Remo Recover Partition is a best professional tool to get back partition lost due to virus attack, formatting, reformatting, changing partition size, file system corruption, etc.

#31 @Nigel, you should contact their support team to see what's going on. It worked great for me.

Thank you GOTD, and thank you MiniTool Partition Wizard.

This is a great tool.-

- ma

Thank you for this great software, my partition was broken and it helps.

#16 Mike

Partitioned SD Card is now quite common, especially with phone with limited internal Memory. Solution - Partition with this program and format to EXT4, (others will do but EXT4 is the best). Then use app like "Link2sd" and you will never run out of room by having too many Apps/Games on any brand of smartphone. Hope this helps

Use #99
For the initial setup or clean install of a computer I create a partition that is a bit less than a standard drive size, such as 120 GB. This ensures that nothing is written to a location on the drive that is beyond the limit I have set, which in turn means that I can image or clone that partition and restore it to a drive of that size in case I change drives, as with switching to an SSD. If you already have the SSD you should install it on that anyway, in part because modern systems are smart enough to recognize that it is an SSD and make appropriate adjustments, and in part because it will take you a fraction of the time to perform the setup.

Due to Giovanni's glowing recommendation, I used it to convert a Dynamic disk to a Basic disk. Worked quickly. It seems like a fine program.

Karl and Giovanni,
Your input is much appreciated. (Especially regarding the bootable CD)
I only do such tasks from a bootable CD (never when Windows is running).
Thus do you both agree that all I need is the free bootable CD, that you kindly provided the link for ?
Rob

PS My thoughts on some of the questions others have raised -
- 'KISS' Do not be installing programs into any location other than the C Drive (the same partition that Windows is installed in)
- Do not be 'installing' related data, anywhere other than the Windows partition
- By all means create a 2nd partition (or drive), to store your other data. Especially large files (see next points)
- Get the free Seagate DiscWizard, and after install, create a bootable CD
- Get an external Dock (or two), and a 3.5" Seagate drive (or two), and shove the drive vertically into the Dock. Do not get a fancy dock with USB hubs, and card readers ('KISS')
- Regularly image your Windows partition, using the DiscWizard bootbale CD. VERIFY/VALIDATE the image
(By having your really large unconnected data in a 2nd partition, means that the images are not too big)
- Alternate which Dock you image into (Do not be a cheapskate, by buying one dock and two drives, as I worry about wearing out the connectors if you keep inserting/removing drives).
- Occasionally make an image of your 2nd partition. I call mine the 'Garage' where I store stuff.

Excellent partitioning program- quite intuitive and works as easily as they all should, but don't. Solved a problem I have been unable to fix with any other partitioning software, and quite easily, too, I might add. A great tool to have in the toolbox for just when you need it!

Last year I used a similar program to merge a "c" drive and "d" drive ..the "d", was, as you may have guessed a recovery drive.
Outcome ?
Yep, you got it.
Happy merging !

#19 I would just use Macrium Reflect to make an image of any drive you may need to recover and store it on an external drive.
I make one each month and always keep 2.
Macrium also have an .iso file you can burn to disc to create a boot disc to run the recovery from.

#19 That will not help in the case of most application, which tend to scatter stuff all over C: even if the install drive is E:, not to mention that they will write potentially hundreds of entries into the registry, which is always on the boot drive, at least up until WIN7 (don't know about WIN8).

I used to do what you are doing, but reinstalling the OS on C: will stop many programs installed on E: from working anyway. May as well just install them in c:\program files...

A bit of a con here that most people probably wouldn't notice until way after the giveaway.
I have a partition that needed the cluster size changing and after the program from within windows got through many hours the program got to 96% complete and just failed to complete the task. I downloaded the .iso file from within the program and decided to complete the task outside of windows.... the con is that the iso file that is downloaded is the "home" version and cannot/will not change cluster sizes. Rather disappointed in what I thought was a reputable company. I will try again from within windows, but this is not a task I welcome, especially as it has failed once already.

@Kody
I would like to be able to convince you and your followers, that your statement "partitioning is only a substitute solution" is misleading and not true:
A second HD is a needed supplement for the completely other issue of partitioning!

There are many good reasons for partitioning your HD - and of course it´s a basic to have any valuable data being saved on a second HD - best stored outside of your computer.

Sorry, but I don´t want to offend you
have a nice day!
I only will mention the advantage of a clean and better controlable system itself, defragmentation advantages, better possibilities to restore/clean/debug your system and even performance advantages...

But the main thing is, even backups are easier to control, because of the different needs of system files and data to be backed up.

Of course the personal needs could differ very much...

