merge two hard drives using partition magic 8?

A

aaronep

I am using Windows XP. Have computer with two hard drives
installed. Primary drive is 250 gig and secondary drive is only 30
gig. There is more than 30 gig of un used space on the primary
drive. Is it possible using Partition Magic 8, or perhaps some
other application to merge all of the contents of the secondary drive
onto the primary drive so that there would be no need for more than
one drive in the computer?

All opinions, information, suggestions, etc. welcomed!

Aaron
 
S

shuaipig_1983

i suggest u do not use partition magic 8,cause this software is only
used in the windows xp,u can use some other software in the dos
model,cause i use the partition magic 8,although i merge some free
space in one part ,there is some problems when it is done,the previous
part which is moved to other part can not be opened or used,so u
should think of it before u make ur decisions.
http://www.xowow.com
 
P

Plato

i suggest u do not use partition magic 8,cause this software is only
used in the windows xp,u can use some other software in the dos
model,cause i use the partition magic 8,although i merge some free
space in one part ,there is some problems when it is done,the previous
part which is moved to other part can not be opened or used,so u
should think of it before u make ur decisions.
http://www.xowow.com

I
you
because
your
 
M

Mike Walsh

You could copy the entire contents of the 30 GB drive to a directory on the primary drive. If you want to make these files appear under the original drive letter use the Subst command.
 
K

kony

i suggest u do not use partition magic 8,cause this software is only
used in the windows xp,u can use some other software in the dos
model,

Untrue.

PM8 can be run entirely from a bootable (to DOS) floppy
disc, or thumbdrive, etc. XP is not needed, though after
you get the PM8 software CD you may need an OS to make that
bootable media the first time, after which point that media
can work on the system without any OS, just one blank drive.
 
K

kony

I am using Windows XP. Have computer with two hard drives
installed. Primary drive is 250 gig and secondary drive is only 30
gig. There is more than 30 gig of un used space on the primary
drive. Is it possible using Partition Magic 8, or perhaps some
other application to merge all of the contents of the secondary drive
onto the primary drive so that there would be no need for more than
one drive in the computer?


Is the second drive holding an OS, and you need to preserve
the ability to boot to that copy of the OS? If not, there
is no reason to "merge" contents.

Does the primary drive have a second partition on it at
least 30GB large? If not, and you wanted to use PM8 to dupe
the 30GB drive's OS (more easily than other ways), you could
use PM8 to divide the 250GB drive into a(nother) second
partition to hold this 30GB of "files" (Might be less than
30GB?).

If you just wanted to copy the files from one drive to
another, why not just use windows? It'll be faster.

We need exactly details of your present setup, your desired
target, and why.
 
G

GT

I am using Windows XP. Have computer with two hard drives
installed. Primary drive is 250 gig and secondary drive is only 30
gig. There is more than 30 gig of un used space on the primary
drive. Is it possible using Partition Magic 8, or perhaps some
other application to merge all of the contents of the secondary drive
onto the primary drive so that there would be no need for more than
one drive in the computer?

Don't overcomplicate things. Move the files in Windows onto the big
partition, so as to empty the small drive. Go To "Control Panel" ->
"Administrative Tools"->"Disk Management". Delete the empty (small )
partition. Then you can use a utility such as Partition Magic (or perhaps
something free from a google search?) and enlarge the remaining large
partition to use the space you just freed on the drive.
 
G

GT

I am using Windows XP. Have computer with two hard drives
Don't overcomplicate things. Move the files in Windows onto the big
partition, so as to empty the small drive. Go To "Control Panel" ->
"Administrative Tools"->"Disk Management". Delete the empty (small )
partition. Then you can use a utility such as Partition Magic (or perhaps
something free from a google search?) and enlarge the remaining large
partition to use the space you just freed on the drive.

Oh and *BACKUP* important files before doing anything. Then google for
"increase partitions freeware".
 
E

ElJerid

kony said:
Untrue.

PM8 can be run entirely from a bootable (to DOS) floppy
disc, or thumbdrive, etc. XP is not needed, though after
you get the PM8 software CD you may need an OS to make that
bootable media the first time, after which point that media
can work on the system without any OS, just one blank drive.

This is also true for PM7 !
 
J

jameshanley39

i suggest u do not use partition magic 8,cause this software is only
used in the windows xp,u can use some other software in the dos
model,cause i use the partition magic 8,although i merge some free
space in one part ,there is some problems when it is done,the previous
part which is moved to other part can not be opened or used,so u
should think of it before u make ur decisions.http://www.xowow.com

Funny you should say that about no DOS version.. Nobody has mentioned
this here for some reason. But the partition magic rescue disks that
PM8 asks or 'suggests' that you create when you install it, are a
Partition Magic for DOS !!!! (I don't know how people can say it can
run in DOS without mentioning that. But anyhow)

Aside from that I agree with everybody else's responses to you as of
writing!
 
