changing partition sizes on vista laptop

[Andy]

My laptop manufacturer has decided to split my one 70GB SATA hard drive into
2 partitions C&D with 34gb total showing on each. I don't like it like this
I want the most hard disk space I can get on C: partition so I have to find
a way of shifting the free space in partition D: to c: whilst still leaving
the laptop recovery system files on the D: partition is there any way of
doing this without having to reload windows vista.

I think there is a program called partition magic but I think you have to
pay for it - anyone know of a similar thing for free? ;-) or is there
something hidden in the new windows vista OS that can adjust partition sizes
that I don't know about. Its Vista premium home edition and it don't seem
configured for RAID.

Thanks,

Andy.

 

[Guest]

There is a rather easy way to do it if you use a program called Partition
Magic. This program is a very powerful hard disk managing tool that I use on
a regular basis for doing just that. It typically does not lose the data,
but there is always a chance, so be sure to do a full backup just in case.

 

[Paul Stotts]

Hi Andy,

You could look at, Admin Tools/Computer Management/Disk Management/....Right
click the recovery partition, and click 'Shrink'.
It will look at the partition and let you know what it can do....cancel out
if you don't like it.

Paul

 

[ray]

My laptop manufacturer has decided to split my one 70GB SATA hard drive into
2 partitions C&D with 34gb total showing on each. I don't like it like this
I want the most hard disk space I can get on C: partition so I have to find
a way of shifting the free space in partition D: to c: whilst still leaving
the laptop recovery system files on the D: partition is there any way of
doing this without having to reload windows vista.

I think there is a program called partition magic but I think you have to
pay for it - anyone know of a similar thing for free? ;-) or is there
something hidden in the new windows vista OS that can adjust partition sizes
that I don't know about. Its Vista premium home edition and it don't seem
configured for RAID.

Thanks,

Andy.

Suggest you try the Gparted Live CD. It is good to defrag everything
before you start.

 

[...winston]

You might wish to consult your pc manufacturer or others with the same oem laptop(you did not mention the source) to determine if modifying the second drive will impact warranty, ability to recover/restore, or if the restore when necessary does not restore both drives to the original condition.
..winston

: My laptop manufacturer has decided to split my one 70GB SATA hard drive into
: 2 partitions C&D with 34gb total showing on each. I don't like it like this
: I want the most hard disk space I can get on C: partition so I have to find
: a way of shifting the free space in partition D: to c: whilst still leaving
: the laptop recovery system files on the D: partition is there any way of
: doing this without having to reload windows vista.
:
: I think there is a program called partition magic but I think you have to
: pay for it - anyone know of a similar thing for free? ;-) or is there
: something hidden in the new windows vista OS that can adjust partition sizes
: that I don't know about. Its Vista premium home edition and it don't seem
: configured for RAID.
:
: Thanks,
:
: Andy.
:
:
:

 

[Rock]

My laptop manufacturer has decided to split my one 70GB SATA hard drive
into
2 partitions C&D with 34gb total showing on each. I don't like it like
this
I want the most hard disk space I can get on C: partition so I have to
find
a way of shifting the free space in partition D: to c: whilst still
leaving
the laptop recovery system files on the D: partition is there any way of
doing this without having to reload windows vista.

I think there is a program called partition magic but I think you have to
pay for it - anyone know of a similar thing for free? ;-) or is there
something hidden in the new windows vista OS that can adjust partition
sizes
that I don't know about. Its Vista premium home edition and it don't seem
configured for RAID.

You'll need a 3rd party tool for this. Acronis Disk Director Suite 10 works
in Vista as does BootIt NG from Terabyte Unlimited. I know BootIt NG has a
30 day full featured free trial version. I believe Acronis also offers a
trial version.

 

[Andy]

You might wish to consult your pc manufacturer or others with the same oem
laptop(you did not mention the source) to determine if modifying the second
drive will impact warranty, ability to recover/restore, or if the restore
when necessary does not restore both drives to the original condition.
..winston


Thanks in the end I moved the files off the D partition to a folder that I
made on c: called D partition the only thing that wouldn't copy over is the
system volume information folder after that I deleted D partition through
vista's disk management and then 'extended' c: drive and it seems great. As
for recovery/restore files I see in vista disk management that there is a
hidden partition of around 8gb and I am wondering in fact if the laptops
manufacturer have put the recovery files/ system on this instead? - in any
case before I deleted D partition I made a recovery DVD anyway using the
manufactures recovery disc tool.

Thanks,

Andy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------















: My laptop manufacturer has decided to split my one 70GB SATA hard drive
into
: 2 partitions C&D with 34gb total showing on each. I don't like it like
this
: I want the most hard disk space I can get on C: partition so I have to
find
: a way of shifting the free space in partition D: to c: whilst still
leaving
: the laptop recovery system files on the D: partition is there any way of
: doing this without having to reload windows vista.
:
: I think there is a program called partition magic but I think you have to
: pay for it - anyone know of a similar thing for free? ;-) or is there
: something hidden in the new windows vista OS that can adjust partition
sizes
: that I don't know about. Its Vista premium home edition and it don't seem
: configured for RAID.
:
: Thanks,
:
: Andy.
:
:
:

 

[huwyngr]

Partition Magic is a great program but is NOT VISTA comptible. DO NOT
USE IT since it does not understand the VISTA file system on a disk.

There is no sign that Symantec will update it.

 

[huwyngr]

PM is great but it is not compatible with VISTA. It is dangerous to use
it on a VISTA created partition.

From my experience it is OK to use it to create an empty partition
prior to installing VISTA -- that I what I did.

 

[Andy/Bandi]

Hello, Andy,

Alas, Partition Magic 8, the old gold standard, doesn't work under Vista. I
don't know whether Norton have a newer version that does. And yes, you've
got to pay for it.

The good news is that Vista has a SHRINK command to reduce the size of
partitions, which ameliorates the problem somewhat.

Andy

 

[Andy/Bandi]

Hi, Andy,

Further to my previous message on this subject, you can find detailed
instructions on how to shrink or expand partitions under Vista at
http://vistarewired.com/2007/02/16/how-to-resize-a-partition-in-windows-vista/.

Andy