Add free space to C: partition

[beamer159]

I'd like to add space to my C: partition from a "partition" called "free space". Here is my situation:

1. I have an HP Compaq which came with Windows XP preinstalled. Therefore, I didn't recieve a windows recovery/installation CD upon purchase. Instead, I have a recovery partition (my D drive).

2. I don't really care if I erase everything on the C drive in the process. I recently performed a destructive recovery, and so I have no files that are very important to me on the drive.

3. Here are my partitions as of now:



I'd like to put that free space into the C: partition. Whether that deletes data on the C drive or not doesn't matter to me, since I believe I'll be able to reinstall windows usuing the D drive.

I read that a software called Partition Magic would do this for me. However, when I installed the demo and tried to run it, I received the following error:


By beamer159

I also read that I could use the "rescue disks" that come with the software to get around this, but alas, I don't want to spend $70 and buy the full version to get these rescue disks to do this one thing.

Finally, I tried a software called Partition Logic, but I recieved the error: "No hard disks registered". I personally don't know why this error occurrred.

So, if there's a way to add the free space to the C: partition other than these ways previously mentioned, I'd be glad to know. Secondly, if you know of a fix to the problems mentioned, I'd be just as glad to hear of these as well. Thank you for your replies.

EDIT: Sorry for the length of this post. I just believe it's better to be too thorough than not enough so.

[zakiel29]

Hi...Dunno this will help you, but ill try, like other tryed to help me with my problem (not solved yet). Im not an specialist, but i hope this helps...

Once, I tryed to use Partition Magic to resize one of my partitions, like you want to; but in the proccess, PM really did a mess with them. So, if you dont really care about losing the info, here is what i suggest you to do (is what i did)

1) Do a backup of anything you want to keep (In my case, fonts, internet bookmarks, anything)
2) Get WinXP CD, boot from it, and from there, you can delete your C: partition. After that you should have a 140GB non partitioned free space. Now there, you can create new partitions. I think you would like to create one 140GB partition.
3) Then, select the new partition created, to install WinXP.

Its the best way i found by experience. Dunno, is clean, and safe. I'd suggest you to create a small partition only for xp, and leave the "big one" for data, so, in the future, you could format your WinXP partition, without losing your data...

PS: Maybe PM failed just with me, an isolated problem.
PS2: Sorry my english...

[jono-ats]

I agree with Zakiel29 for the most part.

Hard drives are cheap. I would buy another one and do the following:

1. Format the new drive with XP by using the XP start-up CD (disconnect your other HD to be safe).

2. Stop the format process when the format process is complete, before Windoze has a chance to copy files to your drive.

3. Hook up the new and old drives in the PC, and boot from the original (old) drive. Use the disk drive utility (part of Admin Utilities) to be sure that the new empty partition is marked as Active.

4. Determine which partition you want to transfer and which letter identifies the old one. For simplicity, I am going to use C: for the old one and D: for the new one.

5. Run the "Command" (CMD) command to get the DOS window.

6. Copy files from the old partition to the new using the following command line syntax:

xcopy c: d: /c/h/e/k/r

7. This should copy all of your files and partitions (including the hidden ones) and give you a bootable drive of full capacity.

Jon

[pepe]

Hi,

many files used and locked by the system will not be copied this way...

pepe

[jono-ats]

Like what? It always worked for me . . .

[pepe]

Hi

I meant files like registry files in the system32\config folder and as well as in the active user's folder.
Even if U run xcopy as system u cannot access these files. It is somewhat strange for me it worked for U...

pepe

[wiseleo]

Why not simply grow the partition?

Gparted should be able to handle it. You could run it from a Linux sysrescue CD or from Clonezilla.