J

jameshanley39

I am using Windows XP. Have computer with two hard drives
installed. Primary drive is 250 gig and secondary drive is only 30
gig. There is more than 30 gig of un used space on the primary
drive. Is it possible using Partition Magic 8, or perhaps some
other application to merge all of the contents of the secondary drive
onto the primary drive so that there would be no need for more than
one drive in the computer?

All opinions, information, suggestions, etc. welcomed!

Aaron

I just started up PM8.

Didn't you notice an option in Partition Magic 8 called "Merge
Partitions" ??!!! It's right there under 'pick a task'.

There's also an option to Copy a Partition.

So why not Copy the partitions , so all the ones you want are on one
drive.

Then Merge them.

I may not have used Merge, but, If you have issues of partitions not
being adjacent, you can move them. There's an option to "Resize/Move".
you can move partitions by dragging. PM8 is very powerful and easy to
use(though I new fdisk before). Obviously don't mix serious use of it
with playful use of it!
 
K

kony

Funny you should say that about no DOS version.. Nobody has mentioned
this here for some reason. But the partition magic rescue disks that
PM8 asks or 'suggests' that you create when you install it, are a
Partition Magic for DOS !!!! (I don't know how people can say it can
run in DOS without mentioning that. But anyhow)


Because it can run in DOS for the practical purposes of the
program, even when you use the Windows version UI if it's
doing anything windows itself couldn't do (for the purposes
of the thread, without PM at all) it will still reboot and
run the DOS version from HDD instead of the rescue disk.
 
J

jameshanley39

Because it can run in DOS for the practical purposes of the
program, even when you use the Windows version UI if it's
doing anything windows itself couldn't do (for the purposes
of the thread, without PM at all) it will still reboot and
run the DOS version from HDD instead of the rescue disk.

how do you know that the windows PM when it restarts the comp and runs
something prior to booting windows xp, is doing it in DOS?
and, I always thought that Win NT(XP is an NT), doesn't sit in DOS.
Looking at makes DOS, can be seen from a boot disk. command.com,
io.sys, [msdos.sys - prob optional for a boot disk]. To run any
commands from there automatically, a batch file called autoexec.bat is
used. You could be right actually, I see those files in the PM
directory! But they could be there just to create "rescue disks". I
guess the test would be if I tried to delete them and watched if it
failed to partition the drive properly on restart!!!!


Anyhow.. although that's an interesting side point.. that PM for
windows runs in DOS when it restarts. I don't see how that affects my
point.

If you are saying, - well it uses DOS anyway so there's no need to
make the rescue disks / partition magic for dos. Then that's wrong.
The purpose of partition magic for DOS, is for when windows isn't
loading. Or where you don't have windows installed. Or you just feel
like it doing it from DOS - 2 boot disks, it's more bare bones, a more
flexible solution for reasons mentioned. It's not dependent on
windows.

So, it is useful.. and he should know that making the rescue disks is
a PM for DOS. (not dependent on windows).

I guess if you didn't have the rescue disks in mind when you said it
can run in DOS. Then, that explains it! But that is really not what
one means when they say a PM that runs in DOS. When they ask about
that, they mean not dependent on windows!!!!
 
K

kony

how do you know that the windows PM when it restarts the comp and runs
something prior to booting windows xp, is doing it in DOS?

Because it's the same program, and running "prior to booting
windows XP", you have to load an OS to get anything done.
Then there's the texts in some of the binaries (not the
Rescue Disk files) like "DOS 4G Copyright Rational Systems"
or "Causeway DOS Extender". Note I didn't claim it was
Microsoft DOS, it doesn't have to be packaged the same (same
MS DOS files).

and, I always thought that Win NT(XP is an NT), doesn't sit in DOS.

It doesn't, that's the whole point - to not be running
windows while these operations are under way.

Looking at makes DOS, can be seen from a boot disk. command.com,
io.sys, [msdos.sys - prob optional for a boot disk]. To run any
commands from there automatically, a batch file called autoexec.bat is
used.

See above. You're thinking of one flavor of MS DOS, while
I'm thinking of a semi-compatible Disk Operating System.
You could be right actually, I see those files in the PM
directory! But they could be there just to create "rescue disks". I
guess the test would be if I tried to delete them and watched if it
failed to partition the drive properly on restart!!!!

