Is there a way? (Hard drive partitioning)

[hacku]

So right now I have a 500GB drive on my PC that has about 275GB's worth of data. I am using this drive to keep temporary files in it.

I'm currently building a multimedia server, and I would like to use this 500GB drive as the primary drive.

My question is:

Can I somehow create a 100GB primary partition on this drive to run the OS (Windows 7 Home Premium) but still leave the rest of the data that's on it untouched in the secondary partition?

Or will I need to backup all the data unto another drive, format and partition the whole drive and then move everything back?

Thanks

 

[ignatzatsonic]

If I understand correctly, your 500 gig drive has no operating system on it and has only 1 partition, which currently has nothing on it but data. That partition is 500 gigs and the data is 275.

You didn't say what operating system you are using on the PC.

Assuming it is Vista or Windows 7, you should be able to use Disk Management to shrink the 500 gig partition to 275, which would leave you with 225 unallocated space. You could then make a partition of 100 for Windows 7 within that 225 and install Windows 7 on that partition as your primary drive. You would be left with about 125 unallocated.

Your 275 gigs of data on that drive should not be touched, BUT, personally, I would not do what I said above if I did not have a backup of some type. That's your call.

 

[hacku]

Thanks for the input. I just decided to do the smart thing and back all my data up to one of my other drives, wipe the drive clean, and then partition it how I need it.

Thanks anyway

 

[louise071]

Partition Magic, just have a backup of your files

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