How to resize a partition with Windows 7 Home 64-bit Disk Management?

[MSwhip]

Tried to use the Disk Management utility, reading the list of threads I came across a quote of "How to geek" that someone quoted, I learned that the resizing of a partition is only possible with contiguous space.

Well, here is my problem: how do I create unallocated free space contiguous to my OS partition when the sequence i now have is:

C drive -a 25GB partition NTFS- (which I had created just for the OS),
then a 100MB 'Healthy' (System, Active, Primary Partition),
then a 17GB 'Unallocated' space,
then D drive -a 102GB NTFS 'Healthy' (Primary partition) ... and
then 5GB of' 'Unallocated' Space

So if I do not have contiguous unallocated space to take from to enlarge the OS partition in C drive (cause the 100Mb, reserved by the OS for itself, is in between).
How do I solve this problem?

I did try using the Disk Management utility, followed the instructions ... shrunk the D partition and created the unallocated spaces, now they exist before and after the empty D drive, but the C partition which I want to enlarge is isolated and did not get the extra space (wanted to make the partition 5GB bigger like in 30GB).

Windows took less than 19 GB, so figured I would use D partition to store all the other Software Programs, but it seems that 'by default' they all land inside the partition with the OS. Is this something that could be avoided, cause I have not uploaded most of my Software to the SSD yet cause the OS partition is running out of space cause of this last fact. Can I change that? directing my downloads to the D partition drive?
Even if possible, I would rather redirect all other software to the D partition instead of making more room in the OS partition to accommodate the Software Programs.
It goes without saying that i am hoping that any possible solution would include the preservation of all existing software and data.

Hope this is clear enough to explain what is going on in here, wished I could have made it more summarized but I could not.

I will appreciate your contributions.

Thank you kindly.

 

[seavixen32]

What you need to use is Partition Wizard, as this tutorial explains.

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

Basically, you need to download the Partition Wizard ISO and burn it to a blank disc then boot into it to restructure your hard drive's partitions, apply the the changes, and then boot back into Windows.

We recommend ImgBurn to burn the ISO: http://www.imgburn.com/

It will also help if you upload a screenshot of your expanded disk management layout so that we can give you best advice.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

 

[MSwhip]

Thank you for your fast reply. I am trying to attach a screenshot as you suggested.
This is how the SSD looks right now.

Do not know if you will be able to read such tiny font size. (Please see screenshot below)

---
Regarding the Mini Partition Wizard i had also tried it and same result. I watched a video on their site. And as it did not work for me with version 7.0 of the Mini Parition Resize utility I emailed them with the same approximate text. here it is:
QUOTE

I am presently initializing, formatting and partitioning a SSD drive with the purpose of having the OS system on it as well as loading software.

I have viewed your video demonstration embedded on the FAQ of Mini Partition Wizard.
Followed your instructions as I needed to enlarge by an extra 5GB the size of the C drive that contains my Windows 7 Home 64-bit OS.
I did reduce my disk D, the unallocated space created fell between disks C and D, except in my case there is also another partition automatically created by Windows 7 that is called 'System Reserved' (100Mb size). So when i go to Disk C.. there is no extra added space at the end So it did not work as it worked for you as you showed it.

The status of my partitions are:
for - C:OS on SSD Capacity: 24.98GB Used: 24.30 Unused: 698.18MB File System :NFTS ... Type: Logical Drive... Status: None
- *System Reserved Capacity 100MB Used: 24.13 Mb Unused: 75.87 Mb File System: NFTS Type Primary Status: Active & Boot
- *: Capacity 12.28G Used: 0 Unused: 12.28GGB File System: Unallocated Type: Logical Status: None
- Drograms Software Capacity 106.78 Used: 89.28Mb Unused: 106.69GB File System: NTFS Type: Primary Status: None

What could be happening with this structure that does not let me resize my C 'logical' partiiion?
* I do notice that somehow D is "Logical' and not 'Primary'

As you clarified at the beginning of your video, in my case I am using version 7,0 of your software.


I would appreciate your help in solving my problem

Thank you kindly
UNQUOTE


As a reference the link to their video is the second one, 'I cannot resize my partition, Why?' ... > http://www.partitionwizard.com/faq.html < ...

And I just got this back from them:

QUOTE
Hello:

Our application has some issue with SSD, we do not suggest you use it for now. The new version is under development and we will release it soon.


Sincerely,

UNQUOTE




Thank you again

 

[seavixen32]

1. Your 100MB system reserved partition holds the master boot record and would normally be the first partition on your drive.

2. Your Windows drive is a logical partition where it would normally be a primary partition and would be positioned to the right of the system reserved partition.

3. You have allocated 19GB for Windows. Microsoft recommend a minimum of 20GB for the 64-bit version and personally I would allow at least 40GB depending what applications you are installing.

4. Personally, I'd be inclined to backup any important data then wipe your hard drive and clean install Windows. You can have up to four primary partitions on your hard drive and if you need extra partitions you can create logical ones as part of an extended primary partition.

5. A clean install will allow you to partition your drive as you want it during the install procedure.

6. Keeping your personal data on a separate partition is something that many of us do, but it is a matter of personal choice.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[whs]

You can do the job with Partition Wizard. But as Andrew (sevemvixen) says, it is imperative that you image your 100MB partition, your C: partition and your X: partition first. I am a frequent user of PW, but once I made a small mistake and lost all my partitions on the drive - fortunately i had the images.

Once you imaged all those, you could also clean your HDD, reallocate 100MB, C: and X: and restore the images. That is just another way.