Failed to Boot after Merging partitions

[MSS]

Hello. I'm hoping someone can help clarify how I resolve the following problem which concerns incorrect identification of my OS partition.

After merging the C: partition - Vista Ultimate (i.e. 64 bit) - with the immediately following F: partition - empty primary drive) my PC failed to boot folloing the re-start instruction in Partition Manager 10.

It's a Dell laptop, with a diagnostics partition in the first slot (no drive letter seemingly assigned, though it's probably E: since the lowest available drive letter for the 4th partition was F: ) and a Recovery image in the 2nd partition as drive D: . F: was created earlier using the same Partition Manager 10 tool.

I booted via the recovery disk and ran Boot Corrector. Running the "Search Windows Installations to Correct" option shows a first screen entitled "Correct Windws Installations" with a table showing two bootable Windows partitons: the Recovery drive as Partition 1 and the OS drive as partition 2. OK so far, but clicking on the properties button for partition 2 shows the drive letter for the OS as E: instead of the original C: . That appears to be the problem, but the source of this "properties" information is not clear. The help file doesn't clarify this point either.

Leaving partition 2 highlighted and clicking through to the next screen shows the drive letter for partition 2 as C: - i.e. correct. Since this is displaying info. from the registry there seems little point in using the Edit Letters button to change it. Nor does there seem much point in returning to the previous screen and selecting the "Correct the partition boot record" option - but I tried it. I received a message saying that theboot record had been corrected, but it hasn't fixed the problem, and the above "properties" button in the first screen still shows the drive as E: . (BTW, the second screen shows the first partition - Partition 0 - as V: ; and shows Partition 2 (the OS partition) as not Active - whatever that means.)

So my question is: "Where is the designation of E: coming from, and how do I change it so that the machine will boot?"

[Paragon_Tommy]

Hello MSS,

Lots of information here to decipher. If you can call us here at our office, we'll be happy to assist you. 1 888 347 5462

[MSS]

Thanks Tommy, but that could be an expensive call for me from Europe. Is there another way? I have e-mailed support@paragon but no reply so far.

There has been some progress. I finally started the PC using repair function on Vista DVD, but the Bios lists both Vista and Linux are installed on Primary 2 and asks me to choose each time I boot. The properties button of the Paragon Boot Repair disk still reports Partition 2 as drive E:, with a sub-title of /dev/sda3 which I think is a Linux designation. However, Linux is not installed on the PC (unless Dell used Linux for the Diagnostics partition).

Regards.

[SIW2]

Hi MSS,

It is normal for the Paragon boot disc to show both Windows and Linux descriptions there.

It can be used on Linux partitions as well, so they always describe it both ways on the Properties Advanced Tab.

Usually, you don't see the drive letters on that first screen - you will get them on the second screen.

What you are seeing is the Paragon Recovery Environment /Boot Menu.

Usually that would uninstall itsef - it seems on this occasion, the operation did not complete so it is still there.

You can remove that by going to Paragon Full Scale Launcher Main screen - rt click on the Hard Disk (not on a partition ) and select Update MBR.

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Hope it helps.

[MSS]

Thank you SIW2. That has fixed my booting problems.

I would still like to increase the space available on C: by using the space on unused F: . Is there a better (i.e. safer) way then using the Merge feature, or was I just unlucky? I was running the machine in safe mode - perhaps that wasn't a good idea.

[SIW2]

Hi MSS,

If your C partition is on the LEFT in Disk management, and F is immediately to the right of it:

Delete F and you will have Unallocated space.

You can easily extend C to the right to incorporate as much of that Unallocated space as you like.

For a simple operation like that, you could use PM10 or Vista's own Disk Management.

Hope it helps.

[MSS]

Hi SIW2,

The C: partition is the 3rd partition, and F: is the fourth, so the arrangement is as you describe. But Vista's disk management tool will not extend partitions that contain the OS. That's why the Merge function of PM 10 seemed attractive.

Are you saying that PM 10 definitely can extend a partition that contains the OS? If so, can it do this in Normal boot mode or is some other boot mode (like Safe Mode) needed?

Regards

[SIW2]

Hi,

You can do it easily with Disk Management.

I just did this:

You need to delete F first - so you have Unallocated on the RIGHT of the partition you wish to extend. ( Just rt click F and Delete).

You can see I am booted into D as it says boot on it.

Rt click the partition you want to extend and select Extend.

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Another window pops up - just click Next.

This next window is set to include the entire amount of Unallocated space by default ( you could reduce the amount in the box to extend less , if desired.)

Because you want to include All the Unallocated space, just click Next.

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Another window appears asking you to confirm - click Finish.

A couple of seconds later - all done.

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[MSS]

Thank you, again, SIW2. It worked just as you described.

When I tried this earlier (before I tried the Merge feature) the Extend option was greyed out. I don't understand why it's different this time, but I'm very happy that it worked.

[SIW2]

You're welcome.

I think that may be because Disk Management doesn't allow you to extend into an adjacent partition.

It only allows you to extend into Unallocated space - and then only if it is adjacent and on the right

Glad it all worked out for you.;D