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Topic: Problem with NTFS partitions on XP (Read 6204 times) previous topic - next topic
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Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Is it possible to join two NTFS partitions that are on the same HD?

Here's what happened, I got a new PC and the WinXP CD I have doesn't have SP2, but I do have the SP2 CD. After installing Windows my new 160GB HC showed up as the ~130GB limit, and after installing SP2 a new unallocated partition appeared with the rest of the HD space, now I need to join the partitions if possible to have the single 160BG HD as it's supposed to be.

Is this possible?

Thanks!
we was young an' full of beans

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #2 –
Google for NTFS merge

I think only Partition Magic can pull it off. I don't trust Partition Magic for any partitioning task though. YMMV.

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #3 –
http://partitionlogic.org.uk/ is a self bootable CD/Diskette that should do that. Allways backup important info first.

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #4 –
Thanks for the links everybody, one of these options should work.

@ kwanbis: I'm not woried about losing anything, the hard drive is empty
we was young an' full of beans

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #5 –
Quote from: rjamorim on
I think only Partition Magic can pull it off. I don't trust Partition Magic for any partitioning task though. YMMV.
They used to be the best... until recent versions. Tried merging 3 partitions and lost 2. Thankfully the data has already been backed up (I'm a good boy, no? )

Well no harm is done to the actual data, and I actually can retrieve the data if I wanted to using GetDataBack (from Runtime). But I decide for the least hassle: Reinstall WinXP and obliviate the remaining partition, creating a new, full-sized one.

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #6 –
Quote from: pepoluan on
But I decide for the least hassle: Reinstall WinXP and obliviate the remaining partition, creating a new, full-sized one.

Unfortunately this doesn't work for me, because I have WinXP and SP2 on separate CD's, so installing them at the same time (ant thus detecting my full-sized 160GB HD) is impossible.

Partition Logic looked promising until it failed to recognise my HD, apparently it doesn't like SATA drives much.
we was young an' full of beans

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #8 –
You can slipstream the SP2 service pack into the original release of WinXP you know... That way you install both in one pass.

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Canar on
You can slipstream the SP2 service pack into the original release of WinXP you know... That way you install both in one pass.

How is this done?
we was young an' full of beans

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #11 –
When I joined the partitions with gparted everything worked, but now I get blue screens with different messages all the time, and now I cant' even boot the damn thing, I tried restoring with the windows CD and chkdsk /p, chkdsk /r, fixboot and fixmbr, they stop for a couple of days then I get the blue screens again.

what should I do? I'm trying to avoid a reformat/reinstall.
we was young an' full of beans

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #12 –
What does the BSOD say?

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #13 –
Quote from: rutra80 on
What does the BSOD say?

I get one that says something about IF NOT EQUAL bla, I get an other one with something about a POOL and an other one that just says "If this is the frist time you see this..."
we was young an' full of beans

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #14 –
DELETED (slipstream instructions already given, I was too eager to post)

-brendan

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #15 –
Has anyone mentioned that in Windows XP Professional, you can convert your disks to Dynamic Disks and convert the partitions into volumes. Then you can extend your volume whenever you need more spaces?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314343/en-us
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309044/en-us
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308424/en-us

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #16 –
Quote from: William on
Has anyone mentioned that in Windows XP, you can convert your disks to Dynamic Disks and convert the partitions into volumes. Then you can extend your volume whenever you need more spaces?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314343/en-us
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309044/en-us
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308424/en-us


My understanding is that you can't use converted from Normal->Dynamic disks with the extend feature.  Typically, the boot disk is set up as a normal volume.

-brendan

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #17 –
Quote from: bhoar on
My understanding is that you can't use converted from Normal->Dynamic disks with the extend feature.  Typically, the boot disk is set up as a normal volume.

I am not sure what your first statement is. By default, Windows XP creates basic disks which contains no volumes, but only partitions, including your boot partition. And surely you can convert your basic disk containing boot partition into a dynamic disk, and your boot partition becomes a simple volume.

But yes, I just realized that the disk contains a single boot partition which cannot be extended even if it is converted to a simple volume.

Then, just out of curiosity, may I ask why skelly831 wants to have a single large partition, instead of splitting it into several partitions, or even leaves some spaces for, say, installing OSes other than Windows XP?
 

Problem with NTFS partitions on XP

Reply #18 –
OK, so I created the slipstreamed WinXP+SP2 CD and reintalled everything.

So far so good, the HD was recognized full size.
we was young an' full of beans