delete a partition and resize another to encompass it

[RampantAndroid]

I have a setup of 2 74 gb Raptors in RAID 0, with 120 gb partition, and a second that encompasses the rest.

Now I'm getting a 160 gb HD and I want to get rid of that second partition just have 1 single partition on my RAID array....how can I do this? Will the program I use support my setup?

 

[FlyingPenguin]

Assuming you don't have any installed apps on the 2nd partition, partition magic is the easiest way. Delete the 2nd partition and then expand the size of the first to the full size of the array.

BE AWARE that although this usually goes smoothly, there's always risk. Backup your data first.

If there's installed apps on the 2nd partition it's much more complicated. There are some tools out there that supposedly will relocate them to the other partition and fix all the resistry entries and shortcuts to make it work, but I don't have any faith in them. Better to uninstall the apps and re-install them in the main partition.

Do you NEED to do this? It's safer to just keep the 2nd partition. There IS some risk.

 

[RampantAndroid]

No, I don't NEED to do this, but I def want to...what I'll do is transfer my backup data to the 160 gb hard drive and then try to use partition magic.....will it work with my RAID 0 STA array?

 

[FlyingPenguin]

will it work with my RAID 0 STA array?

Yes. As far as BIOS, DOS, Windows and Partition Magic are concerned, the RAID array is just one single drive and it'll work fine.

At the very least backup your data. If you have a copy of Norton Ghost or some other drive imaging software, I would recommend you image the entire array to the 160Gb drive. That way if it DOES go sour, you can restore the image and put it back the way it was.

BTW: There are some VERY good reasons NOT to use one large partition - ESPECIALLY on a RAID 0 array. Multiple partitions give you more disaster recovery ability. See my detailed explanation for this in my blog here: http://penguinblog.com/partitioning.shtml

 

[RampantAndroid]

Yeah, I know that even with multiple partitions raid 0 isnt advisable (someone once lickened it to dangling a baby over a balcony) I'm more afraid of a hardware failure than software. I'll have all the stuff that matters on my 160 GB drive, and if I have to rebuild windows XP pro, well, it doesn't hurt to do it every now and then....up to now though I've not had a problem with a whole drive/partition going sour on me.

also: I don't mind the defragging one whole huge partition...I have diskeeper 9, which I have set to do it when the comp goes to screensaver (in other words daily) so it never takes long to do a real defrag.

How would I tell windows to automatically put my documents and settings folder on a different drive?

Thanks!

 

[RampantAndroid]

bump?

 

[RampantAndroid]

bump, can someone answer my last qeustions?

 

[FlyingPenguin]

I explain how to relocate your Documents folder and other data like your address book and folders like Outlook Express mail folders to a different partition in the link I gave you above: http://penguinblog.com/partitioning.shtml

TweakUI can relocate other special folders.