Can the 7 odd MB at end of disk be expanded?

I tried expanding the 7.8 MB unallocated space to 10 GB and it didnt work.

After reading the forum, i thought maybe it cannot be done as a matter of principle and i need to make a new partition.. true?

I basically wanna install a 2nd OS on a new 10 GB primary partition.

So far, i have a 140 GB active partition with XP, a 2nd primary partition with a backup of OS (this came inbuilt from HP) and the 7.8 MB unalloc space..

Help please!

 

There should be no reason you can't "expand" the final 7.8MB unallocated space into a 10 GB partition, primary or extended+logical, as long as you only have two other partions in front of it and they are also primary.

However, you do have to follow the proper sequence of operations to do it. First, you have to reduce the size of the 2nd partition (inbuilt from HP) by 9.992 GB in order to have the 9.992+0.008 GB to allocate to the partition at the end. Then you can create your final 10GB partition.

NOTE: The sticking point here may be if the HP partition is hidden (will have to be unhidden first) OR if the HP partition cannot be modified without jeopardizing any special or proprietary format it may have for recovering the operating system -- similar to the special system restore partition that newer Dell systems have.

I recommend you assure yourself that it's OK to rob the space from the HP partition without disrupting any recovery capability it may have if you value it.

Another possibility would be to rob 9.992 GB from the end of first partition and then move the 2nd partition "forward" by 9.992 GB, leaving 10 GB of unallocated space at the end of the drive. BUT, AGAIN you should confirm that you wouldn't lose any valued functionality this HP partition may have.

If the HP partition is just a plain vanilla FAT/NTFS volume like your 1st one, I would expect it's OK to reduce it's size or move it forward -- just don't take my word on it.

 

thanks crofttk =)

my bad for repeating the issue.. i thought maybe i had not been clear enough.

does Acronis always help out on every question put here?

 

Because of the timezone issues, you are much likely to get a response overnight (if you're in the western hemisphere) than during the course of the day.

Usually, you can count on a response from Acronis in a day or two. I have seen exceptions where one slips through here and there but then Acronis periodically makes a "deep drag" to catch any they missed.

Your chances of catching Acronis' eye are enhanced if you "bump" your post to the top (any kind of post tacked onto your thread) around daybreak in Eastern Europe.

Sometimes, if other users are helping sufficiently, Acronis will either just post a quick "I agree" with "user xxxx's" statement or let it slide to get to tougher issues.

Of course, you have every right and I, myself, don't consider it bad form to insist on a response from Acronis regardless of how helpful or unhelpful other users may have been.

 

thanks again man.

since DDS seems to hang my comp (& scare the crap outta me) every time i try to expand the unallocated 7.383 MB, would it be better if i tried using DDS thru a BRM CD or during the OS selector boot-up screen?

cheers

 

Yes, I would always do this anytime things seem the least bit flaky. You may have a better chance of it working then.

I just did something similar with Partition Magic last night on an external USB Drive -- recovered 7.8 MB to add to 400 GB ! wow ! -- so I don't see any good reason DDS couldn't do it. There shouldn't be anything sacred about the 7.8 MB. As long as it's OK to reduce the size of or "slide up" your 2nd primary partition, you should then be left with the larger unallocated space to create your 10 GB partition in.

 

Hello toomuchtalk and crofttk,

Please accept my apologies for the delay with the response once again.

Please take a look at my post in this thread.

I hope that you will follow my instructions and provide us with the information I have requested. This information would let us investigate the problem under consideration thoroughly and provide you with a possible workaround.

I want to thank crofttk, I really appreciate your collaboration on this matter.

Thank you.
--
Kirill Omelchenko

 

It's a pleasure. I'll add that I'm also a happy DDS 10 user.

Toomuchtalk, you are wise to be careful and get scared when these kind of operations don't go as expected. I would by all means continue to follow up with Acronis support.

Good Luck !