Unallocated partition after removing Acronis secure zone

  • Thread starter Thread starter Smirnoff
  • Start date Start date
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Smirnoff

XP Pro, SP3

I was using Acronis 10 and had allocated 25GB for the secure zone on my
HD. Realised that it was a bit pointless to have back up on HD if HD
failed.

Removed secure zone via Acronis and then uninstalled Acronis but now
when I look in Computer>Manage>Disk Management, I see:

39MB FAT Healthy (EISA Configuration), (C:) 120.39 GB NTFS Healthy
(System), 3.49 GB FAT32 Unknown Partition (Healthy) and 25.09 GB
Unallocated.

I assume the 25.09 GB unallocated partition is the old Secure Zone of
Acronis. I have right-clicked it but do not get the option of removing
it (only an option to create "New partition..."). I would have thought
that removing the secure zone would have automatically removed the
partition also. How do I get rid of it?
 
It's not a partition, just unallocated space on your drive.

Use Disk Management to create an "Extended" partition.
Then create a new "Logical Drive" and format it. You will
now have a new partition where the "Secure Zone" use to
be.
 
Thanks but I don't really want a new partition. I want to get rid of the
"Unallocated" space or at least make it show the remaining free space on
my drive not just 25.09 GB.
 
You cannot realy accomplish anything constructive without using a third
party partition manager, eg Acronis Disk Director, then you could expand
your primary partition to use the free space
 
I see, thanks. Been doing a bit of research and Partition Magic has been
mentioned.

The thing I don't understand is:

Why is this particular amount of unallocated space shown in the first
place? It would seem to be what was used by Acronis SZ but that has been
removed. Why doesn't it just show the remaining unused space on my HD?

Is it normal to see this? Should I just leave it alone?

Must admit I find this partition stuff very confusing. Especially when
there is also a FAT32 partition showing 3.49 GB (Healthy) which is
obviously something to do with the system but is listed as Unknown
Partition - Sheesh!
 
If it's not a partition then why is it not allocated? If the program
that was using it has been uninstalled then surely it becomes available
to the HD, doesn't it?
 
You would need to ask Acronis that question.

It's available but when you use Acronis to create
the "Secure Zone" the software carved out a piece
of your drive to create a partition for the secure zone.
Apparently removing the secure zone Acronis did not
merge it back.
 
Not necessarily. Why would it? The default would probably be to mark it
as unallocated space. "Unallocated partitition" seems like a non-sequitur.
It's either "unallocated space", or it's a "partition". (IOW, a partition
IS allocated, by definition - although it may be hidden).
 
The Acronis Secure Zone is a special acronis specific Partition,
uninstalling the Zone marks it as unallocated, in Win
PM is another such tool
 
Lots of chatter - the Acronis Secure Zone is a hidden partition - when
"removing" the "zone" you are given the option to extend volume/partition or
the space will be unallocated.

Recommended Acronis usage is to back- up to the Secure Zone and another
internal drive or external or removable media. There are several benefits
to using the Secure Zone, such as faster restore time and having the
computer online before restoration is complete, when failure is not due to
HD loss.
 
AJR said:
Lots of chatter - the Acronis Secure Zone is a hidden partition - when
"removing" the "zone" you are given the option to extend
volume/partition or the space will be unallocated.

Recommended Acronis usage is to back- up to the Secure Zone and
another internal drive or external or removable media. There are
several benefits to using the Secure Zone, such as faster restore
time and having the computer online before restoration is complete,
when failure is not due to HD loss.
Click to expand...

Excellent explanation.
 
So Acronis doesn't drop you off in the
middle of nowhere as it does give you
options for the secure zone.

Thanks AJR, nice to know as I have a copy
of ATI 2009 but haven't had the chance to try
it yet.
 
Thanks. I admit I'm a complete novice when it comes to partitioning.

Have installed EASEUS. Do I just have to select my main partition (C:
NTFS), click resize/move and increase the size by what's showing in the
unallocated space?

i.e. NTFS is showing 123280MB, unallocated 25691MB. Do I just add the 2
together to get the unallocated space allotted to NTFS?
 
Meant to add that unallocated is showing as logical drive, the others
are primary. Would I have to rename/redesignate unallocated first?
 
I can't drag the NTFS box into the unallocated space because there is a
FAT32 partition between them. When I click on NTFS it is not showing any
free space available.

partitions are showing as:

FAT16
NTFS
FAT32
Unallocated

EUSEUS says free space has to be adjacent.

Do I/how do I move FAT32 next to FAT16?
 
Let me try to get my head around this. Do I assume then that Acronis
used the FAT32 partition to create its Secure Zone, NOT part of the NTFS
partition? Nobody has mentioned this before.

It's only FAT32 that's showing unallocated space.

If I was to allow FAT32 to use unallocated space this would give a
partition of around 29GB. Is this normal?
 
OK folks, saga over.

Reinstalled Acronis, created Secure Zone from FAT32 partition, removed
Secure Zone and told Wizard to re-allocate the space to NTFS.
 
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