Have unallocated space on F: Need to convert to one NTFS drive help.

[GARoss]

SOLVED-Have unallocated space on F: Need to convert to one NTFS drive.

I have 3 hard Drives, ( C: ) Win 7 installed, ( E: ) NTFS extra storage & ( F: ) NTFS extra storage & two unallocated spaces.

Currently F: has a total capacity of 280Gb of which 200Gb is formatted NTFS & the remaining is unallocated. Currently no data is on this hard drive. I'd like to reallocate & make F: 100% NTFS.

Is there an simple way to do this?

 

[StalkeR]

Hello GARoss,take a look this Partition Manager. It should helps you to manage your partitions.
Partition Manager

 

[gregrocker]

Use Disk Management: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2670-partition-volume-extend.html

If this isn't sufficient post back a screenshot of your full Disk Mgmt drive map, using Snipping Tool in Start Menu, so we can advise you better.

The partition manager which works best for Win7 for operations which Disk Mgmt can't handle is free Partiton Wizard bootable CD: http://www.partitionwizard.com/download.html. I would not use any other.

 

[wpurcell]

Could you also use any GNU/Linux live distro, and run G-Parted? Just saying!

 

[GARoss]

Thanks everyone.
I've made some progress but have hit a wall. On F: , 1st partition & 3rd partitions are unallocated with NTFS in the middle. I was able to "extend" the 3rd partition because it was on the right (following METHOD TWO of this tutorial, http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2670-partition-volume-extend.html
but this doesn't work for the larger 1st partition. Following METHOD ONE using Disk Management I get a warning that I'm not sure about (See attachment) . Basic disk to dynamic disk. Is dynamic disk a bad thing? I just want to use this as 100% NTFS.

 

[GARoss]

Could you also use any GNU/Linux live distro, and run G-Parted? Just saying!

I have deleted Ubuntu from this computer (this was one of the unallocated spaces on F: ) but still have the Ubuntu install disc. Can this be used in LiveCD mode? GParted isn't installed on the LiveCD or can it be temporarily installed? Is this your meaning?
Thanks

 

[whs]

Dynamic disk is a VERY bad thing. That means you already have 4 primary partitions on the drive. You have to convert one or more of the existing partitions to Logical partitions which is OK for data partitions ( use this program: BEST FREE Partition Manager Software for Windows supports all 32-bit & 64 bit Windows No-server OS. ) Then you can define more extended/logical partitions on the drive.

 

[pbcopter]

I wouldn't convert to a dynamic disk.
Please post a screen shot of your disk management screen.

 

[gregrocker]

Waiting for the screenshot to help you further.

You'll want to use free Partition Wizard bootable CD which has now been linked twice in the thread. Use Win7 tools with Win7, not Linux which you just got rid of.

You need to do a partition-specific wipe of the old Ubuntu partition by rightclicking it from PW CD, since GRUB can corrupt Win7 until it is wiped from the HD.

 

[GARoss]

Dynamic disk is a VERY bad thing. That means you already have 4 primary partitions on the drive. You have to convert one or more of the existing partitions to Logical partitions which is OK for data partitions ( use this program: BEST FREE Partition Manager Software for Windows supports all 32-bit & 64 bit Windows No-server OS. ) Then you can define more extended/logical partitions on the drive.

Thanks! That did it. And, yes, I've used this HD several times for dual boot which apparently caused the issue.

Thanks to all who offered suggestions.

 

[whs]

You are welcome.

 

[GARoss]

Waiting for the screenshot to help you further.

You'll want to use free Partition Wizard bootable CD which has now been linked twice in the thread. Use Win7 tools with Win7, not Linux which you just got rid of.

You need to do a partition-specific wipe of the old Ubuntu partition by rightclicking it from PW CD, since GRUB can corrupt Win7 until it is wiped from the HD.

gregrocker,

Sorry, it wasn't my intention to offend you. I did try the tutorial you suggested & that did help. I wasn't ignoring your other suggestion but held out for, in my mind, a simpler solution as I'm not sharp with computers. Bootable CD made me a little nervous, thinking one wrong click & I'd mess-up my whole system. Whs suggested MiniTool Partition Wizard which worked from the desktop & fixed things.

 

[gregrocker]

Not offended at all.

We need to see the Disk Management screenshot because often there are unknowns revealed with unintended consequences if not taken into account.

The PW bootable CD is the same program but more stable and offers rescue capability if needed in the middle of critical partitioning operations.

If you had GRUB you also need to wipe your former Linux partition of all code which is done from the CD version.

It's also an important Win7 tool to have around, after the Repair CD.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html

 

[GARoss]

OK. I'll make one & see what's what & report back later.

As I have used MiniTool Partition Wizard to reclaim the unallocated space, the hard drive shows a bar graph that is a solid 280Gb NTFS. I think you wanted the screen grap before using the mini tool.

But, prior to 1st using DiskPart the graph showed 3 sections with the 1st being 69Gb of unallocated space, the 2nd as 198Gb of NTFS & 3rd as 11Gb of unallocated space. Using DiskPart reclaimed the 3rd partition but couldn't do anything with the 69Gb, 1st partition. This was a METHOD TWO contition according to the tutorial but still wouldn't work, probably because of the linux partitions (?). Just a guess. Disk Management said a Dynamic Disk would be created using that funtion & that appearently isn't good.

MiniTool Partition Wizard seems to have fixed at least part of the issue but I will make the CD as you suggested to see what else is going on.

Thanks again.

 

[DeaconFrost]

If there's no data on the drive, I'm not sure what the confusion was about. You could have just gone into Disk Management, deleted the existing partition, and then recreated a partition the entire size of the drive. By not having any data on the drive, you made the process extremely simple.

 

[gregrocker]

If the HD had GRUB on it then either that partiton or the entire HD needs to be wiped of all code, as GRUB can corrupt even if deleted or formatted.

The screenshot is needed to see if there are any Active or System flags incorrectly set on the non-OS HD as frequently happens. If so, making changes may make Win7 unbootable.

 

[pallesenw]

Grub will hardly corrupt anything. If the grub-code in mbr is left intact, you just lose the ability to boot into your linux.

 

[GARoss]

This is a large HDD & Ubuntu didn't need a lot of space. But, I tried several versions of Linux which probably caused multi partitions & put NTFS sandwiched between them. Long after installing Ubuntu on F: , Windows 7 was a clean installed over XP Home on C: (74Gb). With F: now reading a full 280Gb @ NTFS could there still be issues? Everything boots perfectly into Windows 7 with no signs of GRUB @ startup.

gregrocker - what screenshots are you're asking for? Disk Management, DiskPart or with the Partition Wizard bootable CD? Currently Disk Management & DiskPart are indicating the HDD as 100% NTFS. -Thanks-

 

[theog]

Grub will hardly corrupt anything. If the grub-code in mbr is left intact, you just lose the ability to boot into your linux.

All Linux code must be deleted.

Type in command line
DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (win HD)
CLEAN ALL
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
SELECT PARTITION 1
ACTIVE
FORMAT fs=NTFS
ASSIGN
EXIT
EXIT


How to Remove Linux and Install Windows XP

 

[pallesenw]

You don't need to wipe a harddrive after you have had a Linux on it. You just need to overwrite the parts you want to use for your new Windows-installation.

Linux is not some ghost that will reactivate itself and come to life from some unreferenced sectors.