Unpartitioned space

[OverVolt]

It's been awhile since I tinkered with computers. I had a hard drive start to die and make lots of noise some time ago, so I bought a new one, and didn't feel like re-installing windows.

So I cloned the old HD onto the new one.

This left me with a good chunk of unpartitioned space.

Partition magic is now trial-ware, so I was curious what options I have available to me so I can utilize the unpartitioned space on my HD, short of a total wipe and re-install.

 

[Brazen]

I like Parted Magic. It's an open source bootable LiveCD, and it can expand your ntfs partition to fill however much of the drive you want.

 

[WildHorse]

Well for one thing, if you're using Windows, move your My DOcuments over to a different smaller partition, probably D:. The principle is to separate the program stuff (applications including games & all other apps, and the operating system) from the precious data.

For example, this scheme seems to work well for me, your preferences may differ:

C: (medium size partition, this logical clinder is toward the outer edges of the disk platters for fastest read-write) for OS & all apps,

D: (small partition, about 1/3 size of C🙂 for My Docs & all "data,"

E: (biggest partition, inner logical cylinder) for a different kind of "data" that's more static. Here are Downloads (just a temporary waystation for downloads until they get virus scanned & moved to their new home, or used & deleted. This includes downloads via any means, like Windows, Firefox, Free Download Manager, uTorrent, LimeWire, FTP), and for Software (installation executables, game patches, my Slipstream files).

Big video & audio files go on other disks on a different HDD (my Stacker case has a lot of hard drives).

So at least move your Windows "My Documents" over to another partition.