Resize partition with unallocated space in the front

[cheerful]

Any way to:

1. Shrink partition and leave space in the front?

2. Extend partition using unallocated space in the front?

thanks!

 

[Night Hawk]

Hello cheerful Most partitioning programs(3rd party) will see the option for moving partitions. Once you have a particular partition reduced in size you simply move it toward the rear of the drive leaving an empty space in front of it.

Several screenshots of how to resize partitions with the free Linx drive tool GParted can be looked over at GPARTED DOCUMENTATION - GENERALITIES

Other programs will have their own guides for use as well. One thing to note about moving partitions however is the amount of time it may take depending on size and how much is on a partition. If you have a good number of files and data the length of time involved in moving it can take some time.

 

[Faladu]

Yes, definitely!

I actually need something for Win7 64bit for this purpose too, and I found one, this one:
They have a 32-bit Home version that is free to use, the pro is needed for 64-bit, but it's $20 at 50% off when I found it.

Sending you to this favorably reviewed and reasonably priced product:
EASEUS Partition Master Professional Review - EASEUS Partition Master Professional Download - Softpedia

The demo looks like doing partitions in batches and resize/move is disabled, but it and review should do well to inform, any partition manager worth using should look at least this good on paper.

I will reiterate and then some what Night Hawk said: BIG moves/resizes can take a long time and my bonus:
DON'T DO IT AT ALL if strong weather might knock out your power at that time without a Uninterruptible Power Supply to give you the chance to abort it. (and you need to be there )

 

[madtownidiot]

gparted is free and will do whatever you need to do. You can burn it to cd or create a bootable flash drive using uNetBootin (faster). Just a word of advice.. defrag your hdd 1st to compact everything as much as possible and if you are planning to move partitions, shrink them as much as possible 1st, then move the partition before expanding it. Smaller partitions can be moved more quickly. Make a backup image of your system partition in case something does go wrong.. (like a power loss in the middle of resizing a partition) ..to an external hdd if possible. Don't add or remove any partitions in front of the system partition either or you will have to repair windows or even reinstall it because the drive letters will change.

 

[gregrocker]

Easeus is not recommended for Win7. For partition management use free Partition Wizard bootable CD, which has never failed in hundreds of resizing/moving/copying operations we have helped with here.

Rightlick on the partition, choose Resize, then slide left grey border over to take up the unallocated (deleted) space. OK, Apply step.

Always backup your files before any disk operations.

 

[Phone Man]

Easeus is not recommended for Win7. For partition management use free Partition Wizard bootable CD, which has never failed in hundreds of resizing/moving/copying operations we have helped with here.

Rightlick on the partition, choose Resize, then slide left grey border over to take up the unallocated (deleted) space. OK, Apply step.

Always backup your files before any disk operations.

I agree Partition Wizard is great. Here is a example of how to Move/Resize your partition.

Resize Partition for Windows Server 2000/2003/2008 – Move/Resize Partition safely

Jim

 

[Night Hawk]

Paragon is another one seeing a free version for 32bit Windows at Paragon Partition Manager Free Edition - Download

They get you on the 64bit however while this one gets a good rep. GParted is used most often here on both live cds and usb flash drives.

The advice by gregrocker on backing up your important even unreplacable data and files before proceeding is certainly one thing to adhere to. At any time with any partitioning program during any type of change of drive layout such as resizing or moving partitions "something can go wrong" is the additive phrase!

People often ask why I would want multiple large capacity drives until they see how one drive is used to backup another and another!

 

[SIW2]

Easeus works fine on Win 7.

Paragon is the best - sadly the free versions are a bit limited, and the new freebie only works on 32 bit.

Am I imagining it, or did the Paragon PM2010 free have a 64 bit version?

Of the free ones - Partition Wizard does the most.

 

[Night Hawk]

Paragon has a 64bit personal edition you pay $24.95 for however seen at Paragon Partition Manager Personal - Overview

That comes in both flavors with it's limitations on the trial versions. The shareware version of UltraISO is another good one for writing iso images like GParted onto flash drives for the free cross platform drive tool there. ISO CD DVD image creator, editor and ISZ DMG DAA UIF to ISO converter - UltraISO can extract/create/edit/convert CD and DVD image files directly, make bootable CDs and convert ISZ DMG DAA UIF to ISO.

 

[SIW2]

It's great Easeus now do 64 bit compatible free version.

No boot disc , tho.

 

[SIW2]

http://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html

d/l the bootable iso separately from:

Partition Wizard Bootable CD allows user to boot computer directly ...

Both are free.

 

[mjf]

I have used both CD boot and resident partition wizard mini tool (look the same). In attempting a large copy/move operation the resident version (with no other app running) failed. The boot CD version performing exactly the same task worked without a hitch.

This is the error using the resident version. Note that the Elements B2 component on the bottom right was part of unallocated. So the total unallocated was large enough for the task. I also have 4GB ram.
Conclusion: Maybe the OS loaded can affect some of the larger operations. The boot CD may be preferable.

 

[gregrocker]

This is because it has to remember the full size of the partition to do the copy/move. Not a prob using boot CD.

This is why we always recommend free Partition Wizard CD.

 

[mjf]

This is because it has to remember the full size of the partition to do the copy/move. Not a prob using boot CD.

This is why we always recommend free Partition Wizard CD.

Not sure I know what you mean, can you elaborate?

 

[gregrocker]

If you choose Move using PW in Windows it has to commit the entire partition to memory to move it, frequently resulting in that error since there is not enough memory to spare.

At least this is what I remember from when I googled the error the first time I got it, which was about the last time I used PW from Windows.

There are multiple other reasons to use PW CD instead of the installed version.

 

[mjf]

If you choose Move using PW in Windows it has to commit the entire partition to memory to move it, frequently resulting in that error since there is not enough memory to spare.

At least this is what I remember from when I googled the error the first time I got it, which was about the last time I used PW from Windows.

There are multiple other reasons to use PW CD instead of the installed version.

If this was the case it could only move small partitions. I expect it to use RAM as buffering and fill the unallocated which is what it did using the boot CD version.
In principle, working on an external HDD, the move/copy should work using both the resident and boot CD.

For some jobs the resident version would be more convenient. This is the second problem I've had with the resident version so:
Use the Partition Wizard Bootable CD.