Collapsing D partition memory to C

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sal B.
  • Start date Start date
S

Sal B.

I've deleted the D: partion on my computer thinking I
could use its 14GB of free disk space for my C: (main)
partion (which was running low on physical memory). Can
anyone tell me methodically, how I can get the C: drive to
recognize and utilize this 14GB of space? "Disk
Manangement" doesn't have an option to do this.

Thanks!

Sal
 
Hi, Sal.

You could use DiskPart /extend from a "DOS" window. See the Help file for
details, but be careful. Any utility this powerful can do as much harm as
good if handled wrong.

Basically, if there is unpartitioned free space contiguous to an existing
partition, then DiskPart /extend can add all or some of that space to the
existing partition. But there are a number of "gotchas", so read everything
you can find on DiskPart and /extend before you begin. For one thing, note
that Microsoft uses the same name DiskPart to mean two quite different
things. DiskPart.exe is a part of WinXP; the Recovery Console includes a
DiskPart command, too, but it cannot create or extend a partition.

WHOOPS! Forget all that. I just realized that I'm in the Win2K newsgroup,
not WinXP. DiskPart first appeared in WinXP.

As Dave Patrick said, you are probably limited to third-party utilities,
such as Partition Magic, unless you are willing to backup, repartition,
reformat and restore. Or put your HD into a friend's WinXP computer and do
the job there.

RC
 
Thanks RC, Dave and Bjorn for all the info!!!!

-----Original Message-----
Hi, Sal.

You could use DiskPart /extend from a "DOS" window. See the Help file for
details, but be careful. Any utility this powerful can do as much harm as
good if handled wrong.

Basically, if there is unpartitioned free space contiguous to an existing
partition, then DiskPart /extend can add all or some of that space to the
existing partition. But there are a number of "gotchas", so read everything
you can find on DiskPart and /extend before you begin. For one thing, note
that Microsoft uses the same name DiskPart to mean two quite different
things. DiskPart.exe is a part of WinXP; the Recovery Console includes a
DiskPart command, too, but it cannot create or extend a partition.

WHOOPS! Forget all that. I just realized that I'm in the Win2K newsgroup,
not WinXP. DiskPart first appeared in WinXP.

As Dave Patrick said, you are probably limited to third- party utilities,
such as Partition Magic, unless you are willing to backup, repartition,
reformat and restore. Or put your HD into a friend's WinXP computer and do
the job there.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP




.
Click to expand...
 
Hi, Bjorn.

Thanks for that link. I took a look at it...again. This time, I got past
the "during an upgrade" wording in the title and saw that it can also be
used during an "in-place upgrade". That means that Sal should be able to
use it in this situation.

RC
 
There is a simpler (maybe) way to accomplish this... with it share of pros
and cons...
The basic gist would be to move all of your program files into the extra
partition space, mounting the partition from the old "Program Files" folder
location.

1) If (and only if) your "C:" is NTFS,
2) re-create the partition... call it PROGRAMS. (any drive letter will do...
it's only temporary)
3) copy the entire contents of the "Program Files" folder on the new
PROGRAMS partition, then
4) rename the existing "Program Files" folder to something convenient...
5) create a new and EMPTY "Program Files" folder, then
6) mount the PROGRAMS partition from the newly created & empty "Program
Files" folder and finally
7) remove the temporary drive letter assignment.

Windows will never know the difference (euphemistically speaking, of course!
:).

My computers are set-up this way... different partitions for different
information types and usage... helps tremendously with system maintenance,
defragging and back-up schedules.

WARNINGS:
Make a good back-up,

DO NOT delete the existing "Program Files" folder until you're sure the new
set-up is working properly,

if you want to try this but are not sure of what you are doing... COME back
and ASK for more info

If it isn't already, you may need to enable viewing of hidden and system
files/folders.
 
Hi, Sal.

You're welcome. But, for the education of all of us, could you please tell
us what you did and how it worked out for you? In a newsgroup, we all learn
from each other. Now it's your turn to teach the rest of us. ;<)

RC
 
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