Help - Doc wants to resize HD partitions

[DocBrown]

I have not done this in several years. I need to resize the partitions on a friends laptop. I don't want to mess it up. Ok, so C: has a lot of extra free space. E: is basicly full and that is where Win7 wants to put it's restore points when doing win7 Updates. I want to shrink C: then expand the unallocated space to E: I will use Partition Wizard, but I want to confirm the steps, so it works on the first attempt. Here are the Snips

 

[derekimo]

E shouldn't be getting used for anything Doc, why are the restore points going there?

 

[DocBrown]

I guess somebody set it up that way. Should I just change it to somewhere on the C: drive.

 

[derekimo]

I would. What else is on E to fill it up?

That's a Fat32 partition.

Maybe just turning it off for that partition will clear it up.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/81499-system-restore-configuration-enable-disable.html

And make sure it is enabled for C.

 

[DocBrown]

It does not give an option of C: only E: & F: ?????

 

[derekimo]

You can't just turn it off on E and enable C

 

[DocBrown]

Does not show like you snip above.


I need to hit the bed now, I have to be up at 5:45am tomorrow

 

[derekimo]

That's not for restore points anyway, that's windows backup.

This will get you to the window I posted above,

 

[AddRAM]

The window will look like this. Mine are all off because I don`t use system restore. Click configure to make the changes.

 

[DavidE]

Looking at OP Post #1
Why does screen print 1 show "Local Disk (Q)" and screen print 2 show "SYSTEM" with no drive letter ?
Is that normal/usual, or does that indicate some issue?

I have multi-boot PCs and I don't see it this way...
If I don't have a drive letter assigned to a partition, that partition isn't displayed in "Explorer/Computer".

 

[Windows Sniper]

Hey Doc,

Since you haven't had the answer yet.


Goto Control panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management

Right Click on the drive you want to shrink, then specify by how much.

Right click on the drive you wish to expand, and again by how much.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/azp0mowj7ffuenj/Screenshot 2014-01-08 12.13.44.png

 

[Windows Sniper]

Looking at OP Post #1
Why does screen print 1 show "Local Disk (Q)" and screen print 2 show "SYSTEM" with no drive letter ?
Is that normal/usual, or does that indicate some issue?

I have multi-boot PCs and I don't see it this way...
If I don't have a drive letter assigned to a partition, that partition isn't displayed in "Explorer/Computer".

The reason it only shows as Q is because the disk is not initialized by the machine.

The reason he has a a system drive is because of the install process, some manufacturers like to have a system file for all their little tidbits, such as HP and dell. This section is not supposed to be accessed by a normal user.

 

[gregrocker]

Q is a special virtual drive Office 2010 sets up. System boot partition is not assigned a letter so that nothing can write there and clog the partition as it has apparently done to E which should only house the HP Diagnostics utility.

Doc's last screenshot shows Windows Recovery queued up to write there, so it may already have tried to do so and clogged the partition. Is it a scheduled backup? Make sure it is turned off in Windows Backup Center which should only direct backup to a storage drive: Backup User and System Files .

To clear out the unwanted files, unhide System and Hidden files in Control Panel>Folder Options>View, browse into E to post back a screenshot of its contents. If there is a Backup file delete it immediately which should resolve the problem, otherwise we can try to spot the culprit.

This should set it right. Resizing E to accomodate unwanted files is not the solution as was immediately recognized.

However System Protection should always be turned on for C, and any data partitions if you want Shadow copies kept to be able to restore previous versions. Use the Configure button to turn on System Protection, apportion as much disk space as you can afford to get more Restore points which last longer. System Protection - Change Disk Space Usage

In addition, your friend should know that the HP factory preinstall is the worst possible install one can have, with the worst load of corrupting crapware in the industry. He/she would be much better off with a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. Read the Special Note to HP Owners at the end about possibly doing a comparable Minimal Recovery which is nearly effortless once you back up your files and a System Image.

 

[andrew129260]

Looking at OP Post #1
Why does screen print 1 show "Local Disk (Q)" and screen print 2 show "SYSTEM" with no drive letter ?
Is that normal/usual, or does that indicate some issue?

I have multi-boot PCs and I don't see it this way...
If I don't have a drive letter assigned to a partition, that partition isn't displayed in "Explorer/Computer".

Q drive is for Office 2010 free. Its the virtual disk that Office 2010 uses to run.

 

[DocBrown]

Here are snips of everything I could come up with from all your suggestions. I can not find anywhere that that will let me change the location from E: to C: for the restore points. What I think is need is a Data Partition.

 

[derekimo]

You can't change the location of restore points, you can turn them on or off for that drive.

Going back to Greg's suggestion to see what is clogging up that E drive,

To clear out the unwanted files, unhide System and Hidden files in Control Panel>Folder Options>View, browse into E to post back a screenshot of its contents. If there is a Backup file delete it immediately which should resolve the problem, otherwise we can try to spot the culprit.

 

[DocBrown]

Ok, deleted the backup. Unhidden system files. Here are snips of Drives & E: drive

 

[derekimo]

There you go, you're out of the red now. I guess it was the pending backup that clogged it.

 

[AddRAM]

Doc, as Derek has said, you don`t change where restore points are stored, you just turn it on or off. Restore points for C are stored on C etc.

If you turn it off for C, then no RP`s are made for C.

Right there in your picture it says Browse, right now you have E chosen for backups, there`s no room on E for backups, you don`t have anywhere on this pc to store backups, turn it off.

Either make another primary or logical partition next to C ( from C ) or backup your data externally unless you are already doing that.

 

[gregrocker]

It looks like you turned off Scheduled backup which was writing to E which should prevent further problems. Did you also delete the Backup folder it created on E? It appears to have it's space back. Were there any other folders you deleted and what were their names?

Backup will continue to have E queued as the backup location until it is changed to a Storage HD or partition as shown in Backup User and System Files. You can plug in an External, set it as backup, and it will back up to it on a schedule or the next time after missing a schedule that its plugged in.

I would apportion more space for C Restore Points, at least 10% if it can be afforded: System Protection - Change Disk Space Usage. System Restore does not need to be turned on for the other drives.