Combine C and D Drives

[Guest]

Hello,

I have a PC with one hard drive, which the previous owner split into two
logical drives, C and D. I'm converting them from FAT to NTFS. Once I do
that, I'd like to make them into one logical drive instead of two. What's
the easiest and safest way to do this?

I do NOT have the option of re-installing the OS. Can I just delete the D
partition and then expand the C? I don't have any special utilities, just
what came on Windows XP Pro.

Thanks!

 

[Poprivet]

Hello,

I have a PC with one hard drive, which the previous owner split into
two logical drives, C and D. I'm converting them from FAT to NTFS.
Once I do that, I'd like to make them into one logical drive instead
of two. What's the easiest and safest way to do this?

Use a 3rd party partition manager.

I do NOT have the option of re-installing the OS.

Of course you do! Unless you have a pirated os, in which case you are going
to have many more problems coming up, so any assistance you get will become
moot.

Can I just delete

the D partition and then expand the C?

No, it doesn't work that way.

I don't have any special

utilities, just what came on Windows XP Pro.

Then Backup your data and use the CD to reinstall windows, creating only one
partition in the process. XP comes with a backup utility auto installed in
Pro but not in Home; HOme you have to install it from the CD separately.

 

[BillW50]

Hello,

I have a PC with one hard drive, which the previous owner split into
two logical drives, C and D. I'm converting them from FAT to NTFS.
Once I do that, I'd like to make them into one logical drive instead
of two. What's the easiest and safest way to do this?

I do NOT have the option of re-installing the OS. Can I just delete
the D partition and then expand the C? I don't have any special
utilities, just what came on Windows XP Pro.

Thanks!

You could use something like the time limited Paragon Partition Manager
8.5 from this website:

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/downloads/2163792/paragon-partition-manager

They used to have Paragon Partition Manager 2005 free on this site. But
I don't see it free anymore. Plus there are free ones out there, but I
don't know much about them. Like from:

http://www.bootdisk.com/

Well I can't find it there. But maybe I am just missing it. But it does
have other things that will help you too.

 

[BillW50]

Doogie wrote:
[clip]

I do NOT have the option of re-installing the OS.

Of course you do! Unless you have a pirated os, in which case you
are going to have many more problems coming up, so any assistance you
get will become moot.

[clip]

I disagree! There are tons of legal users out there that don't have to
option to format and reinstall. As many OEM give you the authentic
sticker and all, but don't give you an install or a recovery CD/DVD.
Worse, some don't give you an option to create them.

For example, this refurbushed Gateway MX6124 laptop I bought last year
came with a recovery DVD. But after I got online, Gateway warned through
their BugFix software:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for your purchase of a Gateway notebook computer. In an effort
to provide you with exceptional support, Gateway has identified an
inaccuracy with the Operating System (OS) media CD that was included in
the box with your new Gateway notebook computer. An incorrect revision
of the Microsoft® Windows® operating system media CD was inadvertently
included in the packaging during the manufacturing process.

Please note that the correct version of the operating system was
pre-installed on your computer, and should be functional. While this CD
is not necessary for normal everyday functionality of your computer, it
is important that you have a correct revision of the operating system
media in the event that a restoration from CD to the original factory
image is necessary.

WARNING: Do not attempt to load the operating system from the media CD
that came with your system-it may cause loss of data.

To obtain a free copy of the correct operating system media CD, click
the link below and complete the requested shipping information. The CD
will be shipped to you at no cost.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And guess what? I filled out the required forms and 8 months later.
Still nothing. Nice, eh?

Thus already legal users have to go out and buy another retail copy of
Windows XP. I have multiple copies of Windows for every machine I own
because of this nonsense. I think this is a plan to make extra money
from honest people. This milking of honest people needs to stop! As this
is just as low as what the pirates are doing IMHO.

 

[Rock]

Hello,

I have a PC with one hard drive, which the previous owner split into two
logical drives, C and D. I'm converting them from FAT to NTFS. Once I do
that, I'd like to make them into one logical drive instead of two. What's
the easiest and safest way to do this?

I do NOT have the option of re-installing the OS. Can I just delete the D
partition and then expand the C? I don't have any special utilities, just
what came on Windows XP Pro.

