Manage Partitions

[TrainableMan]

It is easy enough to move your data from the OS drive and is even recommended if your OS is on an SSD. Generally the easiest thing to do is to move your data off of the install drive. On the target drive, example x:\, create a folder called "Patti" (or whatever your user logon name is). Then in Windows Explorer locate "My Documents", right-click, and chose Properties. Under the Location tab choose "Find Target". This will bring up your \users\Patti folder and in there you will see "My Documents", "My Music", "My Pictures", "My Videos" and "Downloads". One at a time drag them to your x:\Patti folder while holding the shift key (the shift key tells it to MOVE, not copy).

The best backups are maintained on an external hard drive because, should your original hard drive crash, the backups would also be lost. Also, as much as possible, leave the external device turned off because if a virus infects your computer then it can also infect hard drives that are turned on. If an external drive is not available then the next best thing is a separate physical hard drive. Still, some back-up is better than none, so if you do not have a separate internal nor external hard drive then at least back up to a separate partition.

 

[yodap]

TM in Patti's case her Win7 partition is her D drive. I haven't been using the typical drive letter terminology to avoid confusion on my part as well as hers.

Patti that was my laptop and don't always have the external drive on hand but what Trainable says, goes for me. My back up program (Easeus Todo Free) doesn't balk at placing the back-up image on the same drive if no other options are present. I typically move them later if that's the case.

Before I go any farther, have you done anything we talked about yet? Moving the XP partition or creating a partition in the unallocated space?

 

[Patti]

Thanks Trainable and Yodap.
I think I am getting everyone confused.
If you look back at the beginning of this thread you will see I set computer up with two partitions, one for W7 and one for XP. You have to close down W7 and restart to see XP in its partition.
I installed W7 on C drive on partition 1 and XP on C drive of partion 2.
I do backups using Macrium Reflect and store it on an external hard drive.
I have never had to restore anything or use it so far.

I think before I do a lot of moving I will just try to increase my C drive using unallocated space as discussed and then perhaps create another partition.
I am still unsure how all this will affect my XP partition. Guess I will see.

 

[yodap]

You can add about 55 gig to D without affecting the xp drive C. You will have to move C to gain any more.

It's good to start slowly because there is a lot of unknown for you. Paragon PM is a good tool so you can trust it but read through their help to try and understand more if you like. Once you use it a couple of times you will see how easy it is. It's always a good idea to clear junk files and defrag a partition before moving or resizing. Ccleaner is good for removing extra junk and windows own defrag tool will suffice or there are plenty of good third party tools for defragging.

Good luck

 

[Patti]

Well, yesterday I had a fright. I had done defrag, backup, etc.
Decided to go slow and increase D by the 55gb unallocated space. Proceeded and at completion my computer would not start. Got out my old Rescue Disk from Macrium and spent a few hours trying to Restore the computer from my Backup. I had never done it before and got confused a couple of times but finally got it. It was not straightforward and did not seem to work but end of day, & ready to give up, it started. I don't know if what I am looking at is from the Backup or not as the BU was pretty fresh. Only thing seems different is my favorite history is empty except for Today.
I don't know what exactly made it start but it seems ok now. But, I am afraid to proceed with resizing C. Also, no change was made to D.
I did tell you I had XP on one Partition and W7 on another. I should have said it was a Dual Boot system, I think you understood that. My terminology is not always spot on. Anyway, no change to the XP either.
Do you have any suggestions? Fresh Backup and try again with C????
Struggling

 

[yodap]

Wow!
Are you able to shut down and restart normally now?

 

[yodap]

Can you show me the disk map from within Win 7?

Click start and start typing Disk Management and you will be presented with an option to "create and format hard disk partitions."

Click on it and the Windows drive map utility opens. What I'm looking for is a partition that may be hidden from the Paragon map. Post that screen shot. Again see mine below.

 

[TrainableMan]

Sometimes the boot sector gets messed up, next time before you go to the extent of a full restore, just put in the W7 install DVD and run repair.

