Harddisk Partitioning Advice

I've got a 80GB harddisk to "rescue ". Currently, the OS and data sits on the entire HDD space - no partitions has been created.

I wonder if it is possible to create a partition (of maybe 20GB) out of the entire harddisk space to temporary store backup in it since I'm going to format the HDD (excluding the temporary backup partition).

Does anyone have any idea if Partition Magic or any other software can perform the job? Will the data be at risk (EG: cause the OS to crash after creating the partition etc)?

Pls advice.

 

It really depends what you are rescuing the disk from. If the current partitions are intact, then PM can easily create smaller partitions. So long as the partition you make that contains the data is large enough to hold it, you can then manipulate the rest of the drive as you want and move the data out of the temp partition later.

All you need do is the resize the present partition to the smaller size. But data is "at risk" whenever you perform a task that involves partitions. PM should have no problems doing this if the drive has no problems, and be sure to create the rescue floppy set that PM recommends.

 

Assuming you have the needed free space on the drive, Partition Magic is capable of doing what you suggest. Of course the existing File Table information must be intact. As always, there is a risk involved when manipulating data to create new partitions. The greatest risk may be of a power failure during the operation which may leave your data stranded without a completed File Table to map it.

That said, I have never lost any data using Partition Magic. I consider it excellent software. Your data, your choice.

Personally I would slave the drive to a drive with a healthy OS and do the data rescue that way.

Good luck either way.

 

localhost Partition Magic is designed to do exactly what you want. There is always a possibility things could go wrong. Back your data to another drive or CD before you make partitions.

Why move the data TEMPORARILY? Make the partition as large as possible and move your data permanently! You may have to create the partition and do a couple of resizings to get all the data off C.

I am running Windows XP. My C is only 8.5 GB. I have no data on C. Partition D has all my data, including MY DOCUMENTS, FAVORITES, and ADDRESS BOOK. I use Drive Image to back up C. I regularly restore C. All my data remains intact.

 

Hi guys, thanks for the advice.

Will check out partition magic 8 and get it to partition the HDD.

Thanks