Looking for a disk partitioning software.

[login123]

I will soon need to partition a couple of hard drives running win 7 and win 8.

Both are UEFI & GPT systems.

I want to get the C: partition down to a small, workable size, so that Macrium and virus scanners have less work to do.

Will use the newly free space for files. 

 

The software must be capable of splitting AND merging partitions.  (Merging seems to be missing from many of the free ones.)

 

Free would be good, but function is most important. 

 

Thanks in advance for any advice. 

[mta]

I use Partition Master, they do a Home (free) and a Professional version.

Now I haven't needed to use it for over a year (or maybe two) and I seem to recall that may have been due to the software not being updated for Win7/8/10.

But when I had used it, I was impressed.

It could split and merge, but from memory, the merging had to be with adjacent partitions of course.

 

Since Win7, the inbuilt DISKPART command can do some amazing things now.

Plus I now try to get the partitions right from the get-go so I don't need those 3rd party re-organisers.

 

Go Luck with the hunt.  I'm sure you'll let us know your findings as I'd be curious.

[login123]

Thanks. 

Just checked the Easus site and the free version 11.0.0 will merge partitions.

Also will be learning about the DISKPART command.

 

Any suggestions what is a good minimum partition size for the win 7 and win 8 OSs? 

 

Certainly I'll post whatever happens. The good, the bad, and the ugly. 

 

[login123]

Just had a look at DISKPART referrences. 

Now I remember why I want a GUI based software.  :lol:

 

Still looking, tho. 

There are good tutorials on the sevenforums.

[hazelnut]

The builtin Disk Management has a GUI

 

http://www.howtogeek.com/101862/how-to-manage-partitions-on-windows-without-downloading-any-other-software/

[login123]

Sure does, thanks for the reminder. 

Hazelnut, I usually try the most complicated and cumbersome solutions first. 

Must break that habit. 

 

Edit:  Is that procedure outlined by the How To Geek really as simple as it seems? 

[trium]

Any suggestions what is a good minimum partition size for the win 7 and win 8 OSs?

 

 

 

if you deactivate the hiberfil.sys and set the pagefile.sys on another partition or hd + install games also to another partition... i have 64 gb used hdspace on w8.1 64 included hiberfil and pagefile (depends on the amount of installed memory!). --> perhaps 80 gb?

you could also turn off the system restore, if you dont need them.

 

with my w7 pro x86 i have 40 gb

[login123]

Thanks, trium. 

[rridgely]

I usually use the built in windows tool. I have also used live linux usb drives of gparted too:

http://gparted.org/

 

Its pretty great and can work with file systems that windows will sometimes have issues with. Just have to be careful because it doesn't have the same safe guards the windows one has. You can literally do anything to the drive with it and you wont get any warnings. But it does work great. 

[login123]

OK, thanks rridgely. 

 

I will probably go with 90 gb for C: drive. 

Want it to be big enough to accomodate win 7, 8.1 & 10.

Probably try the built in windows tool first. 

I don't do this stuff much, don't often need to, plus it scares the dickens out of me. 

[mta]

90gig will be plenty.

My Win10 only takes up <40gig (OS and programs files).

All other storage is done on the HDD (pagefile, user files) and all system drive accessing/storing services are disabled (prefetch, hibernation, restore points).

 

Don't forget to factor in Over Provisioning of around 10% if you have/get an  SSD.

 

When you say "accommodate win 7, 8.1 & 10" I assume you don't mean all at the same time.

(memories of your dual boot XP experience flood back)

[login123]

"All other storage is done on the HDD (pagefile, user files) and all system drive accessing/storing services are disabled ... "

Does that mean that the OS and programs are in one partition & the other stuff in another? 

I intend to leave all that stuff turned on in any case. 

 

90 gb still OK, you think?  As usual, this question has 1000 different answers on the net. 

 

"accommodate win 7, 8.1 & 10"  means this. 

I have a laptop that has not been turned on since win 8.1 came out. 

The plan: 

1.  Back it up as is, before it connects to the net (still win 8). 

2.  Upgrade to in 8.1, update, back that up. 

3.  Upgrade to win 10, >> shudder<< update, back that up. 

4. Go back to 8.1 and run that s long as possible. 

Lots of trouble, I know, maybe not worth it, but I'm gonna try.  Think it'll work? 

 

(memories of your dual boot XP experience flood back)

[mta]

90gig OK for system? - Absolutely.  In fact, way too much.

Windows folder is 15gig, Program Files (x86 and x64bits) total 12gig.

I have those on a SSD and everything else on a separate HDD.

And being a SSD is the only reason I have all those high I/O services disabled, otherwise they are fine to leave on.

 

But you are right, the answer will vary per user.  I've been checking Windows and Program Files folder sizes since XP and they have never exceeded 20gig each.

So really, only a 60gig partition would suffice.  And that still allows room for the paging, hibernation and restore point files.

 

As an exercise, I think all your updating, backing up etc will be a great experience.

 

Go Forth Young Man and Conquer!!!

[login123]

Went forth, not sure who conquered. 

 

Windows built in disk mgmt shows the HDD to be 920 gb with about 867 gb free and 52.7 gb used.. 

The shrink partition option showed only 457,101 mb of "shrink space" available, so I did that. 

Simple volume wizard worked fine.

 

Now there are 2 partitions, C: at about 473 gb and the new one at about 446 gb. 

Shrink partition option says no more shrink space available on C:. 

 

Still boots and works OK, but it is a far cry from the 80 or 90 gb C: drive I would like to have. 

 

Questions. 

I didn't change pagefile or hiberfile, didn't delete the restore points or the leftover updates.  Would that make the difference? 

If I use one of the other softwares to shrink the partition down to 80 gb, will data be lost?  Remember its a GPT UEFI system, if that makes a difference.

[mta]

the built in shrink process only shrinks based on the last placed file on that partition.

so maybe a full defrag of that partition to get all its files up the front may help.

 

I do remember Partition Master doing both jobs in one go - it'll move data accordingly to shrink the volume down.

it creates a batch file which it runs at next reboot to do it all for you (well it did the last time I used it)

[login123]

OK.  Round 2 coming up.