I have 500 gb HD in a desktop with Windows Vista. It was partitioned by the mfr (Lenovo) to have 30gb as a boot drive. Now this boot drive is nearing capacity and i would like to increase its size. I still have plenty of capacity on the other partition. I tried extending the volume of the boot drive but it does not give me that option in the Disk Management tool. Can someone please tell me how to do this? Thanks.

(I also just installed a 1TB second HD which I partitioned 50/50 using Vista's disk management tool)

Use the Partition Magic program? (Back up your data first!)

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http://www.datasaversllc.com

Windows Vista supports extend and shrink volume. In Disk Manager just right click on partition. For more details just Google.
This is just info, Partition Magic is mine recommendation to.

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Sistrum Data Recovery
http://www.sistrum.mk/en

Well I wouldn't recommend either of the above options. I'm not even sure if the last Partition magic version is vista compatible.
I would suggest you use EASEUS Partition Master. Its free and does the job!
And as suggested before back up the important data first in case something goes wrong!

Vista's Disk Management does not show 'extend volume' highlighted when right cliking drive C - the boot/primary drive so am assuming it does not allow it.

I guess the other question is can I designate another drive or partition to be the boot drive??

Ok, I think I understand now why the boot drive cannot be manipulated on the pc that you are using. Its because the OS is being used! Now, if I have a 2nd pc and I take the HD out of the pc I am trying to repartition, I should be able to change the boot drive size using a different pc using Vista's Disk Management tool. Of course, the HD has to be connected somehow to the other pc thru some type of a case and cables. Does that make sense?