Can I expand my C drive (partition) a few GB's

[burnselk]

My C drive (which is really one of several partitions on one large HDD) is nearly full and I can't find enough items to delete to get it to run smoothly (it's been "locking up occasionally) . I'm guessing when a HDD (think "partition") gets some very full it slows things down to a complete halt sometimes. My wifes computer is having that problem right now.

My question is this. Can I expand the C drive (partition) without messing up the data currently on the C drive (partition)? In other words, could C be expanded by taking some space (a few GB's) away from another partition without messing anything up on either partition?

I hope this makes sense. If not, let me explain your questions. Thanks.

 

[Nanobyte]

I'm not sure if you can do it with Windows' Disk Management (All Programs/Administrative Services/Computer Management). You can definitely do it with utilities like Partition Magic.

 

[tremmor]

You can with windows 7. Im not sure about the home edition. You can with the Pro and Ultimate.

 

[johnb35]

Yes, you can shrink the second partition on your drive which will add it to "c".

 

[burnselk]

Yes, you can shrink the second partition on your drive which will add it to "c".

I sure hope you're right john35! That's exactly what I'd like to be able to do.

I'm running Windows XP Home Edition. Sorry I didn't think to add that.

And thanks for the other input. I'll let you know if I was able to do it. I may even need to ask you how to do it..........I don't mess around in Disk Management. Did it only when I had to and that's it.

 

[johnb35]

Sorry, you can't do that with XP without using third party software. I thought you had vista or windows 7

 

[burnselk]

Sorry, you can't do that with XP without using third party software. I thought you had vista or windows 7

I happen to have Partition Magic 8.0 by Norton. Will that do the job? I've never used it but it's here.

I suspect I'll have to backup my entire C drive data; OS and all. Then what about the partition next to the C partition.......could I temporarily move the 7+GB of data on that partition over onto another partition then work with the C and E partitions.......maybe??? For some reason I don't have a D partition.....it goes from C to E, F, G, H, and I. This is one 400 GB HDD divided into these 6 partitions. All have backup data on them.......mostly of my wifes Creative Memories software and pictures.

Can you still advise me on how to go about doing this?

 

[johnb35]

There is no reason to have 6 partitions on a 400 gb drive. There should be no more then 2 or 3 partitions, usually only 2. You are better off to get a bigger drive. With all that data on the one drive and partition magic screws up, you might not be able to recover the data.

 

[Nanobyte]

Your best bet would be to buy an external HDD and backup to there. You can get a 1TB drive for $100 or 500G for $70. If the backups you refer to are exact dupes of those on the other PC you may wish to skip. Money or peace of mind are your choice.

I've done what you are about to do a couple of times on different PCs. It worked fine but it's quite a stressful procedure as the HDD churns away and you pray everything is going to be OK.

 

[burnselk]

Your best bet would be to buy an external HDD and backup to there.

I have the entire C drive data backed up to a 250GB Maxtor One Touch 4 external drive right now. But since I've never "recovered" backed up data I don't really know how "easily" the data is recovered.

You can get a 1TB drive for $100 or 500G for $70. If the backups you refer to are exact dupes of those on the other PC you may wish to skip. Money or peace of mind are your choice.

I know, SATA drives are at a all time low right now. I get ads in my email inbox most every day with deals. You can even get a 2TB internal drive for less than $100.

But I have at least 2 other external HDDs and enclosures/holders so I have no excuse for not having it backed up. But working with backups of my wifes "Creative Memories" data has seemed to gotten "divided" up and now she can't access it correctly. This is the real issue......having all of her album pictures on the C drive alone with her Album (Creative Memories) software.....which is recommended. And every time she adds several MB or GB of pictures the ole C drive starts slowing down and reaches a freezing up stage.

I've done what you are about to do a couple of times on different PCs. It worked fine but it's quite a stressful procedure as the HDD churns away and you pray everything is going to be OK.

Exactly my thoughts.....

I really appreciate the quick response you guys have given me on tis issue. That's the number one plus you have above some of the other forums. When a guy is in distress, he usually wants/needs advice right now.......not in a couple of days. Thanks to all.........and thanks a million.

 

[Nanobyte]

It sounds like you have plenty of available backup capacity. You only find out how to restore data when you are in the crapper!