The files in the Rescue Disk folder are there only to make
the rescure disks, AFAIK. There's a second set of DOS exe.

Anyhow.. although that's an interesting side point.. that PM for
windows runs in DOS when it restarts. I don't see how that affects my
point.

Well... you wrote "I don't know how people can say it can
run in DOS without mentioning that.", when anything you'd
need to do (to charge the partitions around like the OP
might need) that you can't do without partition magic, is
going to be running it in DOS without even touching the
rescue disk.

If you are saying, - well it uses DOS anyway so there's no need to
make the rescue disks / partition magic for dos. Then that's wrong.
The purpose of partition magic for DOS, is for when windows isn't
loading.

There's "Partition Magic for DOS" as a formal title, and
then there's "Even the Partition Magic you run in Windows,
is only needed if it is then going to reboot and run in DOS
mode". The core of the program isn't running in windows,
that just generates a script for the DOS program to run,
besides the basic things it can have windows do which are
functions you don't need Partition Magic for at all.
Or where you don't have windows installed.

Or when you just want to boot a system to DOS and do
something with partition magic instead of the runaround of
booting to windows to load PM, only to have it then reboot
to DOS again anyway.

So, it is useful.. and he should know that making the rescue disks is
a PM for DOS. (not dependent on windows).

As is the 2nd set of DOS EXE that Partition magic runs, and
the 3rd set that's really PM for DOS.

It all ties back into what started this discussion, that you
don't need Windows and you don't need official "rescue
disks", you just need the PM DOS files somewhere that DOS
can "See", whichever flavor of DOS you're running (w/addt'l
driver when required per the storage device).
I guess if you didn't have the rescue disks in mind when you said it
can run in DOS. Then, that explains it!

I didn't, I don't ever use them and I often run PM in DOS.

But that is really not what
one means when they say a PM that runs in DOS. When they ask about
that, they mean not dependent on windows!!!!

.... and it doesn't depend on windows for anything you'd need
it for (anything you can't do without having Partition
Magic), only DOS.
 
J

jameshanley39

how do you know that the windows PM when it restarts the comp and runs
something prior to booting windows xp, is doing it in DOS?

Because it's the same program, and running "prior to booting
windows XP", you have to load an OS to get anything done.
Then there's the texts in some of the binaries (not the
Rescue Disk files) like "DOS 4G Copyright Rational Systems"
or "Causeway DOS Extender". Note I didn't claim it was
Microsoft DOS, it doesn't have to be packaged the same (same
MS DOS files).
and, I always thought that Win NT(XP is an NT), doesn't sit in DOS.

It doesn't, that's the whole point - to not be running
windows while these operations are under way.
Looking at makes DOS, can be seen from a boot disk. command.com,
io.sys, [msdos.sys - prob optional for a boot disk]. To run any
commands from there automatically, a batch file called autoexec.bat is
used.

See above. You're thinking of one flavor of MS DOS, while
I'm thinking of a semi-compatible Disk Operating System.
You could be right actually, I see those files in the PM
directory! But they could be there just to create "rescue disks". I
guess the test would be if I tried to delete them and watched if it
failed to partition the drive properly on restart!!!!

The files in the Rescue Disk folder are there only to make
the rescure disks, AFAIK. There's a second set of DOS exe.
Anyhow.. although that's an interesting side point.. that PM for
windows runs in DOS when it restarts. I don't see how that affects my
point.

Well... you wrote "I don't know how people can say it can
run in DOS without mentioning that.", when anything you'd
need to do (to charge the partitions around like the OP
might need) that you can't do without partition magic, is
going to be running it in DOS without even touching the
rescue disk.


If you are saying, - well it uses DOS anyway so there's no need to
make the rescue disks / partition magic for dos. Then that's wrong.
The purpose of partition magic for DOS, is for when windows isn't
loading.

There's "Partition Magic for DOS" as a formal title, and
then there's "Even the Partition Magic you run in Windows,
is only needed if it is then going to reboot and run in DOS
mode". The core of the program isn't running in windows,
that just generates a script for the DOS program to run,
besides the basic things it can have windows do which are
functions you don't need Partition Magic for at all.
Or where you don't have windows installed.

Or when you just want to boot a system to DOS and do
something with partition magic instead of the runaround of
booting to windows to load PM, only to have it then reboot
to DOS again anyway.


So, it is useful.. and he should know that making the rescue disks is
a PM for DOS. (not dependent on windows).

As is the 2nd set of DOS EXE that Partition magic runs, and
the 3rd set that's really PM for DOS.

