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AR15.COM
10/28/2008 2:49:08 AM EDT
I have windows installed on the smallest partition of one of my computers (stupid I know!).

It's a massive hard drive though!

Any way to make the hard drive all one partition without reinstalling windows?

thanks!

(xp, fyi)
10/28/2008 2:50:53 AM EDT
[#1]
If the freespace of the other partitions is contiguous after the partition Windows is installed on, sure. You can use a tool such as gparted to do it. If there's freespace before and after the Windows partition, I'm not sure of a way to do it.
10/28/2008 2:53:03 AM EDT
[#2]
Use PartitionMagic.  You can merge all of the partitions on the same physical drive.
10/28/2008 3:01:56 AM EDT
[#3]
Partition Magic is one program that can move partitions without bombing the OS. It costs money though.
http://www.symantec.com/norton/partitionmagic

(I see in the notes that it only works on partitions "up to 300gb, if they're 90% full",,, or,,, something. ??? I dunno what all that's about, the last time I used P-M was way before the current mega-drives common now)

There seems to be a free trial version....

Also there are other programs as well. P-M was just one that has been around a long time.

––––––  

Why do you want one partition anyway? As a general rule, it isn't necessary.

You can (for example) install programs into folders on a partition other than what the OS is on, you just change the path when installing the programs.

It is even possible to edit the registry, so you can change the pathways to the Windows user accounts folders to folders on the alternate partition.
~
10/28/2008 3:26:21 AM EDT
[#4]
Theres actually an advantage to the way you have it set up.

If you Hork up the OS and have to reinstall Windows, all your porn will still be sitting on the large partition unharmed and unaffected.
10/28/2008 4:57:13 AM EDT
[#5]
umm........ Fuck Obama!!!



10/28/2008 4:58:49 AM EDT
[#6]
I just bricked my desktop last week via trying to repair a MBR... it created a new partition at 10g large, and disappeared the other 490gigs on my HDD... doh!

PartitionMagic is good stuff too
10/28/2008 5:04:14 AM EDT
[#7]
I have windows installed on that partition and its all but full and keeps telling me 'memory low, free disk space low, etc etc'.

10/28/2008 5:04:35 AM EDT
[#8]
i would just format and re-install.. Screwing with your MBR like that can be troublesome. PM will do it but it takes a while and can have unforseen issues. If you try it make sure you back up all your shit first. I would personally just nuke the partition table and reinstall windows. Clean install allways runs the best.
10/28/2008 5:06:31 AM EDT
[#9]
Gparted is free.  I've used it a few times.  I'm not an expert though to provide a how-to or advice.  Just google it and follow the instructions to the letter.
10/28/2008 5:10:54 AM EDT
[#10]
Try Parted Magic 3.0 it is free and works just partition magic
10/28/2008 5:13:23 AM EDT
[#11]
It's a brand new computer, I think I'll just reinstall.

I was expecting a "ust do this...." answer
10/28/2008 5:32:06 AM EDT
[#12]
Nope....the Partition Magic is the easiest way to make your drive one big partition or divide it into multiple smaller partitions.

Re-installing is the slash and burn approach, but it works.
10/28/2008 5:50:45 AM EDT
[#13]
I don't know what all is installed in your windows partition.  But using partitions can help with performance.  Keeping the OS in a fairly small separate partition is usually considered a good thing.  The OS does not change all that much so that partition should not require de-fragmenting as much.  Also the OS partition can be kept on a part of the disk that has slightly faster access time.  

Other good partitions ares a swap partition (used for virtual memory-best as 1st partition on a second drive), a temp partition (used for temp files-can not remember, but think this is also a good second drive partition), a program and a data partition.
10/28/2008 6:04:32 AM EDT
[#14]
Quoted:
I don't know what all is installed in your windows partition.  But using partitions can help with performance.  Keeping the OS in a fairly small separate partition is usually considered a good thing.  The OS does not change all that much so that partition should not require de-fragmenting as much.  Also the OS partition can be kept on a part of the disk that has slightly faster access time.  

Other good partitions ares a swap partition (used for virtual memory-best as 1st partition on a second drive), a temp partition (used for temp files-can not remember, but think this is also a good second drive partition), a program and a data partition.




that 2was my thinking.  but how do I get windows to do EVERYTHING ELSE in the other partition.

the windows one is full.