Most apps keep User data in two areas. Sometimes templates and the like will be kept in a subfolder in the apps' Program Files folder. More often, they will be in the Documents and Settings for the User in the Application Data/app name or Local Settings/Application Data/app name paths. The software manual may indicate. You can often tell what files have been added to by the modified date.

Decent apps will have something built-in that allows you to create a specific backup set. Example, graphic editors allow you to export the Workspace to a file which can be imported back, as in a reinstall after crash.

If I have to reinstall an app with custom settings that I have backed up, I rename the default something like customsettings_old.abc (the _old being added). If the replacement turns out to be a bad idea, you can restore the original.

If you have a backup of the Program Files and Documents and Settings folder of the other PC and any backups created within Creative Memories, you should be OK.

 

[burnselk]

It sounds like you have plenty of available backup capacity. You only find out how to restore data when you are in the crapper!

In the crapper is right. Amen to that.

Most apps keep User data in two areas. Sometimes templates and the like will be kept in a subfolder in the apps' Program Files folder. More often, they will be in the Documents and Settings for the User in the Application Data/app name or Local Settings/Application Data/app name paths. The software manual may indicate. You can often tell what files have been added to by the modified date.

Are you saying "most apps are kept on the C drive"? If not, you've lost me. Could you elaborate a bit on this?

Decent apps will have something built-in that allows you to create a specific backup set. Example, graphic editors allow you to export the Workspace to a file which can be imported back, as in a reinstall after crash.

Yes, Creative Memories has this.........they call the backup "My Vault".

If I have to reinstall an app with custom settings that I have backed up, I rename the default something like customsettings_old.abc (the _old being added). If the replacement turns out to be a bad idea, you can restore the original.

Why do you do this? Could you elaborate?

If you have a backup of the Program Files and Documents and Settings folder of the other PC and any backups created within Creative Memories, you should be OK.

Of the other PC........????

Don't take me wrong nano.........I just need more specifics. I appreciate your continued support. I'll eventually get my wifes files and backup right with help from you guys. Creative Memories also has tech support but it's somewhat lacking in my opinion. They're in such a hurry to get off the phone they don't take the time to finish the job.

 

[Nanobyte]

By "Most apps" I mean that the default for most apps is to save data in the Documents and Settings folder. The problem with that is if you mentally designate C: as your programs partition, it grows considerably as time goes on. Your problem exactly! If you are a sole user, I find it better to store user data on say the D: partition. That prevents C: growing out of hand and makes it easier to back up the user data. That is not necessarily an option for all apps. Browsers for example keep a load of custom data in Local Settings and/or Application Data. However, if you download web pages to your PC, you can save those wherever you like.

Re: the renaming. If you are unfamiliar with the files of an app, you may not be sure which you can replace with your backup copy that may contain custom data. I generally look at the file dates for those that may have been modified by my use.

If you replace the new file from the re-install you need to be able to reverse. To give an example, in my Photopaint backup I have a file pntsbar.cfg. I may be unsure what that does. If I think I need to replace the re-installed version I would rename that to pntsbar_old.cfg and copy my backup into the folder. I would run the app and if it worked OK I would leave things at that. If it won't start or plays up, I delete the backup pntsbar.cfg from the app folder and rename the pntsbar_old.cfg back to its old pntsbar.cfg .

The "other PC" would be your wife's. Presumably you have enough backups to restore losses on her PC. After all, that is the whole idea. The danger comes when a backup is an archive, not a backup.

Suppose your wife creates a package that is sent to someone (I have no idea how Creative Memories is organized, bear with me). She may not want to keep that on her PC due to space considerations so archives it somewhere else in case there is a problem. She sticks it on a dvd or another HDD (your PC). That is not really a backup as it is the sole copy you have. If you lost that during your partitioning, it's gone forever. Not a huge loss but old projects can sometimes be used as templates for new ones, speeding up the work.

 

[paulcheung]

If you have plenty external drive space, don't backup. just do plain copying so you can copy the files back to the original drive when it is needed. that is what I do for the data files. with program drive I do clone the whole drive.
Good luck.

 

[S.T.A.R.S.]

