > Thanks, Patti
: >
: >
: > : >> Patti Barden wrote:
: >>> Using XP SP3, 500GB drive
: >>>
: >>> Can I partition my C drive that has no partitions on but has the OS
and
: >>> data and programs on it without
: >>> deleting anything?
: >>
: >> Not to nitpick, but your C: drive *does* have a partition, the C: drive
: >> *is* a partition.
: >
: > OK, stand corrected.
: >>
: >>
: >>> Seems I have read it is not possible. I would like two partitions one
: >>> for data and one for OS and programs
: >>> so when I do a Disk Check or degrag it doesn't take so long.
: >>
: >> You will have to use a third party tool like Terabyte's BootItNg or
Easus
: >> Partition Manager or other to do this.
: >>
: >> MAKE SURE that you backup all your precious files before doing any
: >> partition work! These tools are for most part safe to use but glitches
: >> and errors while doing partition work can quickly lead to catastrophic
: >> loss of all the data on the disk!
: >>
: >> John
: >
: >
:
:

 

[glee]

First, set up your external drive (as someone already mentioned).
Partition it with either a single partition or with more than one if
that's what you want...doesn't really matter.

When the external drive is set up, use (I assume you are using...)
Acronis True Image to create an image of your system, storing it on the
external drive.

If you make an image, rather than "cloning" the drive, it make a large
file with a .tib extension ...tib stands for True Image Backup. It is
just a file....it doesn't erase anything on the drive, any more than
making a text file and putting it there would erase anything.

Why are you cloning the drive to the external drive?? You usually only
clone if you plan to REPLACE your C: drive with the other
drive....that's not what you need to do. True Image makes .tib files
which can be restored if needed by using the rescue boot CD made with
True Image, to boot your computer and then choose to restore from the
external drive.

Read the Help files please!

 

[glee]

snip
Then you can change partitions on your main hard disk at will.
Use a partition manager, such as "PowerQuest PartitionMagic".
Move boundaries around as you like.
snip

PowerQuest Partition magic hasn't been in existence for a while...at
version 8, it was bought out by Symantec in 2003, and was renamed Norton
Partition Magic. No new versions were released since that time, and it
was discontinued last year.
Welcome to 2010....

 

[clairexiang1]

Use AOMEI Partition Assistant to split C drive into two partitions.
http://www.disk-partition.com/help/split-partition.html