Expand Windows XP System Partition

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tomas
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Tomas

Background: Running Windows XP SP2 on a recent vintage Sony desktop. The
machine came without an XP CD. (grumble)

The system currently has one disk, partitioned as follows:

1) 6.01 GB NTFS "EISA compatible configuration" (no drive letter, recovery
stuff??

2) Drive C: 13.97 GB NTFS "System"

3) Drive D: 133.41 GB NTFS

---------------------------------------

What I want to do is

- Backup Drive D and then delete the partition
- Expand Drive C to use the space previously occupied by Drive C:
- Add a new/second disk to the system as Drive D: and restore the contents of
the "old Drive D:"

I seem to recall that it is not possible to directly expand the Windows XP
System partition. Am I wrong? Or, is there some roundabout way to
accomplish this?

TIA

Tom
 
(e-mail address removed) (Tomas) wrote in
Background: Running Windows XP SP2 on a recent vintage Sony
desktop. The machine came without an XP CD. (grumble)

The system currently has one disk, partitioned as follows:

1) 6.01 GB NTFS "EISA compatible configuration" (no drive
letter, recovery stuff??

2) Drive C: 13.97 GB NTFS "System"

3) Drive D: 133.41 GB NTFS

---------------------------------------

What I want to do is

- Backup Drive D and then delete the partition
- Expand Drive C to use the space previously occupied by Drive
C: - Add a new/second disk to the system as Drive D: and restore
the contents of the "old Drive D:"
Click to expand...

1) Install new drive.

2) Copy the files from D: to the new drive.

3) Using Partition Magic or similar:
a) Delete D: partition
b) Expand C: partition to fill the first disk
 
(e-mail address removed) (Tomas) wrote in


1) Install new drive.

2) Copy the files from D: to the new drive.

3) Using Partition Magic or similar:
a) Delete D: partition
b) Expand C: partition to fill the first disk
Click to expand...

Can this be done with the Windows Disk Manager of do I need something special
like Partition Magic?

Tnx
Tom
 
Can't you just take like 20 gigs from the D:\ Drive then add it to the
C:\ Drive ?. Iam sure ive done that with Partition magic and the C:\
drive was fine ?

Could be wrong was LONG LONG ago :)
 
Can't you just take like 20 gigs from the
D:\ Drive then add it to the C:\ Drive ?.
Click to expand...

Sort of, but not with the basic XP without losing the data.
Iam sure ive done that with Partition magic and the C:\ drive was fine ?
Click to expand...

Yeah, thats what I meant in my last line.
Could be wrong was LONG LONG ago :)
Click to expand...

Nar, its essentially what a partition manager does.
 
Can't you just take like 20 gigs from the D:\ Drive then add it
to the C:\ Drive ?. Iam sure ive done that with Partition magic
and the C:\ drive was fine ?
Click to expand...

Yes, but how does that solve the problem in the OP?
 
(e-mail address removed) (Tomas) wrote in
Can this be done with the Windows Disk Manager of do I need
something special like Partition Magic?
Click to expand...

No. Please re-read my response.
 
(e-mail address removed) (Tomas) wrote in


No. Please re-read my response.
Click to expand...


Ok! I am now looking around for a decent partition manager. Thanks for
your responses.

Tom
 
Ok! I am now looking around for a decent partition manager.
Thanks for your responses.
Click to expand...

http://www.7tools.de/pm/index.htm

7tools Partition Manager 2005

Downloadable for $30. So far I am loving it.

Never could get PartitionMagic 8 to work properly with Windows XP
operating system partitions. I could use the boot CD, but that is
inconvenient and slow.

A disk manager is like a power tool. It's fairly easy to use, it's
very powerful, and it can do serious harm. Always keep backup
copies of important files.
 
So far people have recommended Partition Magic ($70) and 7 Tools
($30). If I want to expand the system partition without losing the data
current in it, what partition manager would you recommend? Any
decent free/share ware?

Thanks,

Tom
 
Tomas said:
So far people have recommended Partition Magic ($70) and 7
Tools ($30). If I want to expand the system partition without
losing the data current in it, what partition manager would you
recommend? Any decent free/share ware?
Click to expand...

As already stated, I would not use PartitionMagic in Windows XP.
It is not fully functional.

Over the last two days, I have been giving Partition Manager a
workout. Apparently it has some minor bugs, trivial compared to
its function. Operations performed in pre-Windows mode are not
followed by a reboot, the program moves directly into Windows XP.
So you have to restart afterwards in order for some changes to be
recognized. There might be one other more serious looking much
which is solved also by simply rebooting. If you don't reboot,
things could get problematic. I guess a good rule would be "when
in doubt, reboot".

I'm still loving it, for $30. Remember to always keep a backup of
important files.

If you would like some real-time help with Partition Manager, feel
free to add me to your MSN messenger contacts
(lshaping...hotmail).
 
Thank you for your kind offer. I do not use messenger, but if I
get screwed up I will be motivated to give it a try!
Click to expand...

Disk managers are awesome. No more formatting the disk when you
need to do something simple like resize a partition. It's a whole
new world, a disk/partition manager greatly increases your PC's
flexibility.
 
As already stated, I would not use PartitionMagic in Windows XP.
It is not fully functional.

Over the last two days, I have been giving Partition Manager a
workout. Apparently it has some minor bugs, trivial compared to
its function. Operations performed in pre-Windows mode are not
followed by a reboot, the program moves directly into Windows XP.
So you have to restart afterwards in order for some changes to be
recognized. There might be one other more serious looking much
which is solved also by simply rebooting. If you don't reboot,
things could get problematic. I guess a good rule would be "when
in doubt, reboot".

I'm still loving it, for $30. Remember to always keep a backup of
important files.

If you would like some real-time help with Partition Manager, feel
free to add me to your MSN messenger contacts
(lshaping...hotmail).
Click to expand...
Thank you for your kind offer. I do not use messenger, but if I get screwed
up I will be motivated to give it a try!

I am leaning towards using 7Tools.

Cheers,

Tom
 
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