Resizing XP Partitions

[olds]

Can it be done in XP or do I have to get some software?

 

[Smilin]

The diskpart extend command only works on non-boot partitions.

 

[Smilin]

...meaning of course if you can mount the drive in another box you could do it without having to purchase anything.

 

[olds]

Thanks. I was hoping to make C a little larger. I am down to 15% space left.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: Smilin
...meaning of course if you can mount the drive in another box you could do it without having to purchase anything.

If someone has XP on two partitions on the same drive, can he boot into one and use diskpart to resize the partition containing the other XP?

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: Navid

Originally posted by: Smilin
...meaning of course if you can mount the drive in another box you could do it without having to purchase anything.

If someone has XP on two partitions on the same drive, can he boot into one and use diskpart to resize the partition containing the other XP?

the extend command works by extending a data partition into contiguous space next to it.

So it would depend where your parallel install was located. If it was wedged between the partiton you wish to exend and the free space you wish to use, it wouldn't work I think.

If you were to pull some cleverness like creating two partitions in the free space next to your install, installing XP on the last one then booting into it, deleting the other new partition you might be able to extend into it. I'm not positive without repro'ing it.

You can very safely try. If diskpart cannot properly extend it won't.

There is a KB on it and the windows helpfiles on the topic are pretty good. Just search for diskpart. Note: there are two diskpart commands (and help topics). One is recovery console only and I don't believe has the extend command.

 

[Kalessian]

What you want is a gparted liveCD: http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php

It can resize ntfs, both shrink and expand: http://gparted.sourceforge.net/features.php

Edit: I know you said in Windows, but by "get some software" I think you meant pay $$, and gparted is free.

 

[amddude]

Acronis disk director does this from the bootable cd it makes, IIRC. Great tool.

 

[Smilin]

some wisdom:

The limitations imposed by diskpart are there for a reason. The actions that it can perform out of the box are very safe alterations to your disk. Although other scenarios can be performed successfully with 3rd party products I would strongly suggest good backups before you begin.

If you are good with diskprobe you can wing it without backups...but if you are good with diskprobe you don't need diskpart or third party tools

Please don't become another one of the many "I used abc to do xyz to my disk and now all my data is gone" threads that come by frequently!

 

[jameswhite1979]

You do need 3rd party software the above all do the same job also Partion Magic.

 

[rasczak]

you can create a new partition and then mount that partition to your C: directory to add more storage space and increase the size of your C: directory. This is all inherent within the windows 2000 and windows xp oses. No extra software needed.

joe

 

[bibitob]

Originally posted by: jameswhite1979
You do need 3rd party software the above all do the same job also Partion Magic.

I agree, Partition Magic is a great program.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: bibitob

Originally posted by: jameswhite1979
You do need 3rd party software the above all do the same job also Partion Magic.

I agree, Partition Magic is a great program.

Having hexedited many drives back together after people used this thing I have to disagree and say partition havok is not a great program. I admit I have a distorted viewpoint since people didn't call me when it actually worked.

I'm not asking you to agree with me...I'm just asking you to make backups first

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: jameswhite1979
You do need 3rd party software the above all do the same job also Partion Magic.

I'm not sure I understand that sentence or what it was in response to. Can I get a repost plz?

 

[sanitydc]

I used partition magic 8.0 to repartition mine when I installed vista. worked like a charm just took 200 gigs off my current raid0 set up and gave it to vista. quick and easy.

 

[Pirotech]

Originally posted by: amddude
Acronis disk director does this from the bootable cd it makes, IIRC. Great tool.

+1

 

[Brazen]

GParted LiveCD is free and better than anything else out there. Just a thought, but you might also be able to use diskpart from the Recovery Console booted off a CD which would allow you to extend the system partition. GParted would be easier though.

 

[olds]

Thanks for the info. I used Partition Magic back in the Win 98 days. I was hoping resizing was built into XP. I'll pick up Acronis and use that.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: sanitydc
I used partition magic 8.0 to repartition mine when I installed vista. worked like a charm just took 200 gigs off my current raid0 set up and gave it to vista. quick and easy.

Uh.

You don't need partition havok to resize in Vista btw They added that function.

 

[Kalessian]

Really... gparted is your best bet. Don't be afriad of *nix, it's entirely point and click GUIs. DL, burn disk, boot, follow easy on screen instructions, reboot, done. Did it just the other day for a friend. Also a million times safer than Partition Magic.