Create 2 folders on your external HDD.Call the first folder "C partition" and other folder "Other partitions".
Now copy ALL your important data from all partitions except the C: partition to the external HDD into the "Other partitions" folder.
Now boot the Linux Ubuntu OS using it's CD.Choose the ENGLEISH language and then choose TRY UBUNTU WITHOUT ANY CHANGE TO YOUR COMPUTER.Wait until Linux Ubuntu OS is loaded and after the Ubuntu desktop is showed,go to the "Places" -> "Computer".Now go to "View" and then put the check mark to "Show hidden files".Now go into your C: partition and select ALL items there and copy them into your external HDD into the "C partition" folder using the PASTE function.
After the copying process is finished,exit the Ubuntu and shut down your computer by going to "Live session user" -> "Shut down" and again "Shut down".
The CD/DVD-ROM drive tray will open.Take the Ubuntu CD out,close the tray and press the ENTER button on your keyboard.
After the computer is completely turned OFF,unplug the external HDD and turn the computer back on and boot it with your Windows installation CD or DVD disk.When you get to the partitions section,delete ALL partitions and then create the new C: partition and give it's size bigger this time so that you are sure you won't have any problems in the future.
For the rest of the HDD space that is left,simply create the D: partition.
Now install Windows on the C: partition.
After the installation is complete,plug your external HDD back,again boot with the Linux Ubuntu CD disk and now simply perform the same proceedure only reverse:

-Go to the "Places" -> "Computer".Now go to "View" and then put the check mark to "Show hidden files"...
-Now go into your external HDD then go into the folder called "C partition".Select ALL items in that folder and copy them into the C: partition using the PASTE function.When you are asked to merge and replace all the items,confirm it by clicking MERGE ALL and then REPLACE ALL!!!
-After the copying process is finished,exit the Ubuntu and shut down your computer by going to "Live session user" -> "Shut down" and again "Shut down".The CD/DVD-ROM drive tray will open.Take the Ubuntu CD out,close the tray and press the ENTER button on your keyboard.After the computer is completely turned OFF,unplug the external HDD and turn the computer back on and TADA!!!Everything works again and you did not lose any of your settings,OS and rest of the C: drive contents.
-Now when you are in Windows OS simply plug the external HDD back to your computer and copy all the items from the "Other partitions" folder into the D: partition...





Cheers!

 

[Nanobyte]

Create 2 folders on your external HDD.......from the "Other partitions" folder into the D: partition...

I suppose that may be handy advice for some, but Burnselk has Partition Magic. All you have to do with that is enter what size the partitions need to be. It does the rest.

 

[S.T.A.R.S.]

I suppose that may be handy advice for some, but Burnselk has Partition Magic. All you have to do with that is enter what size the partitions need to be. It does the rest.

I agree with that.It is faster and simpler.Because I know some people who did the same thing using programs for that and their partitions have not been functional anymore and they lost the data.I just offered him the way on how to do the same thing without any risks of the data loss.
Still...it's his choice lol.

 

[burnselk]

Create 2 folders on your external HDD.Call the first folder "C partition" and other folder "Other partitions".

This I can do.

Now copy ALL your important data from all partitions except the C: partition to the external HDD into the "Other partitions" folder.

I can do this too.

Now boot the Linux Ubuntu OS using it's CD

.

Can I burn my own disk or do I have to order one? I may even have a Ubuntu OS disk around here somewhere........seems I do. I wanted to try it but never got too much into it.

Choose the ENGLEISH language and then choose TRY UBUNTU WITHOUT ANY CHANGE TO YOUR COMPUTER.

I can even handle this.

Wait until Linux Ubuntu OS is loaded and after the Ubuntu desktop is showed,go to the "Places" -> "Computer".Now go to "View" and then put the check mark to "Show hidden files".

Can do.

Now go into your C: partition and select ALL items there and copy them into your external HDD into the "C partition" folder using the PASTE function.

Can do.

After the copying process is finished,exit the Ubuntu and shut down your computer by going to "Live session user" -> "Shut down" and again "Shut down".

I think I can even handle this.

The CD/DVD-ROM drive tray will open.Take the Ubuntu CD out,close the tray and press the ENTER button on your keyboard.

OK, can do.

After the computer is completely turned OFF,unplug the external HDD and turn the computer back on and boot it with your Windows installation CD or DVD disk.

Can do.....I do have the Windows XP Home installation disk.

When you get to the partitions section,delete ALL partitions and then create the new C: partition and give it's size bigger this time so that you are sure you won't have any problems in the future.

I've never deleted partitions but it shouldn't be that difficult. But let me ask, how is this done? Amen to the bigger partition bro.

For the rest of the HDD space that is left,simply create the D: partition.

