Vista Full Computer Backup

[Amer]

I have Vista Ultimate installed on one of three HD partitions of my laptop. I
want to merge the partitions into 1 partition.

For this purpose, I will use the Complete PC Backup utility, delete the
existing partitions, create a single partition, and restore the computer
image created earlier.

Would this be the correct procedure, or the utility is going to recreate the
three partitions and my work would be useless?

 

[Andy]

I have Vista Ultimate installed on one of three HD partitions of my laptop.
I
want to merge the partitions into 1 partition.

For this purpose, I will use the Complete PC Backup utility, delete the
existing partitions, create a single partition, and restore the computer
image created earlier.

Would this be the correct procedure, or the utility is going to recreate
the
three partitions and my work would be useless?

Hi,

Click START, then right click "My Computer" and select "Manage".

This will open the Computer Management panel.

Open the Disk Management pane by clicking the Storage link in the left dir
tree.

You will then see all your drives and partitions.

Right click the partition you want to loose and select "Delete Volume".

IF this doesn't expand the remaining partition to occupy the space left by
the deleted partition then right click the remaining one and select "Extend
Volume".

That should do the trick.



OK, now for the disclaimers....

1: Create a FULL backup before you try this.
2: I have never done this myself so I'm not speaking from personal
experience.



Good Luck


Andy

 

[Noel Paton]

Hi,

Click START, then right click "My Computer" and select "Manage".

This will open the Computer Management panel.

Open the Disk Management pane by clicking the Storage link in the left
dir tree.

You will then see all your drives and partitions.

Right click the partition you want to loose and select "Delete Volume".

IF this doesn't expand the remaining partition to occupy the space left
by the deleted partition then right click the remaining one and select
"Extend Volume".

That should do the trick.



OK, now for the disclaimers....

1: Create a FULL backup before you try this.
2: I have never done this myself so I'm not speaking from personal
experience.



Good Luck


Andy

That procedure WILL DELETE any data on the removed drives - I assume
from the tone of the original post that there is data present on all
three drives!

 

[Noel Paton]

I have Vista Ultimate installed on one of three HD partitions of my laptop. I
want to merge the partitions into 1 partition.

For this purpose, I will use the Complete PC Backup utility, delete the
existing partitions, create a single partition, and restore the computer
image created earlier.

Would this be the correct procedure, or the utility is going to recreate the
three partitions and my work would be useless?

A full computer backup is designed to restore the computer to exactly
the same state as it was when backed up - hence your proposed method
will result in a useful backup - but no changes being made.

Assuming that there is data on the other two partitions, you will need
to move that data to the system partition before deleting the now-empty
partitions, and then expanding the system partition to fill the space
available.

If you have installed programs on the other partitions, then you will
need to uninstall and reinstall them after the move/resize (or do some
hefty registry-editing - NOT recommended!). If you have moved system
folders (including things like the Documents folder), then you must use
the 'approved' methods to move them back into the system partition or
the system will fail after the move.

The full backup should be done prior to this operation anyhow, so that
you have a fall-back if the system starts not to work afterwards, or you
have a failure at a critical point.
In short, this is neither a trivial nor a simple subject unless the
'departing' partitions are either empty, or contain only portable data.

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

I have Vista Ultimate installed on one of three HD partitions of my laptop.
I
want to merge the partitions into 1 partition.

For this purpose, I will use the Complete PC Backup utility, delete the
existing partitions, create a single partition, and restore the computer
image created earlier.

Would this be the correct procedure, or the utility is going to recreate
the
three partitions and my work would be useless?

You need to use a partition manager like Acronis Disk director or BootItNG.
You do have to buy them but they do the job safely and without loss of
data..

 

[webster72n]

You need to use a partition manager like Acronis Disk director or
BootItNG. You do have to buy them but they do the job safely and without
loss of data..

What about the free EASEUS Partition Manager 3.0 Home Edition?
If it's not recommendable, I would like to know.
Thank you, Mike,

Harry.

 

[webster72n]

Go for it. It will do what you want it to do and won't cost you a
penny.

It's standing by already, thanks.

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

What about the free EASEUS Partition Manager 3.0 Home Edition?
If it's not recommendable, I would like to know.
Thank you, Mike,

Harry.

The free version only works with 32bit operating systems. If you are running
Vista 64, you will need the paid version, in which case, I would sooner pay
for Acronis Disk Director

 

[webster72n]

The free version only works with 32bit operating systems. If you are
running Vista 64, you will need the paid version, in which case, I would
sooner pay for Acronis Disk Director

I got lucky this time around with 32bit. (doesn't happen very often!)

 

[Amer]

Thank you all guys. Now I know what to do.

I'll tell you about it as soon as I'm finished.