It all ties back into what started this discussion, that you
don't need Windows and you don't need official "rescue
disks", you just need the PM DOS files somewhere that DOS
can "See", whichever flavor of DOS you're running (w/addt'l
driver when required per the storage device).


I guess if you didn't have the rescue disks in mind when you said it
can run in DOS. Then, that explains it!

I didn't, I don't ever use them and I often run PM in DOS.
But that is really not what
one means when they say a PM that runs in DOS. When they ask about
that, they mean not dependent on windows!!!!

... and it doesn't depend on windows for anything you'd need
it for (anything you can't do without having Partition
Magic), only DOS.-

so, what method are you using to run partition magic v8 in DOS without
loading windows?

my point would still stand.. That you're saying PM can run in DOS -
without booting windows. But you're not saying how.

I have done it as the PM rescue disks. You obviously have a different
procedure, which is probably not even documented. I didn't find
anything in the PM help files on it. I can guess at how you did it.


I can guess that you copied certain files onto the disk from one of
the directories in PM. I don't know which directory and which files.

And dealing with putting the boot record on the floppy disk is another
matter.

I'm aware that for example, the format command in windows xp and the
one in win9x, are different not just in '16 or 32 bit'(classic error
if trying to run win9x commands in win xp) but in that they produce
different results. An MS-DOS boot disk has to have a different boot
record to what I call the win xp 3 file boot disk(the one with
boot.ini ntdetect.com ntldr). If it doesn't have a different boot
record, it won't work. Format puts a boot record on the disk.
There's more to a boot disk than the files. So there's the issue of
how you got the boot image on the disk. Did you use some blahDOS
format command somewhere in a subdirectory of the PM directory. Where
is it? Or did you find a file that was the image, and use a utilitity
to write the image onto the disk. What is the path of that file, what
utility did you use?
The path of the file of the boot image, or the format command to put
that boot image on there, is not documented. I can guess, or I could
fiddle around for ages.

But clearly, this is all even more reason why it's absurd just saying
"yeah, it can run in dos without loading windows". Without saying how
you did it!! I mentioned about the PM rescue disks because it's not
intuitive. How much moreso is your method not intuitive!!!

and besides explaining it. What is the source of it? did you find it
by fiddling around - e.g. running all the exes, looking in all the
files somehow deciding if it looks like an image? or is it documented
somewhere (no doubt somewhere obscure)..?
 
K

kony

so, what method are you using to run partition magic v8 in DOS without
loading windows?

Boot DOS.
Depends on what the host can accept for boot media how I do
that. I prefer a USB thumbdrive but some systems can't
manage that. Next I prefer a CDR, then 2 floppies, but
floppies are a fragile media and some drives are worn out or
too dusty. Last would be a CF card in a CF-ATA adapter. By
last I mean last thing I do use, not the last thing I"d ever
use.

my point would still stand.. That you're saying PM can run in DOS -
without booting windows. But you're not saying how.

I don't know how to make it more clear?
If something can run in DOS, all you have to do is boot to
dos. Use your imagination on how you want to get from point
A to point B. Making a DOS boot media and putting a few
files on it is a pretty std. thing to do.

I have done it as the PM rescue disks. You obviously have a different
procedure, which is probably not even documented.

Maybe not in the official PM documentation, but it's been
fairly well known by many PM users for years. Booting to
DOS and running the dos version from the dos version files
is... well that's what DOS is all about.

I didn't find
anything in the PM help files on it. I can guess at how you did it.

Boot DOS. Run the DOS EXE. That's it. I don't recall all
the filenames but the Exe to run is PQMAGIC.EXE. Then
there's a mouse driver (mouse.com), probably an INI file
like mouse.ini, pqmagic.ovl, etc.

I can guess that you copied certain files onto the disk from one of
the directories in PM. I don't know which directory and which files.

Search for the aforementioned file names, probably in a
folder named "DOS" or something like that. I suggest
searching for the PQMAGIC not MOUSE, and it may appear in
multiple PM folders so pick the one that looks right - all
the files in that folder will be the DOS app files and
possibly some misc related DOS utilities.

And dealing with putting the boot record on the floppy disk is another
matter.

This is not a hard thing to do. Make a DOS boot floppy.
Actually, don't, unless you need it to be a floopy, make a
DOS boot media that's more robust like a CDR or flash
drive... pretty typical activity.

I'm aware that for example, the format command in windows xp and the
one in win9x, are different ...

You've already taken more time that it would to make the
boot media. Google for DOS boot floppy. Use a Win98 boot
floppy if you prefer, just strip off the memory management
and legacy CD drivers... easiest way to do that is just
delete the config.sys and autoexec.bat files (Or rename
them).
 
