Combine Partitions

  • Thread starter Thread starter George W. Barrowcliff
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George W. Barrowcliff

My IBM ThinkCentre with XP Pro has been partitioned into 4 partitions with a
Linux RedHat, OS2 and a FAT 32 data exchange partition. I replaced the MBR
so it would boot just into XP only and now I would like to combine at least
some of the space back into the XP partition.
Is there a tool within XP that will allow this or do I have to install
partition magic again?

TIA
 
George said:
My IBM ThinkCentre with XP Pro has been partitioned into 4 partitions
with a Linux RedHat, OS2 and a FAT 32 data exchange partition. I
replaced the MBR so it would boot just into XP only and now I would
like to combine at least some of the space back into the XP partition.
Is there a tool within XP that will allow this or do I have to
install
partition magic again?

TIA
Click to expand...

The XP partitioner is destructive, so unless you want to do a clean
install of Windows (and it doesn't sound like it), you'll need to use a
third-party partitioner. Since you have PM, that would work perfectly
for you. Just make sure your data is backed up first because even
though PM works well, Stuff Happens.

Malke
 
Hi, George.

Microsoft provides no easy way to resize or combine partitions. Disk
Management can delete partitions and create new ones in their place. For
example, you could delete two contiguous 10 GB partitions and create one new
20 GB partition there. Or a 15 and a 5, or ...?

WinXP also has DiskPart.exe, a shell that you can run from a "DOS" window or
the Run prompt. (NOT the same as the very limited DiskPart command in the
Recovery Console.) Within the DiskPart shell, you can run nearly 2 dozen
commands, including /extend, which will grow an existing partition into
unpartitioned contiguous space following that partition. Search the Help
and Support Center for "extend". But don't stop on the first Help page;
this topic is not covered in a single coherent article so you'll have to
click Related Topics to gather all you'll need to know. Watch out; there
are many caveats and gotchas in this area!

One disadvantage of both Disk Management and DiskPart /extend is that they
won't work on the System Partition. You'll have to do something like
temporarily move your HD into a second WinXP computer to make changes to
that partition. Those utilities also won't work on the Boot Volume for the
WinXP installation currently running, but maybe you can dual-boot into a
second WinXP in another volume to do that one.

Maybe it's easier to just use Partition Magic. ;^{

RC
 
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