Solved More than 4 primary partitions?

[koec12]

Hey, I am sorry if this is in the wrong category, But I didn't know where to place it.

I was wondering if there is any way to have more than the default 4 primary partitions. It's not me having 4 partitions up running, but it is my HP computer. What I have on my partitions:

C: My main drive.
HP_TOOLS: Eh.. I don't know
RECOVERY (D) : My recovery partition. I am not allowed to access it or delete it.
SYSTEM: I think that this is the partition windows stores the files needed to launch.

So, All my 4 primary partitions are used up by my PC.

What I need another primary partition for? Well, I want to have windows 8 AND windows 7 running on the same machine. I will buy Windows 8 if I like it. And/or have Linux running on it.

Please help me, If it even is possible. If it isn't possible, It will be time for me to buy a new PC with Win8 pre-installed, and use this PC as testing PC.

Windows 7
HP DV6
500 GB harddrive
4 GB RAM

 

[SIW2]

Please post a screenshot of disk management window, like this:

 

[koec12]

I just turned my PC off. I will send you a screen shot tomorow. Only one thing. I'm from Norway, and my PC language is Norwegian too, so you won't be able to understand that much.

I can tell you that it looks mostly the same as your screenshot, but only with the 4 partitions showed in the main post.

 

[koec12]

When I tried to make a new partition (yes, I freed memory from the main drive) it gave me a creepy warning at the end. It was something about "making partitions dynamic" and it said I would not be able to boot from them.

If there isn't any other way to bypass the max 4 primary partitions, which of those 4 would you recommend deleting, if that would be a good option.

 

[koec12]

It looked exactly like this screenshot by tyme. He has the same problem with 4 primary partitions pre-installed. http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/41178-too-many-primary-partitions.html

Edit: Sorry for the "spam" by me above. I should have posted them in one reply

 

[Layback Bear]

Just do what SIW2 in post #2 has requested.
Surly it doesn't take that long to boot your computer to complete this task.

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

 

[whs]

You have 2 options:

1. make the C partition a logical partition. You can do that with the bootable CD of Partition Wizard. Download the .iso from the last box on the website, burn it to CD and boot with that CD.

2. Move the bootmgr from the system partition to C and then delete the system partition. Here is how: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html

In both cases you end up with only 3 primary partitions and can then create an extended partition under which you can define many logical partitions (up to 120).

But creating more than 4 primary partitions (or 4 primary partitions plus an extended partition) is not possible in the NTFS file system. For that you have to go to EFI.

 

[koec12]

Both options sound dangerous, but I want to go for option 2. But before I do that, I want to know if it is safe. I don't want to follow those steps and end up losing everyting, and that I can't boot anymore. So please tell me more about option 2, and if you have time, make a step by step/video on how to do that. Another question I have is if the SYSTEM partition only has the bootmgr on it, and nothing else. And how do we check, because I can't access the SYSTEM partition. Thanks

 

[whs]

Neither of these options is dangerous if you follow the instructions. Actually option 1 is the least dangerous because you can always undo it. But there is no problem. Since you have the system partition which is active, the C partition need not be a primary.

But in order to double check all that, we are still waiting for a picture of your Disk Management.

 

[bobafetthotmail]

But before I do that, I want to know if it is safe. I don't want to follow those steps and end up losing everyting, and that I can't boot anymore.

Before doing something like that (and especially if you intend to experiment with multibooting), it's always best to have a Windows 7 installation DVD or thumbdrive handy. This tutorial explains how to make your own, and provides official Windows 7 download links. Just remeber that your activation code (in the sticker) works only for Home Premium installations.
Once you have that burned to DVD or on a thumbdrive, you simply boot from that and fix the issue with the startup repair option, as explained in this tutorial.

For the sake of history, the older way to do that before EasyBCD was simply deleting the tiny system partition (this tutorial) and then do a startup repair as described in the tutorial above.

Another question I have is if the SYSTEM partition only has the bootmgr on it, and nothing else.

According to MS, it has boot code and some files needed for Bitlocker drive encryption. Since your version of Windows does not have Bitlocker (it is a feature reserved for the Ultimate and Enterprise versions), you aren't losing anything.

 

[koec12]

Hey, Here is the screenshot we all have been waiting for:

1. make the C partition a logical partition. You can do that with the bootable CD of Partition Wizard. Download the .iso from the last box on the website, burn it to CD and boot with that CD.

I don't get what you mean with this. Will I need to boot from a Windows Dvd if I do this?

..Windows 7 installation DVD or thumbdrive handy. This tutorial explains how to make your own, and provides official Windows 7 download links. Just remeber that your activation code (in the sticker) works only for Home Premium installations.

I Downloaded the Windows 7 USB tool, But could not find an ISO file that suits my PC. And what is the difference of SP1 and SP1 U?

 

[koec12]

Hey, Here is the screenshot we all have been waiting for:

1. make the C partition a logical partition. You can do that with the bootable CD of Partition Wizard. Download the .iso from the last box on the website, burn it to CD and boot with that CD.

I don't get what you mean with this. Will I need to boot from a Windows Dvd if I do this?

..Windows 7 installation DVD or thumbdrive handy. This tutorial explains how to make your own, and provides official Windows 7 download links. Just remeber that your activation code (in the sticker) works only for Home Premium installations.

I Downloaded the Windows7 USB tools, But couldn't find any ISO file that suits my PC.

 

[koec12]

There is a nasty bug on my pc/The site. It doesn't show your last post until you post a new one : /

 

[Layback Bear]

This method is the best for us.

Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums

 

[whs]

I would still opt for the option #1 of my post Nr. 7. That is easy to do and does not change anything in your configuration.

 

[koec12]

Yes, but I don't understand what you mean by that. Please explain more. I am downloading the ISO now.

 

[whs]

Once you have the .iso, burn it to CD - e.g. with ImgBurn. Then boot your PC with that CD - you may have to change the BIOS boot order if your CD/DVD reader is not #1 in the boot sequence.

Then highlight the C partition and click on the partition tab above. From there click on 'Modify' where you can change the partition from primary to logical. When all this is done you have to click 'Apply' on the top left.

Here is a picture that shows you how Partition Wizard will look like. For this demo I chose a little test partition that is already logical. That's why 'Set partition as logical' is greyed out.

 

[AddRAM]

You are doing a lot of work for nothing. You will hate Windows 8

Windows 7 is the best OS ever made, you should just stick with it.

 

[koec12]

Once you have the .iso, burn it to CD - e.g. with ImgBurn. Then boot your PC with that CD - you may have to change the BIOS boot order if your CD/DVD reader is not #1 in the boot sequence.

Then highlight the C partition and click on the partition tab above. From there click on 'Modify' where you can change the partition from primary to logical. When all this is done you have to click 'Apply' on the top left.

Here is a picture that shows you how Partition Wizard will look like. For this demo I chose a little test partition that is already logical. That's why 'Set partition as logical' is greyed out.

Okay, I will try this out. And if something happens, you want me too boot with that DVD, right?

Oh, AddRAM? I believe you, but I want to check how bad it is myself I like windows 7 a lot myself, But I have had it for allmost 3 years, So I want to check how it is like having Windows 8. If I don't like it, I might install Linux on it instead. Do some linux action.

 

[whs]

Just a thought - for checking Windows 8 (or Linux) out, VMware Player is a much better option and you don't need any additional partition. VMware Player - Install Windows 8 This is how I run Windows 8 and 6 different Linux distros.