Which partition software?

Thanks. Infact I know u can use Rollback to protect a single system partition. I jsut want to ask that in this case does it matter that u partirion via XP CD while installing ur XP OS OR u partition ur HD( with preinstalled XP OS) with some software like partition magic that will play with MBR.( Of course u will do it before installing RollbackRx itself).

 

But that is what I exctly want to do on a preinstalled XP SP2 system and I think this is one of the use for these partitioning softwares.

 

But in that case there is possibility that someone can just use the trial version, not bothering to buy the software!

U mean it does not matter that u partitioned before install of XP via XP CD itself or u partitioned a preinstalled XP OS by partion magic, BING etc?

Thanks for the replies.

 

They can certainly prevent full functionality in a trial version but I expect to have it destroy your partitions at the expiration of the trial version would be criminal in any court -- I suspect none of them are stupid enough to consider that a smart marketing strategy or even a smart way to protect intellectual property.

Assuming you don't misuse the programs, they're designed to do either one.

I can vouch for Partition Magic, BING, and Acronis Disk Director Suite all three as doing this correctly on my own system. In the event that you change the size of your C: drive, you may have a momentary loss of FD-ISR functionality which is corrected upon the second boot or after you re-enable the pre-boot from within the FD-ISR management console.

Since I bought my laptop this spring, I have:
1) created 3 extra partitions on the single hard drive and populated them with the "My Documents" folder and other user data and some backups and archives
2) imaged the special Dell PC Restore partition off to a DVD, and then deleted it and re-expanded the other partitions to use its space,
3) tested Dan Gooddell's procedure for restoring the Dell partition,
4) restored the laptop to "out of the box" condition with the restored Dell PCR partition,
5) deleted everything and restored the system back to the condition it was in right after step 2)

I did most of the partition work with Partition Magic 8.01 (pre-Symantec) and some of it with Acronis Disk Director 10 Build 2117. I've only used BING on my desktop system (in similar fashion).

For most of the backu/restore work I used IFW for backup and IFD for restore. I used ATI 9 Build 3677 for some of it.

Everything's working perfectly and has for the three of four weeks since I completed this work.

Needless to say, this kind of activity is neither for the novice nor for the fainthearted nor, some would say, for the sane. But I have plenty of faith in FD-ISR and IFW/IFD and didn't really sweat during any of this.

I can't tell you anything about the other "etc" programs.

HOWEVER, no matter who says what about which program, by no means should anybody be repartitioning an existing oeprating system without having a backup of some type that has been thoroughly tested for restore functionality on their own system and had the backup validated to the highest degree available with the program.

 

If I understand correctly you are asking whether youcan re-do partitions after FDISR is installed.

WRT BING the answer is YES.
As you know FDISR will only cover the system partition (default 'C")

You can resize (or even move that partition away from the first booot position if you want to setup multiboot options: complicated !!) with BING with FDISR installed. No data will be lost. The data blocks may be moved physically in proportion in the resized partition. When you first reboot FDisr may not initially find the $ISR files. Reboot and then FDISR is set to go again.

In my experience this can be done with FDISR preboot disabled or not. BING works outside the OS.

I Cannot offer opinion on the other utilities you mention.
Rback and BING: better not to go there I think.

HEH beaten to it: see above.

Your partitions or images created with BING/IFW/IFD will not "fall apart" if you only use the trial version. If you image with the Terabyte trials you will be unable to restore the images after 30 days. Simple partitioning and formatting of same will stay in place and be accessible from XP


HTH
Regards.

 

Thanks for the detailed reply.
What about the current version. It is not good? If so how can I get the pre-symantec version. I use XP Fome SP2.

 

I want to re-do partitions after install of XP SP2 ( but before install of FDISR or Rollback).

 

That should be no problem with any of the utilities discussed here.
You can even modify partitions from within XP Home

Control Panel>Admin tools>Computer Mgt>Disc Mgt and go from there.

I am not sure about NON-DESTRUCTIVE partition management in Windows or the other utilities.

I can assure you that for me the BING boot disc has resized and moved partitions with NO LOSS of data. No installation required ( therefore no uninstall and no nags ) whole utility fits on 1 floppy.

As noted above for safety make a good back-up before partition work.

Regards.

 

Thansk, I can try it on a test sytem.
But there I could not find an option for resizing the OS partition( that u can do with other software).

 

@Aigle
Sorry I was not concentrating
You are correct you cannot "shrink" your system partition in XP.
You must specify size at XP install. If it is smaller than HD size you can then manipulate free space.

Better off getting partition utility.
Here is quite a good page for info.
Refers to Acronis utilities and notes some problems with older Partition magic.
http://www.theeldergeek.com/hard_drives_05.htm
Might be a bit out of date?

This is a good list of utilities.
http://www.sharewareconnection.com/titles/resize-partition.htm

Google a bit, "resize partitions in xp" there is lots!

BING

LOL
Regards

With BING you can setup partitions the way you want before before installing OS

 

I don't know. I don't think Symantec has progressed Partition Magic appreciably since taking it over. I think they have made a few minor revisions and believe they still have it at the 8.0x revision level. I only say "pre-Symantec" because I have stated elsewhere that I refuse to do further business with Symantec because of my experiences with their brainless NON-support and I don't want to appear inconsistent.

 

I set up my partitions when I first installed XP. However, I subsequently used Symantec Partition Magic 8.0 to manage them, including making a new partition and changing the space of several of them. Changed drive letters also using Symantec Magic 8.0. When I did those changes, I had Rollback installed, but covering only the C: drive.

 

I used GParted and I was able to partition my HD with GParted and windows XP,s built in Disk Management utility. The process rab OK except a run of chkdsk on first boot after partitioning, I think it might be normal? but not sure.
To my surprise it has decreased my boot time.