Partition your hard drive and put all the data into a second partition so your precious files are separate from where the Windows operating system resides. This way if you must reinstall Windows, your data is safe. To be more secure, use Casper by Future Systems Solutions fssdev.com to easily and perfectly clone all your partitions to a second hard drive. Casper runs in the background and puts a bootable copy of your Windows partition on a second drive. Have critical data that you must back up constantly in real time? Use Syncovery. In four seconds, Syncovery automatically backs up changes in a 23 Gigabyte data file that would otherwise take two hours to back up.

#19 Troop
Taking your last point the first, nearly every registered program writes to the registry often writing the serial to it, sometimes in plain text sometimes encrypted.
If it doesn't find this information then it won't run unless it is a portable program where everything required is installed into the folder or subfolder that the program main file resides.
This means that the area that contains the registry and similar information is required as part of any backup restore system, in my case XP that is the C drive.
I like to keep this area as small as possible as malware tends to be placed there and so it is quicker to scan this small area.
I always have a second partition in which I keep the programs I write and the programming language IDE etc.
The third partition is where I put my programs, when installing all I do is change the drive letter in the box that normally says C:/Programs Files/……
Also in this partition or in a separate one I keep large video files, iPlayer’s being generally between 0.5 to 1 gig, useful as if I'm doing a search within files I ignore this drive making the search much faster.
Hope this gets published and hope it helps.:-)

@#19 (Troop) Yes, the original idea of partitioning was to isolate the OS from the data and programs to make recovery from backups easier. Windows however, has since messed that up with their registry. Most "non-portable" programs now write essential information for their operation to a set of several hidden non-text-format files located in subdirectories of C:\Windows. (the registry)

Even though "restore points" take a snapshot of those files, if those files get trashed due to a disc problem, even though the installation was to a different drive, those programs, like Windows, will become inoperable.

i use home edition - one of the best free solutions i have seen, no important difference for me in this pro version (so less business for the company, but much better image - thank you, minitool). it works fine, i had no problems and user interface is clear and easy to understand also for "amateurs" (ofcourse disk partitioning is something, where you need to know what you are doing). recently i used it to create some space for disk cloning (for cloning i used clonezilla - not very windowsuser-friendly program, but it worked and even cloned larger disk (hdd) to smaller (ssd) after some effort), i changed partition sizes few times, convenient and quick solution...

I've used MiniTool Partition Wizard for years and settled on it after trying every other partitioning program I could find. Occasionally I'll try one of the other partitioning programs and always go back to MiniTool Partition Wizard. The user interface makes changing a drive letter or renaming a partition especially easy. I pay the reasonable fee to use the Pro version which offers a few more features.

# 19 Troop

I use another way. I have a very small system partion C:. The size is 100 GB and I use about 16 GB. Here I have the operating system and the important programs, which must (or should be) on C:. The advantage of such a "small" system is, that I can do backups within a couple of minutes. With 15 GB backups I can keep a lot of versions on an external drive.

All other programs are on D:, where I try to keep as many programs as portables, as possible.

On F: (e: is one of my external media) I keep all data, my documents folder, my pictures and so on.

Back to E: on the removable media I have in an encrypted container everything, which deals with my online activities. The portable Firefox e.g. will be copied at every system startup into the RAMDisk, as well as Editor or other private programs. This has the advantage, that I can take these data to every other computer and I have my working environment with me - and because of the RAMDisk, I have a clean "install" after each reboot.

Forget to mention, that I use a virtualisation program for my system disk.

I've used the free version before, so I'm delighted to get the pro version, but I haven't found where to put the serial number that is enclosed in the readme.

#19: "Is the idea of partitioning to have a dedicated “C” drive for the operating system? if that’s the case, I have some programs that will not install anywhere else other than the “C” drive. What do you do in such instance?
Recently I started installing programs to my “E” drive to avoid losing my other software when my operating system crashed. Is this the right process?"
.
For the 1st part, it can get interesting. I've searched the registry for mentions of the installed folder, changing those entries to the new folder -- sometimes the references are in configuration files too, so those may have to be found and changed. Sometimes I've gotten lucky & just moving the program's folder somewhere else, then starting the app worked -- it made any changes to the registry &/or configuration files itself. Sometimes the locations of at least some of a program's files are hard coded into the app. If the majority of space is taken up by one or a few folders in the program's folder, I've gotten away with a shortcut to that folder(s) after moving them somewhere else [you can also create a junction or link like Windows Vista onward use for the user files]. And finally there is some software I install to a VM rather than regular Windows because none of that other stuff works as easily.

For the 2nd part, if/when Windows crashes, the only files effected are usually those that were open, changed, & had not been written back to disk yet. IOW you might lose the doc or image or video file you were working on, but the program's files, which never change, should be perfectly intact. If a disk crashes that's another story -- any & all files on that disk might be lost, whether they're in the C or F partition.