Sounds easy enough. Maybe I should divide this internal 400GB HDD into 3 partitions instead of 2. Your thoughts on this.

Now install Windows on the C: partition.

Can do.

After the installation is complete,plug your external HDD back,again boot with the Linux Ubuntu CD disk and now simply perform the same procedure only reverse:

I think I can keep track of all of the data.........but right now the 400GB disk is divided into 6 partitions and my data is spread across all 6.

-Go to the "Places" -> "Computer".Now go to "View" and then put the check mark to "Show hidden files"...

OK

-Now go into your external HDD then go into the folder called "C partition".Select ALL items in that folder and copy them into the C: partition using the PASTE function.

You do mean "cut" and "paste" instead of "copy" and "paste".....right?

When you are asked to merge and replace all the items,confirm it by clicking MERGE ALL and then REPLACE ALL!!!

OK

-After the copying process is finished,exit the Ubuntu and shut down your computer by going to "Live session user" -> "Shut down" and again "Shut down".The CD/DVD-ROM drive tray will open.Take the Ubuntu CD out,close the tray and press the ENTER button on your keyboard.

OK, can do

After the computer is completely turned OFF,unplug the external HDD and turn the computer back on and TADA!!!Everything works again and you did not lose any of your settings,OS and rest of the C: drive contents.

Great!!!!.........(I think).

-Now when you are in Windows OS simply plug the external HDD back to your computer and copy all the items from the "Other partitions" folder into the D: partition.

The much larger D partition. Possibly 200GB........or at least around 130GB if I do the 3 partitions instead of 2.

Cheers!

S.T.A.R.S.....I sure hope this works as easy as you make it sound.

This will definitely solve my "small C partition" problem. Thanks a million. And to think all of this tech support is free......how great is this? I pray I didn't make this thread/response too long by addressing all of these points. It helps me keep it all straight......maybe it will help someone else too.

 

[burnselk]

I suppose that may be handy advice for some, but Burnselk has Partition Magic. All you have to do with that is enter what size the partitions need to be. It does the rest.

I've never used PM yet Nano..........but one way or the other I have to get this done.

Thanks for hanging in there Nano..........I may need to come back later to ask how to get out of a jam.

 

[S.T.A.R.S.]

Linux Ubuntu is the free operating system.Just download the ISO image file and burn it to the blank CD disk.

As for the partitions,trust me you do NOT need more then 2.Just split your HDD on 2 same size partitions.Since now you have 6 partitions and all your documents are spread all the way on them,sort them nice and put them all in "Other partitions" folder on the external HDD as I told you.

How to delete all the partitions is also very easy.Just boot your computer with the XP Home CD disk and when you get to the screen with the partitions,just follow the instructions witten on the screen.For example if you want to delete all the partitions,you will need to delete them one by one all until you have deleted them all and have ONLY the UNPARTITIONED SPACE.So you will use the third option called "To delete the selected partition, press D.".Take a look at the image bellow:

http://www.theeldergeek.com/images/XP Pro Setup Graphic/FF.gif

Now you need to create 2 new partitions.C: partition and D: partition.To do that,AGAIN follow the instructions written on the screen.So now you will use the second option called "To create the partition in the unpartitioned space, press C.".After you have presses C button on your keyboard,you will need to write the size for your new first C: partition in megabytes (MB).Here is the image:

http://www.build-your-own-computer.net/image-files/windows-xp-install-07.gif

So for your first C: partition size write "204800" MB.That is 200 GB.Now press the ENTER button on your keyboard to create the first C: partition.Now AGAIN press "C" letter button on your keyboard.Now you will need to again write the number in megabytes (MB) for the size of your second D: partition.So delete the current number,write numbers 9 as much as you can and press the ENTER button on your keyboard.After that all the numbers 9 will be reduced to the number in MB which is the biggest size you can use for the second D: partition.So after that again press the ENTER button on your keyboard.
Now you finally have C: and D: partitions created and they are both the same size.Maybe few megabytes (MB) difference,but nothing really important to worry about.Now select the C: partition and press the ENTER button on your keyboard and wait for few seconds until the BOOT SECTOR (MBR) is created.After that you will need to choose what file system you want to use for your Windows installation.Simply select "Format this partition using the NTFS file system" and then press the ENTER button on your keyboard.

As for the rest,just follow my instructions written above.




Cheers!