GParted Partition Resizing

Situation: A person wants to take a typical store purchased PC with (Windows VISTA) and resize the C: partition making room for a new ntfs E: partition. The purpose of this move is to keep primarily the OS and program files on the C: partition thus making it easy to make backup images of the C: partition to DVD(s). The large files (movies, music, etc.) will be kept on the E: partition and will be backed up to an external hard drive.

I realize that this operation is relatively easy to perform with GParted. I am wondering about user's experiences with GParted's "reliability" in performing these actions. I realize that there are always risks when working with hard drive partitions but I just want to know how significant are the risks.

Also, which distro would you prefer for running Gparted (Parted Magic, Puppy Linux, etc.)? Does Gparted properly make and format nfts partitions?

I have reviewed this really good Tutorial:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=240356

Thanks in Advance.

 

Gparted would do the job with no problems. But why bother? Vista has a "shrink" function you can use that doesn't require booting a CD. Whn not just use that?

 

I just found this article which indicates that Windows VISTA Shrink Volume feature has some inadequacy problems.

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...ows-vistas-shrink-volume-inadequacy-problems/

It looks like even using GParted results in some problems:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/using-gparted-to-resize-your-windows-vista-partition/

 

The problem isn't the Shrink feature. The problem is that there is an immovable system file at the end of the volume. No partition manager will resize that volume until you get rid of that file or move it. The link you provided tells you how to do that.

Once that is done, it will still be easier to use shrink than gparted.

 

'lo The Kid:
Saw this thread and initially thought: ?? what is the problem

Then started reading.
I dont have Vista here, but, looking around: seems there is heaps of issues with shrinking native Vista installs. !! Issues with Vista boot manager, Hibernation files, SysRestore files, lost disc space and fixed MFT files needing defragging to get actual disc space in use back to manageable size etc etc

Ya.

I know you specified freeware and there are obvious candidates that will do the job, buit, the partition shrinkers that worked great in Linux and XP seems to require some tweaking in Vista.

Couple of points: why go with Vista: get the upgrade to W7 if you are about to get or have just got new HW ??
Vista will be the fastest outmoded OS in history I suspect. ( even if W7 is Vista cleaned up)

FWIW, BootIT has always given me trouble free operations on XP and I know there are lots of Videos and tutorials at Terabyte re Vista.

Get a free trial of the fully functional BootIT, ask at the Terabyte newsgroups...then pay for BootIT if you like it ( maybe get a discount if if you are a user of other terabyte tools.)

PM BrianK who I think has used Vista and BootIT.

Ask at the Paragon subforum: Paragon has some nice tools.

Let us know how you go?
Regards

 

The way I read his post, he isn't looking for a dual boot partition. He just wants to break his drive into two partitions to have separate partitions for OS and data.

 

Thanks.

My situation is that I have three Windows XP Pro PC's and one Windows 7 RC 32 bit PC. I have no experience with Windows VISTA. I do routine imaging of my System Partitions with Image for Windows(IFW)/Image for DOS(IFD). I also own a license to Terabyte's BING but have almost no experience with BING.

I know a person who has PC's with Windows VISTA 32 bit and 64 bit. I recommended to him IFW since it makes easy to use bootable Restore DVD's. He recommended IFW to his sister (Also a Windows VISTA PC) and she quickly purchased it for use. She was shocked that she had to burn so many DVD's at once. I never heard the final count but it was more than 20. She has her PC loaded with home videos, pictures and music, all on the C: partition. He has already purchased IFW for himself but he is trying to figure out the best way to safely shrink the C: partition and create a new partition and move all non-OS/Programs to the new partition. After that he will tell his sister how to make the same type of changes to her PC. He has purchased and received the Windows 7 Upgrades but it will be probably many weeks before he installs it.

 

@lewmur

Ya, BING is far more than (the best) bootmanager: also partition manager par excellence.
On my XP systems I have booted from BING, moved, shrunk, enlarged, deleted and recovered partitions many times and never had a problem.

@The Kid: sounds tailor made for BING
>> Subject to any other Vista or W7 issues.
Read the manual.
Go to the vids and kb for BING, bet you'll find what you're looking for.
Dont have to install BING, just boot from floppy or CD.
Seriously, watch the vids you will be amazed what that little tool can do: even just burn and boot to have a "look" and get the "feel" it will become a great friend. Note that BING will not work with IFWv2.x image formats as yet.
If you come to be familiar with IFW: BING is just the next step.
I actually found BING first and used it exclusively for imaging et al.
You'll laugh at the GUI first time: Terabyte utilitarianism at its' finest. ( and me fanboiing away here )

Some users might have expressed dissatisfaction at Terabytes Imaging tools , rarely see many complaints of BING as a Boot manager or Partition manager.

LOL, I remeber being dismayed after my first image back-ups: "where the hell am I going to put these"
You obviously know what you're doing: teach the sis to develop a back-up strategy; doesn't have to be complex: and use external drives and back-ups.
Imaging a "C:" drive loaded with vids and images is always likely to be a chore: they often dont compress at all.
Keeping all her digital archives on the system drive is fraught with issues.
The one guarantee is HD failure at some point.
Get the system drive a bit smaller before imaging at least.
I recall several occasions where I would shrink the system partition before imaging.
Terabyte also has a free utility for copying a whole drive: 'Copy Wipe', I dont know if it works with Vista or W7.

First rule changing with booting or partitions : Image First.
At least save all her treasures on an external drive.
Even clone the drive to external drive with any of the freebies.

Lewmur's observations re the placing of the Vista system files ( and other files) seems to be a stumbling block for image sizes and partition shrinking, but can be overcome. Having said that, there appear to be many complexities associated with manipulating Vista partitions. Much more complex than XP.
How to Minimize the Size of Image Backups: http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=233

Go and ask at the newsgroup.

LOL: tell her to drop in here: pretend to be helpless fem: bet all the boys would love to give advice...
Turn her into a geek girl.