Partitioning, Shrinking after Using, Network Confusion

[chamlin]

I'm confused about several things on my home system (2 computers, 2 backup drives). Here are the details:

• Windows 7 Pro systems, configured in Workgroup network with all users (my wife and I) having maximum permissions (full control) on all drives;
  • Desktop with 2 External USB Backup Drives
  • Laptop

• Just replaced a failed External USB Backup Drive with a 4 TB drive
  • Made 2 partitions I: and J: of equal size
  • Laptop can write to both, BUT:

Seemed like it was working well, but I noticed that when I named the I: and J: drives on the laptop, the names on both drives would change to the one I just named. Let me explain.
A. I name the I: drive "Laptop Backup"
B. I name the J: drive "Desktop Backup"
C. But after saving the rename of the J: drive to "Desktop Backup", the I: drive mimics that, resulting in:

I: drive "Desktop Backup"
J: drive "Desktop Backup"
​

QUESTION 1: Why? Because it's really one drive split in two partitions? Is there a better way?

QUESTION 2: If I start doing my Macrium backups to each partition, then later realize I need to re-size the partitions to accommodate different needs, can one shrink and expand partitions with existing data, and is that safe/reliable?

QUESTION 3: From the Laptop, looking at the permissions for the E: drive (a data drive that resides inside the desktop), there is an "Account Unknown" entity with limited permissions. Has anyone ever seen something like this? It doesn't show up from the Desktop's view of the E: drive permissions. See these screenshots.

View from the Desktop, where the E: drive resides (as a data drive):

2014-10-01_1528 - chamlin's library


View from the Laptop, where there is an "Account Unknown" entity with limited permissions: 2014-10-01_0847 - chamlin's library

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Re question 2: Yes, you can resize partitions at will. You might be able to resize with Windows Disk Management, but more likely you'll need a third party application--Partition Wizard being the most commonly recommended one.

Partition Wizard is a reliable program, but not so reliable that you shouldn't have backups of all data before any resizing operations.

Not sure why you mention Macrium--it can make images of your partitions regardless of whether or not they have been resized.

 

[chamlin]

Re question 2: Yes, you can resize partitions at will. You might be able to resize with Windows Disk Management, but more likely you'll need a third party application--Partition Wizard being the most commonly recommended one.

Partition Wizard is a reliable program, but not so reliable that you shouldn't have backups of all data before any resizing operations.

Not sure why you mention Macrium--it can make images of your partitions regardless of whether or not they have been resized.

Thanks, ignatzatsonic. Good to know. Will check out the Wizard.http://www.sevenforums.com/members/ignatzatsonic.html

 

[chamlin]

Partition Wizard looks great, and free helps too.

So now would really love some help from other Wizards here on Questions 1 & 3.

Thanks all,
Chamlin