XP has no tools to do what you want non destructively. You'll need a 3rd
party tool such as Partition Magic, Acronis Disk Director Suite, or BootIT
NG (BING). BING has a 30 day full featured free trial version that will
work for what you want.

Note: with a used computer I recommend installing the OS clean and then
reinstalling apps from original media. That way you don't inherit the
system problems, malware and other nasties like child porn.

You will need a means to recover the system sooner or later, whether it's an
installation CD, or a recovery CD from the computer OEM. Reinstalling might
become a necessity. What are you going to do if the hard drive where
Windows is installed crashes? You might as well take care of it now while
there are no system problems then later when you're in a panic because of
problems.

 

[Poprivet]

Doogie wrote:
[clip]

I do NOT have the option of re-installing the OS.

Of course you do! Unless you have a pirated os, in which case you
are going to have many more problems coming up, so any assistance you
get will become moot.

[clip]

I disagree! There are tons of legal users out there that don't have to
option to format and reinstall. As many OEM give you the authentic
sticker and all, but don't give you an install or a recovery CD/DVD.
Worse, some don't give you an option to create them.

Well, you can disagree all you want, but your take on this situation is
completely out to lunch. By Federal law, and ALL MICROSOFT contracts and
licenses, which are the only way to legally sell their OS license, EVERY
computer system which includes an operating system, must by sold with a
method of recovering the computer to its delivered state, including
instructions for doing so. If there is no option, then there is no license
and thus nothing to discuss; the person accepting the machine accepted
pirated software on it.

Further, the OP didn't say he didn't WANT to buy an OS, he said it was not
an option to reinstal the OS. And that is just patently not true; there is
ALWAYS a way to reinstall the OS. Since what you want to do is sidestep the
actual issues and add your own interpretations to what the OP stated rather
clearly, your post to me takes on a more or less useless status.

Nothing more to say on this subject.

Pop`

The rest of your post is pretty much rubbish w/r to the stated topic, and
the fact that you've interjected that you apparently done nothing in 8
months to see where your recovery item is, says to me that you are either
very lazy, or aware that you pirated it, or are pretty low on the IQ scale,
or all of the above and probably more.

 

[NoConsequence]

Doogie wrote:
[clip]

I do NOT have the option of re-installing the OS.

Of course you do! Unless you have a pirated os, in which case you
are going to have many more problems coming up, so any assistance you
get will become moot.

[clip]

I disagree! There are tons of legal users out there that don't have to
option to format and reinstall. As many OEM give you the authentic
sticker and all, but don't give you an install or a recovery CD/DVD.
Worse, some don't give you an option to create them.

Many computers do NOT come with a restore CD, but do have a recovery
partition that is accessed via a BIOS option during boot. Yes, that
can be used, but many of them repartition and when they do so they
recreate the exact same partitions that existed when the computer
rolled off the factory floor - which is useless in this case.

 

[Matt]

Try the free and very user friendly gparted, a user friendly partition
editor that boots on its own CD.

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/

It may be a good idea to do a full disk defrag before you start and, I
can't stress enough... BACK EVERYTHING UP BEFORE YOU BEGIN.
I've resized a fair few drives with gparted, but even so things can and
do go wrong. If you cannot reinstall your operating system, then use
something like Acronis true image
http://eu.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/


------------------------------------------
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advice for Windows users. All our video
guides are full size and 100% advert free!
------------------------------------------

 

[skeeter]

Well, you can disagree all you want, but your take on this situation is
completely out to lunch. By Federal law, and ALL MICROSOFT contracts and
licenses, which are the only way to legally sell their OS license, EVERY
computer system which includes an operating system, must by sold with a
method of recovering the computer to its delivered state, including
instructions for doing so. If there is no option, then there is no license
and thus nothing to discuss; the person accepting the machine accepted
pirated software on it.

I bought two DELL computers last year and had to pay extra ($10) for
"reinstallation CDs". No documentation. Nothing what so ever about how
to restore the operating system if it becomes necessary. No
instructions. Of course instructions may be on the disk, I haven't had
occassion to use it. I have no idea hoe to go about re0installing the
operation system without a CD. Perhaps you could enlighten us?

