Can you partition a C drive without deleting what is on it?
Patti Barden
Can I partition my C drive that has no partitions on but has the OS and data
and programs on it without
deleting anything?
Seems I have read it is not possible. I would like two partitions one for
data and one for OS and programs
so when I do a Disk Check or degrag it doesn't take so long.
Thanks for any advice.
Patti
John John - MVP
> Using XP SP3, 500GB drive
>
> Can I partition my C drive that has no partitions on but has the OS and data
> and programs on it without
> deleting anything?
Not to nitpick, but your C: drive *does* have a partition, the C: drive
*is* a partition.
> Seems I have read it is not possible. I would like two partitions one for
> data and one for OS and programs
> so when I do a Disk Check or degrag it doesn't take so long.
You will have to use a third party tool like Terabyte's BootItNg or
Easus Partition Manager or other to do this.
MAKE SURE that you backup all your precious files before doing any
partition work! These tools are for most part safe to use but glitches
and errors while doing partition work can quickly lead to catastrophic
loss of all the data on the disk!
John
Patti Barden
Manager but a novice on both.
Everyone always says make a "backup of files" before you do anything but how
do you backup 37GB data onto
a floppy disk?? That is the only option my XP gives me, that is why I bought
an external hard disk.
Thanks, Patti
"John John - MVP" <aude...@nbnot.nb.ca> wrote in message
news:eLlnQ$rlKHA...@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Patti Barden wrote:
>> Using XP SP3, 500GB drive
>>
>> Can I partition my C drive that has no partitions on but has the OS and
>> data and programs on it without
>> deleting anything?
>
> Not to nitpick, but your C: drive *does* have a partition, the C: drive
> *is* a partition.
OK, stand corrected.
John John - MVP
tools to backup your 37GB of data onto your external drive. I'm also
sure that you can use these tools to resize your existing C: drive and
create additional partitions with the free unallocated space that you
will gain when you resize the C: drive. When you resize C: don't make
the common mistake of making it too small!
John
J. P. Gilliver (John)
>Ok, thanks. I do have Paragon Partition Manager and Paragon Hard Disk
>Manager but a novice on both.
>
>Everyone always says make a "backup of files" before you do anything but how
>do you backup 37GB data onto
>a floppy disk?? That is the only option my XP gives me, that is why I bought
>an external hard disk.
>
>Thanks, Patti
Depends what you (and the people telling you to do it) mean by "backup".
If what is meant is a full backup so that it can be restored if things
go wrong, you need an image-creation utility - there are hundreds out
there, free and paid; you also need to be sure that it will create
something (floppy or CD) from which a corrupted PC can be booted, so
that the saved image can be restored.
If what is meant is just a _copy_, then of course you can use your
external hard disc; you copy your _own_ files (documents, pictures,
videos, and data produced by other prog.s, such as maybe genealogy
data). If all goes wrong, you then have to reinstall your operating
system and applications, which is a daunting task, but at least you
haven't lost your _unique_ data. This assumes you have the original
installation discs for your OS and applications; for your OS, you
probably haven't: sometimes this is put in a hidden partition on the
disc (does your PC offer "factory restore" or some similar phrase,
briefly, during bootup? If so, it probably is using this method), but of
course if you're going to be playing with partitions, you may corrupt
that.
Many of the image-creation utilities will allow you to create the image
on your removable disc: just make sure that the mini-OS they create on a
floppy or CD is able to restore from (i. e. has drivers for) the
removable disc. (Many of them create what is in effect some variant of
Linux on the bootable medium, though may not say so; most Linuxes now
know about removable discs, so it shouldn't be a problem. May well turn
out to be a different drive letter though.)
FWIW, I recently used partition manager (8, I think) to resize the
partitions (to do as you are wanting to do, create a separate one for
the OS and for data - IMO a good idea, and many modern PCs are supplied
that way); although it was on a '98 system, I was most impressed with
how smoothly it went.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **
"Mr. Spock succumbs to a powerful mating urge and nearly kills Captain Kirk."
