You the Partition Wizard Boot cd to do anything with partitions. PW B CD does not require a reboot, you just boot into the cd, do what you want, remove the cd then boot into windows.
If you are using PW from inside windows, that`s totally unsafe and not recommended.
Well, those unallocated spaces both at the beginning & end of DISK 0 reappeared. I will try the suggestions of DSPerber & report back.
This is what I did. I rebooted off of a rescue CD. I used the CMD shell to WIPE ALL for the DISK 0. Then I did an IMAGE recovery via WIN7 BACKUP & RESTORE utility. After restoration I checked with PARTITION WIZARD & the 2 unallocated spaces were present. My backup image predates this issue of the unallocated spaces so I doubt that is the culprit. Besides, my understanding even if the disk was heavily fragmented when creating the image is that the process of compressing & cataloging the files the fragmentation is IGNORED. Upon restoration the fragmentation is no longer present. Hence, DEFRAGGIKNG prior to creating the system image is completely unnecessary.
Is my understanding INCORRECT? Could these minute unallocated spaces be the result of fragmentation?
BTW: I did use the PARTITION WIZARD to check alignment & the resulting message:
"This disk does not need to change partitions alignment. All partitions are already aligned."
So I do not know how I eliminated the spaces last night unless I stood on my toes with 1 foot, wrapped my arm around my head, & then touched my nose with my pinky & repeated incessantly, "There is not place like TAHOE."
As an aside, I did a DEFRAG analysis if the restored image & the result was 0%. So that is not an issue.
Last edited by 119baystate; 19 Mar 2015 at 02:27. Reason: additional info
I am in the process of trying this. If successful at eliminating the unallocated spaces I will then retore the old system image & again check for the unallocated spaces. If successful there I will then proceed to repartition the disk & check again. If successful I will then do a CLEAN INSTALL on the 2nd partition.
Somewhere in that process I hope to identify when those unallocated spaces are created. Hopefully, that can clue us in to diagnose the issue & hopefully correct it?
Thanks dsperder, you gave me just enough info for me to chew on to allow me to formulate the bove procedure.
I will report back:
STEP 1) completed & the unallocated spaces persist.
So I will now wipe the drive & do a disk check from either CMD mode or can PARTITION WIZARD do that?
I have initiated another thread in INSTALLATION & SETUP for other eyes to view & also reduce the clutter of this thread. That link:
Unallocated spaces at the beginning & end of the BOOT disk
I will post progess to that link.
I isolated the procedure that causes the unallocated spaces. I posted that to the link above. IGNORE the useless clutter that 1 of your brethern "GREG ROCKER" caused. He apparently is resting on the laurels of his posted credentials & not offering much in the way of technical input.
The question now that I isolated the procedure is WHY & if it is OK? Respond either there or here. I hope someone has useful input.
It is generally known to just leave these spaces (at the beginning and end of a disk) alone. They are used by the Windows operating system when necessary.
Source:
https://kb.acronis.com/content/1884
Thanks for the little blurb from ACRONIS. This is pretty much what dsperder posted to this thread some time back with much greater detail. He took a look at my screenshot & stated my situation seems a bit different. So I am reticent to let the "WINDOWS god" have any free space unless I know the purpose. What prevents him or it from annexing more space in the future? I believe I have seen in the MICROSOFT literature (I would have to take the time to find it) that the partition on which the OS resides should have approximately a 10% vacancy just for the purpose of the OS having to create or copy temp files while performing necessary operations such as DEFRAGGING, BACKUPS, or even CRASH logs. Now it wants more space & it won't bother even allocating it for any specific reason. What is the purpose of the 10% overhead + include the notorious "SHADOW PARTITION".
This is unnerving. If I have to live with it I guess I have no choice, but if there is a choice I would prefer to eliminate those spaces.
You can do what you want. This is not an issue that will "break" Windows. As long as you never plan to create Extended Partitions or Dynamic Disks you will not miss them.
Quote