How do I make a hard drive partition bigger in Windows Vista

[pcslookout]

I only have a 10 gig partition just for windows and it is beginning to become way to small. Only 200 MB left. I need to extend its partition but I can't find any program that will let me. I don't want to have to delete that partition then reinstall windows vista on the new large partition.

 

[krotchy]

Vista needs like a 16 Gig partition from what im hearing, in case you do find something to extend your partition.

Sorry I cant help with any ideas beyond the reinstall though

 

[pcslookout]

Originally posted by: krotchy
Vista needs like a 16 Gig partition from what im hearing, in case you do find something to extend your partition.

Sorry I cant help with any ideas beyond the reinstall though

Thanks. I know this is off topic but, I just found out my Enermax power supply has connectors just for powerful video cards that connect directly to it. Two actually. I didn't realize this and used two power cables instead on the adapter it came with. My power supply is only 400 watts but it has 20A on each 12v. Do you think I should instead use one of the connectors that are just for the powerful video cards directly to my Geforce 8800 so I have power connectors left over ? So I can use one for my top fan, that is not on right now because I didn't have enough power cables.

The reason I connected my Geforce 8800 with the adaptor and used two of the power connectors instead is because I was worried one connector wasn't going to be enough 12v amps for my geforce 8800 but not sure how the other smaller 6 pin cable works directly from the power supply. Will it give more than 20 amps each if needed ?

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: pcslookout
I only have a 10 gig partition just for windows and it is beginning to become way to small. Only 200 MB left. I need to extend its partition but I can't find any program that will let me. I don't want to have to delete that partition then reinstall windows vista on the new large partition.

Backup your data on all partitions on the hard drive.
You can try this free utility to resize partitions.
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/
Use the LiveCD to create a CD image you can burn to a CD and boot to.

If it does not work and your partitions get screwed up, you have the backued up data.

 

[krotchy]

If the power supply has dedicated cables you are better off using them. Thats why they are there. Also you are going to get a tiny bit more loss through the use of connectors than just using the dedicated cbale

 

[corkyg]

Partition Magic can do the job you want -regardless of Vista. The OS is irrelevant when you BOOT from the Partition Magic CD. You never enter Vista at all. So, if you have P/M 8, just boot and use it.

 

[Puffnstuff]

Actually vista has disk management tools built into it that will allow you to shrink or expand your partitions. Check start menu/administrative tools/computer management and then got to disk management you'll be in the utility that does it. Highlight the drive and then right click on it to see the menu.

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: Puffnstuff
Actually vista has disk management tools built into it that will allow you to shrink or expand your partitions. Check start menu/administrative tools/computer management and then got to disk management you'll be in the utility that does it. Highlight the drive and then right click on it to see the menu.

Correct ... I've used it & it works pretty well, just fairly simplistic compared to commercial partitioning software & also very slow.

 

[A5]

Originally posted by: Navid

Originally posted by: pcslookout
I only have a 10 gig partition just for windows and it is beginning to become way to small. Only 200 MB left. I need to extend its partition but I can't find any program that will let me. I don't want to have to delete that partition then reinstall windows vista on the new large partition.

Backup your data on all partitions on the hard drive.
You can try this free utility to resize partitions.
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/
Use the LiveCD to create a CD image you can burn to a CD and boot to.

If it does not work and your partitions get screwed up, you have the backued up data.

QFT...gparted has actually been updated in the last 2 years, unlike PM.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Does Vista's built-in partition-resizing tool work with Basic partitions, as well as Dynamic?

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
Does Vista's built-in partition-resizing tool work with Basic partitions, as well as Dynamic?

Yes it does.

 

[soydios]

The built-in Vista disk management tool works very well for me. All the basic functionality is there.

 

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: krotchy
If the power supply has dedicated cables you are better off using them. Thats why they are there.

Very very correct. It's likely the all molex share a rail, so it's very bad not to use the PCI-e power cable.

Also you are going to get a tiny bit more loss through the use of connectors than just using the dedicated cbale

Not quite.

 

[pradeep1]

This software is pretty good for basic and advanced partition maintenance. It is VISTA compatible:

http://www.paragon-software.com/hdm/

It is a free download if you are willing to give them your email address:

http://www.computeractive.co.uk/hdmanager8/index

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: Puffnstuff
Actually vista has disk management tools built into it that will allow you to shrink or expand your partitions. Check start menu/administrative tools/computer management and then got to disk management you'll be in the utility that does it. Highlight the drive and then right click on it to see the menu.

:thumbsup:


Ausm

 

[her34]

Originally posted by: Puffnstuff
Actually vista has disk management tools built into it that will allow you to shrink or expand your partitions. Check start menu/administrative tools/computer management and then got to disk management you'll be in the utility that does it. Highlight the drive and then right click on it to see the menu.

he wants to expand the OS partition. this require that the free space be next to the OS partition. but alas vista doesn't have the ability to "move" free space next to the OS partition so the only way to do this with vista is to delete the second partition.

 

[butch84]

I would suggest using GParted (Gnome Partition Editor). It's free, and you can boot off a GParted cd to resize NTFS (among others) partitions. This should fit the bill for you nicely, as it's OS independent, and it's free!

Dave

EDIT: Damn, I didn't realize somebody beat me to it! Oh well, I second GParted.