- TV Guide description of Amok Time Trek episode.
J. P. Gilliver (John)
>I don't use Paragon tools but I'm quite sure that you can use these
>tools to backup your 37GB of data onto your external drive. I'm also
>sure that you can use these tools to resize your existing C: drive and
>create additional partitions with the free unallocated space that you
>will gain when you resize the C: drive. When you resize C: don't make
>the common mistake of making it too small!
Good point. If your intention is to have one partition for the operating
system (and I would suggest software), with all data on another
partition (or partitions), then I would suggest you _move_ your data
(pictures, videos, documents) _off_ your C: drive (to your removable
one, say) now, before doing any partition resizing; if you already have
37G used, that suggests to me that a lot of that is your data. (FWIW, On
this 1x0G system, I allocated 30G for OS-plus-software, and so far 9.23
of that is used; so far, I've filled 11.2G of the other partition with
data. People will argue endlessly about how much space you _should_
allocate to OS+software; for XP, 10G is probably not enough, and I would
say - especially if you are rigorous about preventing software from
storing stuff on C: - that 30G should be sufficient to last out XP.)
Patti Barden
If before I do anything I should make a backup/copy of my
37GB data in case anything goes wrong -
where do I put the backup/copy? If I partition
the EHD (external hard disk) and put the
backup/copy on it and then Clone
the C Hard disk and put the clone on the EHC,
I think that erases everything on the EHD which would negate
my backups. Using a CD or floppy would mean a lot of disks or floppies?
What am I missing?
Patti
"Patti Barden" <pa...@freeola.com> wrote in message
news:u2kV$03lKH...@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
Tom Willett
: Thanks everyone - I am struggling.
: >
:
:
glee
Partition it with either a single partition or with more than one if
that's what you want...doesn't really matter.
When the external drive is set up, use (I assume you are using...)
Acronis True Image to create an image of your system, storing it on the
external drive.
If you make an image, rather than "cloning" the drive, it make a large
file with a .tib extension ...tib stands for True Image Backup. It is
just a file....it doesn't erase anything on the drive, any more than
making a text file and putting it there would erase anything.
Why are you cloning the drive to the external drive?? You usually only
clone if you plan to REPLACE your C: drive with the other
drive....that's not what you need to do. True Image makes .tib files
which can be restored if needed by using the rescue boot CD made with
True Image, to boot your computer and then choose to restore from the
external drive.
Read the Help files please!
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Oct. 2002 - Sept. 2009
A+
http://dts-l.net/
"Patti Barden" <pa...@freeola.com> wrote in message
news:u7fZiTG...@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
J. P. Gilliver (John)
>First, set up your external drive (as someone already mentioned).
>Partition it with either a single partition or with more than one if
>that's what you want...doesn't really matter.
That someone was me. Do as glee says. If the external hard drive is
already usable, then it's already been set up - though probably only as
one partition; stick with that if that's what you want. (Personally I'd
divide it, but that's just me.)
>
>When the external drive is set up, use (I assume you are using...)
>Acronis True Image to create an image of your system, storing it on the
>external drive.
>
>If you make an image, rather than "cloning" the drive, it make a large
>file with a .tib extension ...tib stands for True Image Backup. It is
>just a file....it doesn't erase anything on the drive, any more than
>making a text file and putting it there would erase anything.
Whatever you are using (Acronis?) should also offer (or have the option)
to make a bootable CD or something; let it do so. You need that to boot
the system from if your subsequent actions render the system unable to
boot from the internal drive. This would let you restore the internal
drive from the image file, should that become necessary. (Without the
bootable CD, having the image backup file will be no use to you if you
do corrupt your system!)
>
>Why are you cloning the drive to the external drive?? You usually only
>clone if you plan to REPLACE your C: drive with the other
>drive....that's not what you need to do. True Image makes .tib files
>which can be restored if needed by using the rescue boot CD made with
>True Image, to boot your computer and then choose to restore from the
>external drive.