J

jameshanley39

Boot DOS.
Depends on what the host can accept for boot media how I do
that. I prefer a USB thumbdrive but some systems can't
manage that. Next I prefer a CDR, then 2 floppies, but
floppies are a fragile media and some drives are worn out or
too dusty. Last would be a CF card in a CF-ATA adapter. By
last I mean last thing I do use, not the last thing I"d ever
use.


I don't know how to make it more clear?

<snip>

I'll rewrite what you spend the rest of your post repeating, and then
i'll mention the problem with it. (the same problem as I mentioned
before, but explained differently.How much clearer can *I* be?!)

What you write all goes into a sentence. you go on to say (I
paraphrase you)
"You make an MS-DOS boot disk, and put the right files on there"
and you're a bit vague about the files.
and you say it's 2 disks

(that's basically all you say in the rest of the post, without
repeating yourself or mentioning things that are easily googlable, and
known anyway to those that have used DOS, or made msdos boot disks in
win9x or even in win xp)

The problem with that, is what files are necessary.
And, what files aren't <--.especially if you are using floppy disks
And even which files go on which disk. (e.g. maybe one file needs
another file. Some are fairly obvious. others aren't. It's not
something to be cavalier about, this is partitioning a hard drive. You
can't afford a missing file)

Fact is. I just made some rescue disks and did an analysis(don't
worry, i won't dump it in this post). And I am fairly sure I could
make it 1 disk, not 2. It is a risk doing it manually, because you
can only know for sure it has the right files, (or right files on the
right disks), by trial and error. By running PM, maybe performing
different operations in it. And knowing by your singular experiences
that it doesn't have some serious flaw, from some missing file.

And an error if repartitioning an important system, could be
catastrophic without a backup, and a hassle if you do.

At least if you made it one disk it's an obvious advantage over
letting PM put the right files on there. (there's a high risk, but at
least there's an advantage).

What do you gain by doing it manually and still having 2 disks?

(I can see an advantage, since the PQ disks seem very inefficient. but
you haven't given an advantage over it. And you're taking a risk.. And
it's an even worse risk, because in your method (put some files on
there) you haven't examined what files PQ put on there. (if you had,
maybe you'd have been able to have one disk!! At least then you'd have
an obvious advantage for doing it manually)
 
K

kony

I'll rewrite what you spend the rest of your post repeating, and then
i'll mention the problem with it. (the same problem as I mentioned
before, but explained differently.How much clearer can *I* be?!)

What you write all goes into a sentence. you go on to say (I
paraphrase you)
"You make an MS-DOS boot disk, and put the right files on there"
and you're a bit vague about the files.
and you say it's 2 disks

The files are all together in a folder, I don't recall all
the names since I put them all in a folder on a thumbdrive
ages ago. You only need 2 floppies if you use floppies - I
recommend any other boot media over a floppy due to higher
capacity and reliability.

The problem with that, is what files are necessary.

Did you look? I suggested some filenames you can search for
and the possiblity of a folder named "DOS" in the PM
installation folder.
And, what files aren't <--.especially if you are using floppy disks
And even which files go on which disk. (e.g. maybe one file needs
another file. Some are fairly obvious. others aren't. It's not
something to be cavalier about, this is partitioning a hard drive. You
can't afford a missing file)

You're jumping to unfounded conclusions. If your disks can
boot to dos, access the drive you're trying to manage (by
loading the dos driver for that drive interface if/when
necessary), and you get PM to load (it finishes loading) and
it is allowing you to attemp to do anything, then you have
all the required files. It is not an issue of some critical
thing being missing later _while_ you're partitioning, the
entirety of it is loaded already to do the operation with
one possible exception which is the help file (text).

How about you just try to do it instead of arguing against
it? That's generally how everyone else did it.
Fact is. I just made some rescue disks and did an analysis(don't
worry, i won't dump it in this post). And I am fairly sure I could
make it 1 disk, not 2. It is a risk doing it manually, because you
can only know for sure it has the right files, (or right files on the
right disks), by trial and error. By running PM, maybe performing
different operations in it. And knowing by your singular experiences
that it doesn't have some serious flaw, from some missing file.

I've been using PM like this for several years, including an
earlier version. The only problems are the ones you are
trying to invent, which aren't happening.

I am done discussing something that obviously works fine for
me. If you don't care to do it that way, it's fine by me
but nevertheless my earlier statement was accurate that PM
does run in DOS and gets the entire job done there.
Anything you would do in windows does not actually require
PM at all if it can't be done in DOS with PM... so by
booting windows to run it you just introduce an unneed step.
 

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