Dynamic disks - what tools for boot management and partition management?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Winey
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W

Winey

I like the idea of combining space on more than one Win 2000/XP drive
into one logical volume using dynamic disks. But after checking the
Symantec, V-COM, and Acronis web sites, their consumer-priced
utilities for boot management and partition management do not support
dynamic disks.

Are there any programs, low-cost or open source, that do support these
functions? I can't see spending $699 for Acronis True Image Server
for Windows.
 
Norton Ghost 9.0 is supposed to support dynamic disks. It is the same
as the old Powerquest V2i Protector.

Winey said:
Doesn't anyone in this group have answers to these questions?
Click to expand...

_______________________________________________
Colin Sewell mailto:[email protected]
Vancouver, BC
 
Norton Ghost 9.0 is supposed to support dynamic disks. It is the same
as the old Powerquest V2i Protector.
Click to expand...

Really? So the old "DOSish" interface is gone? Can you still run G 9
from just a floppy? (Drive Image is gone?)

As much as i appreciate SloPoke's answer (and I'll drink a glass of
fine Cabernet to him), it doesn't cover all my concerns. A "complete"
solution also includes a partition manager like Partition Magic and a
boot manager/OS install support aid like System Commander. I've
already checked. Neither supports dynamic disks.

--W--
 
Winey said:
Really? So the old "DOSish" interface is gone? Can you still run G 9
from just a floppy? (Drive Image is gone?)

As much as i appreciate SloPoke's answer (and I'll drink a glass of
fine Cabernet to him), it doesn't cover all my concerns. A "complete"
solution also includes a partition manager like Partition Magic and a
boot manager/OS install support aid like System Commander. I've
already checked. Neither supports dynamic disks.
Click to expand...

Why is there the need for these 3rd party applications? Are you the
sort of person who used to use all sorts of memory management programs
under DOS?

Try a purist's approach.

It's not always necessary to use PM and its ilk. Mostly used by people
who seek to complicate something that is already fairly basic by an
advanced user's (which is what I assume you are) standards.


Odie
 
Why is there the need for these 3rd party applications? Are you the
sort of person who used to use all sorts of memory management programs
under DOS?
Click to expand...

Yes, and I take your question as a compliment to my power-user
status. Yes, and I used to have DOS-enhancers for things like history
also.
Try a purist's approach.
Click to expand...

I ain't no masochist.
It's not always necessary to use PM and its ilk. Mostly used by people
Click to expand...

Well, how else can I change partition sizes without backing up and
restoring data? If the built-in Windows administrative tools can do
that, I would be more than happy to use them. As someone else in some
news group said, "edumacate me."

Also, I want to be able to multi-boot, but not rely on the relatively
primitive facilities in Win 2000/XP. How about linux, etc. Also, a
good boot manager can conceal non-active boot partitions from the
active-parittion OS. With Windows multiple-boot, that is not
possible, and you also get drive letter assignment tsuris. (highly
technical word meaning headaches you don't wish on anybody you like.
Your worst enemy, maybe ...) Imagine the tsuris with 3 primary
partitions on one hard drive, plus an extended partition for data
partitions.

So, again, edumacate me.
who seek to complicate something that is already fairly basic by an
advanced user's (which is what I assume you are) standards.
Click to expand...

Well, using a boot manager or a partition manager with normal disks is
pretty basic today. All is that I want to do is combine those
facilities with dynamic disks. And only to have logical disk
partitions that can span physical disks.

Now, as you were saying ...
Odie
Click to expand...

--W--
 
Winey said:
Also, I want to be able to multi-boot, but not rely on the relatively
primitive facilities in Win 2000/XP. How about linux, etc. Also, a
good boot manager can conceal non-active boot partitions from the
active-parittion OS. With Windows multiple-boot, that is not
possible, and you also get drive letter assignment tsuris. (highly
technical word meaning headaches you don't wish on anybody you like.
Your worst enemy, maybe ...) Imagine the tsuris with 3 primary
partitions on one hard drive, plus an extended partition for data
partitions.
Click to expand...
I hate boot managers because they all seem to overwrite the NT disk signature,
causing major boot problems for me.

You do not need to hide primary partitions. Make sure you OS disk is first
(Int13 order), and active the partition you are installing to. It will always
become C if you run setup from CD. Other drive letters are configured in Disk
Manager.
 
I hate boot managers because they all seem to overwrite the NT disk signature,
causing major boot problems for me.

You do not need to hide primary partitions. Make sure you OS disk is first
Click to expand...