I agree with glee - no need to clone, if you're making an image file.
>
>Read the Help files please!
[]
>"Patti Barden" <pa...@freeola.com> wrote in message news:u7fZiTG...@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Thanks everyone - I am struggling.
>>
>> If before I do anything I should make a backup/copy of my
>> 37GB data in case anything goes wrong -
>> where do I put the backup/copy? If I partition
(see above/below)
>> the EHD (external hard disk) and put the
>> backup/copy on it and then Clone
>> the C Hard disk and put the clone on the EHC,
>> I think that erases everything on the EHD which would negate
It would; it would also (if it worked at all) make the EHD appear to be
the same size as the IHD you are cloning, I think. Just do an image
(which is a special form of backup/copy, which the bootable CD is able
to restore from). As I said in an earlier post, a clone - if the term is
being used correctly - copies all the unused space as well, which you
don't need to do.
>> my backups. Using a CD or floppy would mean a lot of disks or > floppies?
(Well, you could use DVDs, but you'd still need several of them to
backup 37G. As well as some way of being able to restore from them. Just
backup/image to the EHD.)
>> What am I missing?
>> Patti
>>
I personally would _move_ much of your _data_ _off_ your C: drive - I'm
assuming much of that 37G is data, not operating system or software -
before playing with it; it will give you a smaller system you need to
work with. (And after you've finished all your repartitioning, amend as
much software as possible so that its default storage location is D: or
above, not C:; Office - that's Word etc. - can be told not to use C:,
and _most_ other good software can as well.)
Just for my own curiosity, what _is_ taking up all that space (37G) -
lots of movie files?
[]
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **
Boss: We must maintain a sense of urgency. Speed is the key. We must be faster
than the competition.
Dilbert: Does that mean you'll sign the stuff that's been on your desk for a
month? (Scott Adams, 1998-12-26)
Robbie Hatley
"Patti Barden" wrote:
> Thanks everyone - I am struggling.
>
> If before I do anything I should make a backup/copy of my
> 37GB data in case anything goes wrong -
> where do I put the backup/copy? If I partition
> the EHD (external hard disk) and put the
> backup/copy on it and then Clone
> the C Hard disk and put the clone on the EHC,
> I think that erases everything on the EHD which would negate
> my backups.
Yep, cloning wipes out backups. So don't do that.
And don't try to back stuff up with crunchies or CDs,
that's like trying to bail out the Titanic with a teaspoon.
Instead, either clone, OR do backups, to a large external
hard disk.
If you have the install disks for your OS and programs,
just backup your irreplacable files (music, pictures, ebooks,
videos, files from work or home business, personal finances).
Make one big partition on your external hard disk. I recommend
formatting it as FAT32, so that you can access it with various
operating systems if necessary. Drag and drop folders from
C: to your external disk, using Windows Explorer.
OR
If you don't have install disks for your OS and programs,
use an "image" or "ghost" program to snapshot your whole
C: drive onto your external disk.
Then you can change partitions on your main hard disk at will.
Use a partition manager, such as "PowerQuest PartitionMagic".
Move boundaries around as you like.
Adjusting partitions SHOULDN'T damage any of the data on
your drive C:. But if it does (very unlikely), you can
recover easily enough if you've made backups or a clone.
--
Cheers,
Robbie Hatley
lonewolf at well dot com
www dot well dot com slant tilde lonewolf slant
glee
news:x-SdnSsp2YYojsTW...@giganews.com...
> snip
> Then you can change partitions on your main hard disk at will.
> Use a partition manager, such as "PowerQuest PartitionMagic".
> Move boundaries around as you like.
PowerQuest Partition magic hasn't been in existence for a while...at
version 8, it was bought out by Symantec in 2003, and was renamed Norton
Partition Magic. No new versions were released since that time, and it
was discontinued last year.
Welcome to 2010....
claire...@gmail.com
http://www.disk-partition.com/help/split-partition.html