Partition Hard-Drive without format?

karlsnooks said:

Would you do me a big favor and post a snip showing the complete Disk Management output in one snip? I'm not good at scrolling back and forth and trying to put the pieces together in my mind.
Thanks,

Here

karlsnooks said:

Presently your disk 0 already contains 4 primary parititions which is the maximum.

To create another partition in the space occupied by your C will require removing either the Recovery or the Tools Paritition or both.

After making/purchasing the recovery discs, then you would be able to safely delete the recovery partition. You will want to also make a Win 7 System Repair Disc.

I don't know what HP puts in a Tools partition,however, my guess is that partition can also be eleiminated. On this parition you will be better advised by someone with directl experience in the matter of the tools partition.

What I would do if this were my system is to make a system image backup of the C, then I'd eliminate the Recovery and the tools partition followed by using Partition Wizard to shrink the C and create 1 or 2 more parititions as desired.

Actually, I wouldn't use Parition Wizard at all, but that requires more knowledge and steps and for the inexperienced much more risky. Thus, I recommend using Partition Wizard.

Incidentally, I had an HP with all of those glorious partitions. I simply used Diskpart commands to put the disk back to its virgin state with nothing on it and then installed Windows. You don't need all of that HP bloatware. I did have a licensed OS to install and did not use any HP recovery discs.

But in My Computer, all I can see is Drive C: and Recovery D:

By partitioning I meant, creating more drives, like Drive E: and Drive I: while keeping the Drive C: for windows only.

karlsnooks said:

You are restricted to either 4 primary partitions or
3 primary + 1 extended partition.
Inside the extended partition you can create many logical drives.

I just want to create say 3 or 4 more drives or volumes other than C:
What would you suggest for that? I think, logical volumes instead of primary are OK too. I think, primary is used for installing OS.
That HP tools drive, it contains some folders BIOS and BIOS update, found out using Partition Wizard Home.

Can I resize C: and then create 3 or 4 logical volumes (actually just Drives are what I need) from the remaining space? If possible, please guide.

karlsnooks said:

You are restricted to either 4 primary partitions or
3 primary + 1 extended partition.
Inside the extended partition you can create many logical drives.

Alright, if thats the only possible way.
Can I change HP Tools partition from Primary to extended and then create logical drives?
Or perhaps, I can merge the Tools partition with C: and create Extended and then local drives?

If no, what would you suggest me doing?

karlsnooks said:

What I would do if this were my system is to make a system image backup of the C, then I'd eliminate the Recovery and the tools partition followed by using Partition Wizard to shrink the C and create 1 or 2 more parititions as desired.

OK, I am on the path you are suggesting.
Just for info, how is this image backup of C different from the Recovery Disc?
Since, I have got the Recovery Disc set, can't I simply eliminate the Recovery partition now?