BTW, separating your data to a third partition can be a very good idea in a dual-boot machine because if the data is on a separate logical drive then both OSes can share the same data. Just in W7 you may find you have to Take Ownership if it thinks that your XP ID is the data owner (I don't know if this will happen because I've never dual-booted w/ W7 but I provided a link to the Take Ownership script in case it does)

 

[Patti]

I hope this comes through.

 

[Patti]

The thumbnal came thru.
I have spent the day poking around to see if I could find problem. Looked closely at my Macrium Reflect free BU ver 4.2. Find there is a V5 out there so I have downloaded that.
I also downloaded Paragon Backup and Recover Free version.
I have not looked at their features yet.

 

[yodap]

Thanks for the picture, it shows the same as Paragon.

If you right click on the unallocated space (55Gig) does it give you the option of creating a simple volume? If so you can create the partition right now. Just follow the instructions and accept the default settings for now. You can change the name and drive letter later if you want.

 

[yodap]

Another great program (free) is Partition Wizard Home by Minitool.

http://download.cnet.com/MiniTool-P...62200.html?part=dl-6285158&subj=dl&tag=button

 

[Patti]

Hi, Thanks. I have downloaded Partition Wizard Home v7.5, EaseUs Partion 9.1.1, Macrium Backup v5, and Paragon Backup v12 so I should be updated with these tools. Not needing them much, they get out of date.

I find I can create a Partion with the 55gb with Wizard Home or Easus.
Why do you want me to do that?

I think perhaps I should have Partion C with the operating system W7 on it and Partion D with Data and perhaps a third Partion for photos?

I understand the the Operating System is in the folder Windows on C. Mine is
12.2 GB. Does that sould about right?

I think perhaps I should make a new Rescue Disk, and a new BU using updated Program before I do any Partion moving due to what happened last time - ???:dontknow:

 

[yodap]

I think perhaps I should make a new Rescue Disk, and a new BU using updated Program before I do any Partion moving due to what happened last time - ???:dontknow:

Couldn't hurt

I find I can create a Partion with the 55gb with Wizard Home or Easus.
Why do you want me to do that?

That could be your Data partition. Once you start moving your personal data over, you will start to gain more space in the OS partition and eventually you could take space from that and expand the data partition.

I understand the the Operating System is in the folder Windows on C. Mine is
12.2 GB. Does that sould about right?

That sounds about right for a pretty clean Win XP partition.

I think perhaps I should have Partion C with the operating system W7 on it and Partion D with Data and perhaps a third Partion for photos?

Don't make too much of that yet. W7 sees itself as C according to your original screenshot. Chances are XP does the same.

Once you are all set and have it the way you want it, you can hide each OS partition from each other so no one accidentally bork's any important system files.

 

[Patti]

Q "I find I can create a Partion with the 55gb with Wizard Home or Easus.
Why do you want me to do that?
A "That could be your Data partition. Once you start moving your personal data over, you will start to gain more space in the OS partition and eventually you could take space from that and expand the data partition."

Sorry, but I have more than 55gb of Data on my C besides the Windows OS. It seems a long go around to creat a 55gb Partition from unallocated space on C, and then expand C some more from the rest of the unallocated space at a later date?

 

[yodap]

Okay, another reason I said create it was I wasn't sure if you can expand the OS partition directly over unallocated space (I think you can) but I'm running a simulation now to find out on my desktop pc.using Easeus PM. I'm creating your scenario with unallocated space separated by a partition. Should be done soon.

 

[yodap]

Okay so you can expand the partition over the unallocated space no probs. Took less than 5 seconds here.

 

[Patti]

So what are you saying? Sorry, do you mean create a partition with the 55g?

 

[yodap]

You don't have to, to add space to the OS partition. No need to if you don't want a data partition.

 

[Patti]

I am still struggling with this. Spending time trying to learn EaseUs Home Version 9.1 free and MiniTool Partition and my original Paragon Partion Manager that I used when I had my meltdown. It is the easiest to understand, the other two are confusing in their step by step instructions.

Anyway as to your last message, are you saying just to use EaseUS and expand my W7 C? That is the one I need more space on.