Expanding a partition - not sure where to post this

[IcarusII]

Hi guys,

I am about to install another 1Tb HDD into my new build. Currently my system is set up as below (its a W7 64 bit HP setup)



My current 1 Tb drive is split into 2 partitions, E:/ for Data and F:/ for Image backups. When I add in the new 1Tb drive I intend to give half the space to Image backup as I will be imaging other bits and bobs too.

This means that the images on my current F:/ partition will be copied over onto a new 0.5 Tb partition on my new drive. I will then want to expand the current E:/ partition to fill the disk. If that makes sense?

Do you recommend i do this in windows disk manager (if it can even be done in windows disk manager) or should i be using some other recommended tool.

Thanks guys

 

[gregrocker]

I would not move WIndowsImageBackup files as it can corrupt them. They must at least be run from their original drive-root location. This is another reason many here choose a more flexible imaging app.

I don't see why Disk Management cannot initialize and partition your new HD.

 

[IcarusII]

Oh Greg - Im sorry - i forgot to mention that the images are not windows images - they are made using Macrium Reflect (Free) v5

Does the same apply? My entire backup strategy using Macrium is that the images are on the other HDD (and actually also backed up to my NAS box).

just checking?

thanks
Matt

 

[gregrocker]

I do not think so, but let Macrium users answer.

I think this is one of the reasons they choose Macrium.

 

[whs]

This means that the images on my current F:/ partition will be copied over onto a new 0.5 Tb partition on my new drive. I will then want to expand the current E:/ partition to fill the disk. If that makes sense?

Hi Matt. Greg asked me to have a look at your situation. Regarding your above question:

1. There is no problem copying the existing Macrium images from one partition/disk to another. During the recovery you just have to point to the new location. For future images you have to define a new definition though (xml file) with the new partition as target because the old location is no more valid.

2. And then you can delete your current F: partition to get the unallocated space and expand E:. Best is to do that with Disk Management.

 

[kado897]

I can confirm what WHS said. I went through a similar exercise last year with no problems. The Macrium images can be anywhere. You can even save yourself the effort of changing any backup definitions if you keep the same folder structure and drive letter.

 

[Golden]

My entire backup strategy using Macrium is that the images are on the other HDD (and actually also backed up to my NAS box).

Hi Matt,

There is nothing wrong with that strategy - I used that myself in the past (different partition and Thecus NAS).

Regards,
Golden

 

[whs]

We have 2 laptops that the wife takes places. On those I always make a couple of images on a different partition of the same SSD. Now if the SSD goes, that's bad luck. That she could not fix on the road anyhow. But if the system goes on the blink it is easy to restore the system in no time. And taking the recovery CD on the road is no big deal. Taking an external disk is another story.

I have now bought a 32GB USB stick. In the future I will use that. I may even put the Macrium recovery program on the same stick.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

My current 1 Tb drive is split into 2 partitions, E:/ for Data and F:/ for Image backups. When I add in the new 1Tb drive I intend to give half the space to Image backup as I will be imaging other bits and bobs too.

Is there a particular reason why you are storing images on a separate partition---as opposed to a separate folder on an existing partition?

 

[IcarusII]

Guys - thank you very much for all the really helpfull comments and reassurances. Thanks Greg for asking for WHS's advice on Macrium - appreciate it.

WHS - thanks for the guest appearance and advice - ive watched all your macrium tutorials so you are a bit 'famous' to me as you have videos on the net! hehe

Ignatz: um - no particular reason really. I guess im just anal and like to have a seperate partition so I could....um....i dont know....you caught me.

Is there any point or reason to me having this partition anyone? Or should i just collapse it into my data partition and use a folder as suggested?

Thanks

Matt

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Is there any point or reason to me having this partition anyone? Or should i just collapse it into my data partition and use a folder as suggested?

I used to do it your way myself, but don't any longer.

It appealed to my over-developed sense of organization.

But---you can appeal to that with a folder structure just as easily.

More than one partition can lead to running out of space due to guessing wrong about what size they should be, but I'll certainly grant you that is much less of an issue in this time of huge drives.

Really, it's mostly personal preference and habit, like a lot of things with PCs.

In my case, my desire for simplicity and most efficient use of space overrode any other reasons.

If you have only one data partition, you only have to back up one data partition. I backup my images just like they were jpgs, videos, or anything else.

 

[whs]

I would also go with folders in a bigger partition. It gives you are more flexible use of space.