 

[Rock]

On Sat, 21 Apr 2007 20:32:19 -0400, "Poprivet"

I bought two DELL computers last year and had to pay extra ($10) for
"reinstallation CDs". No documentation. Nothing what so ever about how
to restore the operating system if it becomes necessary. No
instructions. Of course instructions may be on the disk, I haven't had
occassion to use it. I have no idea hoe to go about re0installing the
operation system without a CD. Perhaps you could enlighten us?

Check for documentation on the CD or on the Dell tech support site or
contact Dell tech support. You should go to them since it's their process.

<snip>

 

[Sunny]

|
| >| >> Doogie wrote:
| >
| >[clip]
| >
| >>> I do NOT have the option of re-installing the OS.
| >>
| >> Of course you do! Unless you have a pirated os, in which case you
| >> are going to have many more problems coming up, so any assistance you
| >> get will become moot.
| >
| >[clip]
| >
| >I disagree! There are tons of legal users out there that don't have to
| >option to format and reinstall. As many OEM give you the authentic
| >sticker and all, but don't give you an install or a recovery CD/DVD.
| >Worse, some don't give you an option to create them.
|
| Many computers do NOT come with a restore CD, but do have a recovery
| partition that is accessed via a BIOS option during boot. Yes, that
| can be used, but many of them repartition and when they do so they
| recreate the exact same partitions that existed when the computer
| rolled off the factory floor - which is useless in this case.

Real handy when the hard drive fails and has to be replaced.
(says the "Dell" PC buyer, gazing at the rubbish bin that the old hard drive, with the "recovery partition" containing the paid for copy of "Vista" now resides)

 

[BillW50]

Doogie wrote:
[clip]

I do NOT have the option of re-installing the OS.

Of course you do! Unless you have a pirated os, in which case you
are going to have many more problems coming up, so any assistance
you get will become moot.

[clip]

I disagree! There are tons of legal users out there that don't have
to option to format and reinstall. As many OEM give you the authentic
sticker and all, but don't give you an install or a recovery CD/DVD.
Worse, some don't give you an option to create them.

Well, you can disagree all you want, but your take on this situation
is completely out to lunch. By Federal law, and ALL MICROSOFT
contracts and licenses, which are the only way to legally sell their
OS license, EVERY computer system which includes an operating system,
must by sold with a method of recovering the computer to its
delivered state, including instructions for doing so. If there is no
option, then there is no license and thus nothing to discuss; the
person accepting the machine accepted pirated software on it.

Right! The owner pays for the OS through the OEM and the OEM pays MS.
And it is somehow a pirated copy in your mind. Yet no court in the world
would buy that bunch of bull!

Also with this Gateway MX6124 laptop, I had a trial version of Office
2003. I tried to activate it and it wanted the key for Works which was
also installed on this laptop. Well I had no key, no authentication
sticker or anything. I called Gateway and spent hours on the phone who
also got MS on the line and MS then gave me a key code to activate it.
Neither Gateway nor MS even cared that I had no key or authentication.
They acted like this was completely normal. What a bunch of BS! Honest
people shouldn't have to play these games!

Further, the OP didn't say he didn't WANT to buy an OS, he said it
was not an option to reinstal the OS. And that is just patently not
true; there is ALWAYS a way to reinstall the OS. Since what you want
to do is sidestep the actual issues and add your own interpretations
to what the OP stated rather clearly, your post to me takes on a more
or less useless status.

Well what is done many time is that the recovery files are on the HD in
another partition. Great until the HD fails to read and the recovery
option is worthless. Thus MS makes more money when the owner has to go
out and buy another copy of the OS again for the same machine.

Nothing more to say on this subject.

Oh course not! You know-it-alls know everything and you don't want to
facts confusing you. So what else is new?

Pop`

The rest of your post is pretty much rubbish w/r to the stated topic,
and the fact that you've interjected that you apparently done
nothing in 8 months to see where your recovery item is, says to me
that you are either very lazy, or aware that you pirated it, or are
pretty low on the IQ scale, or all of the above and probably more.

Buzz! Wrong again! Try time is money and instead of wasting hours and
hours getting them to cough up the correct recovery CD, it is just
easier to buy another retail copy of the OS anyway like what I usually
do. This is how MS rips off us honest users. Maybe you are fooish and
dumb enough to waste all of that time to make things right for about 50¢
per hour, but I am not.