Partition merge crashed my hard drive

I used MiniTool Partition Wizard Professional edition to merge two partitions and now my daughter's computer won't start.

I installed a new 750 gb hard drive to replace her 320 gb drive. Everything was fine, but when I cloned her 320 gb hard to the 750 gb drive, it partitioned the drive so that 320 was allocated to the active boot system and the other 400-some were unallocated.

I needed to merge both partitions so that all the space would be usable. This is how the drive was partitioned.

B: System 199 MB --> C: Bootable Active 285 GB --> D: System Recovery 12 GB --> Unallocated 400 GB

MiniTool Partition Wizard will only allow you to merge two partitions that are next to each other, so in order to merge partition C with the unallocated partition I had to delete partition D.

Everything was fine, but then MiniTool said it couldn't finish the merge process because partition C was in use. It told me to restart my computer to finish the merge process.

I restarted the computer and now it won't boot. I download a Windows 7 64 bit recovery ISO and burned it to disk then popped it in the drive and restarted the computer but it still won't boot. I even went into BIOS settings and made sure that the CD/DVD drive is first in line in the boot order. It still won't boot.

Not sure what to do from here. I'm a Mac user, my daughter has the Windows 7 computer, so I'm not exactly very well-versed in that operating system. Upgrading the hard drive on my Mac was very easy, no merging of partitions needed.

How do I get my daughter's computer running and get the partitions merged? Thanks!

storyarc,
Welcome to sevenforums.

It's water under the bridge now, but I would have had the daughter come to this forum and ask how to partition, merge, etc.

With the state things are in now, what do yo say to backing up any on the disk dear to her heart, and starting afresh.

You can make a system repair disc and boot from the system repair disc.

You simply need a system repair disc made on the same "bit" size machine as hers. For example , if her's is 32 bit then you make the system repair disc on a 32 bit win 7 system and if it's 64 bit then you make the system repair disc on a 64 bit machine,

Making a system repair disc (CD sufficient) is ridiculously simple:
CREATE A SYSTEM REPAIR DISC

START | type System Repair | Enter key | Create Disc button


You boot from the system repair disc, and go to a command prompt, then your copy off the stuff to save to an external disc.

GO TO A COMMAND PROMPT USING A SYSTEM REPAIR DISC

1) Insert System Repair Disc into optical reader.
2) Shutdown computer.
3) Boot up computer from the System Repair Disc
If your computer doesn’t boot from the optical drive, then
Immediately after pushing your Power ON button,
start tapping the F2 key to get to the BIOS to change the boot order

On some computers, Immediately after pushing the Power ON button, start tapping the F12 key and choose CD/DVD to change the boot order only for this time.
4) Wait while a mini-version of Windows is loaded and finally the SYSTEM RECOVERY OPTIONS dialog appears.
5) NEXT | SYSTEM RECOVERY OPTIONS dialog
will search your system for installed versions of Windows.
6) select the Use recovery tools that can help fix problems starting Windows radio button |
7) NEXT | Choose Command Prompt

Run desired commands and type EXIT when finished.
Remove the System Repair Disc.
Shutdown computer.
Power on computer.

Now if this idea sounds good, then:
1. I suggest your daughter be the one who poses the questions and receives the answers. (in case your wondering, I have two marvelous and amazing daughters).
2. After the backup is performed, we have tutorials to cover the full gamut of install possibilities. Links to the tutorials applicable to her desires will be given.

Hi karsnooks,

It wouldn't do any good to get my daughter to ask questions on here. She knows nothing technical about computers.

About making the repair disc: Do I have to make the repair disc from a Windows computer in order for it to work? The only other computers we have in the house are my Macbook and my daughter's desktop, which is running XP and is supposed to be used just for online schooling. I would rather not use the desktop if possible.

Can I make the repair disc from my Mac? If not, how do I determine if her school desktop running XP is 64-bit? My daughter's laptop is 64-bit.

Don't ever underestimate your children.

they will very pleasantly surprise you. You must simply give them the opportunity.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

You will find the Tutorials forum to be fantastic.

Oh, I'm certain my daughter could do it if she had the patience to learn, but she doesn't and I don't want her borrowing my laptop.

I will check out that link. Thanks.

Children can be quite creative and resourceful, when given the opportunity. I'm sure she would find a way without pop;s laptop.