Not so. Back in the day when I had a laptop with Win 98 and NT, I
also had a third partition for my data. When I booted Win 98, the
data partition was D:, which is what you would expect.

But when I booted NT, the D Drive was assigned to the Win 98 program,
and the data partition was assigned to Drive E: Not good.

Now imagine that you have a system with 3 primary partitions for let's
say Win XP, Win XP SP 2, and Win XP for "scratching around." I can
almost guarantee that the presence of 3 installs, one on each primary
partition, of MS Office, MS this-and-that, and other programs, will
confuse the bejabbers out of most of that software. Not to mention
possible confusion when installing Win XP into each partition.

I think the boot managers have it right. A given installation of
Windows doesn't see any other Windows (or Linux) installations unless
you want to set it up that way.
 
Not so. Back in the day when I had a laptop with Win 98 and NT, I
also had a third partition for my data. When I booted Win 98, the
data partition was D:, which is what you would expect.

But when I booted NT, the D Drive was assigned to the Win 98 program,
and the data partition was assigned to Drive E: Not good.
Click to expand...
If you cannot change drive letters in NT you are pretty stupid.
Now imagine that you have a system with 3 primary partitions for let's
say Win XP, Win XP SP 2, and Win XP for "scratching around." I can
almost guarantee that the presence of 3 installs, one on each primary
partition, of MS Office, MS this-and-that, and other programs, will
confuse the bejabbers out of most of that software. Not to mention
possible confusion when installing Win XP into each partition.
Click to expand...
Simply not an issue if the OS is C:.
 
If you cannot change drive letters in NT you are pretty stupid.
Click to expand...

Eric (you related to that Ron whats-his-name guy whose every other
utterance is 'clueless?')

Of course I can.
control panel
administrative tools
computer management
select disk management icon

That still doesn't minimize my point. You still run the very real
risk of "something doesn't work as expected" because of multiple
visible primary partitions. Not to mention the possibility of
operator error.
 
Winey said:
On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 08:15:36 -0700, "Eric Gisin"

That still doesn't minimize my point. You still run the very real
risk of "something doesn't work as expected" because of multiple
visible primary partitions. Not to mention the possibility of
operator error.
Click to expand...
Nothing goes wrong. In three posts, you have never even hinted at what can go
wrong.

A clueless troll and his imaginary risks. Take your meds.
 
Nothing goes wrong. In three posts, you have never even hinted at what can go
wrong.

A clueless troll and his imaginary risks. Take your meds.
Click to expand...

PLONK!

You are exactly what is wrong with the usenet since they started
letting "everyone" join.
 
A perfect handle for a troll, winey. Thank you for losing the argument
gracefully.
Click to expand...

You absolute schmuck, ignoramus. You are too wrapped up in your own
oversized ego to recognize an oenological reference. A glass of
wine-turned-to-vinegar for you! Plus a plonkeroo.

Whatever you might say about me, I wasn't trolling. You are a very
poor judge of people. And let me guess. You have no life outside
Usenet, because other people in real life won't put up with your
infantile, puerile behavior.

--W--
 
Winey said:
You absolute schmuck, ignoramus. You are too wrapped up in your own
oversized ego to recognize an oenological reference. A glass of
wine-turned-to-vinegar for you! Plus a plonkeroo.

Whatever you might say about me, I wasn't trolling. You are a very
poor judge of people. And let me guess. You have no life outside
Usenet, because other people in real life won't put up with your
infantile, puerile behavior.
Click to expand...
If you are not trolling, why do you persist when you have lost the argument?
Only trolls do that sort of thing.

Again, for the stupid troll: If you make an absurd claim about primary
partitions causing problems, you have to back it up. Obviously you can't.

I am a reputable member of this group, you are just another newbie.
 
Winey said:
You absolute schmuck, ignoramus. You are too wrapped up in your own
oversized ego to recognize an oenological reference. A glass of
wine-turned-to-vinegar for you! Plus a plonkeroo.

Whatever you might say about me, I wasn't trolling. You are a very
poor judge of people.
Click to expand...
And let me guess. You have no life outside
Usenet, because other people in real life won't put up with your
infantile, puerile behavior.
Click to expand...

"You absolute schmuck, ignoramus .... And let me guess ...."

Sounds like you just proved him to be totally correct.
 
Your first troll in this thread, to Odie.

Notice we all all gave up trying to help you because you are too clueless to
be helped.

Hint: boot managers will work fine on bootable dynamic disks.
 
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