#13: "Could someone please compare the Partition Wizard Pro 8.1.1 with the EaseUS Partition Master 10.0 and the AOMEI Partition Assistant 5.5?
Both were GOTD but I never got around to using them and now I need to break down a 2TB external and copy several different drives to it."
.
Creating or resizing partitions is fairly straightforward, so I highly doubt you will find one app that does that better than another. Where they differ is more specialized stuff, e.g. special types of disks/partitions, & if/when you use a partition app to move data in a partition. I wouldn't think either would matter to you.

That said, depending on your circumstances, like whether you've got a HDD dock [or 2] etc., personally I like to restore partition image backups in a case like that. When I restore a Paragon backup that way it creates the partition at the size I want, so I restore one partition backup, restore the 2nd starting right where the 1st new partition leaves off, & so on. Partition copy should work just as well really, but myself, I'd do the backup anyway as just regular maintenance, and for me it's a bit more flexible, e.g. I can have several backups on a single, internal disk, & then just hook up the external drive, rather than having to connect each drive & the external drive to do a copy.

@ # 12; &
@ # 14:
I started "messing around" w/ computers about 44-45 years ago.
I've partitioned a number of hdd's, and starting about 15 years ago,
I began partitioning almost every computer I've owned,
plus some that I used extensively.

Today's hdds are huge compared to the tinf and even miniscule hdds of earlier times. So its possible to partition the hdd to a healthy size for the boot/system partition [C:/], and still have huge space left for other purposes.

To learn more about why to partition your hdd, see:
.

To learn more about how-2, see;


Have a GREAT day, Neighbors!

#2 Karl, Giovanni, & other Experts:
Is the idea of partitioning to have a dedicated "C" drive for the operating system? if that's the case, I have some programs that will not install anywhere else other than the "C" drive. What do you do in such instance?
Recently I started installing programs to my "E" drive to avoid losing my other software when my operating system crashed. Is this the right process?

Thanks for helping with your answer.

Very easy and clean 3 minute install on WinXP Sp3. I've used free version twice in the past and appreciate that a bootable CD is available for free from website. This is a great software for both novice and techies and much appreciated GOTD

to #12 (Ken):
it is a good idea to separate operating system files
from data and other programs
the reasons:
better flexibility management and backup
better chance of recovery in case of some disaster
(virus attack, accidental /unwanted/ delete or format ...etc)
BUT !
disk partitioning is only a substitute solution, IMHO.
Much better (and safer) one is to have TWO (or more) separate PHYSICAL (real)disks
instead of making ONE (large) disk to pretend, that it is several (logical) disks
Even better is, if one of real (physical) disks is external one
for even greater safety and flexibility.
Hope this comment helps to all wondering what the heck disk partitioning is good for
;-)

#1: "Have used free version to partition and Format SD card for Mobile phone – worked very very well. So if you have the need…. grab it."

FWIW I'd be a little careful about doing that. Having multiple partitions on a USB stick is unsupported [you can just format]. Many card readers are USB, & work just like a USB stick as far as Windows is concerned. I'd imagine if it worked OK great, but I'd be a bit cautious about trying to use the multi-partitioned card with another reader in the future. There are tutorials & guides etc. to adding partitions to flash memory cards for cells/tablets [I've seen MiniTool Partition Wizard mentioned], and they usually list the benefits of having more than one partition on the card.

* * *

#2: "I’m not a software collector. I don’t need 7 partition tools on my PC."

Purely FWIW, I find I use partition software much more often with VHDs [Virtual Hard Drives] & VMs [Virtual Machines] than with my regular hard drives, which like most people I think I just "set & forget". Copying a partition to a VHD for example you get the original partition's free space & size, which you don't necessarily need or want.

* * *

#4: "A quick question for those with experience; when with programs of this type you copy a petition, if it is the C drive is it a copy of everything, in effect a clone?"

Strictly speaking, No.

Everything is copied but the hidden tables at the start of the disk/partition. I've found that useful when I wanted to get rid of the hidden boot partition win7/8/8.1 adds when installed to the 1st disk/partition -- then just use EasyBCD to add the boot loader, menu etc. to that disk/partition. It's also been a life saver when I've had a hard drive sector marked as physically bad in Windows. That data's stored in the NTFS file tables, & copying the partition is the easiest way I've found to get rid of it -- otherwise restoring a backup or creating a clone includes that bad sector info, which prevents quite a few things from working in Windows.

* * *

#5: Giovanni mentions: " (Portable) Macrorit Disk Partition Expert FREE Edition"

Nothing bad about the software that I'm aware of, but if you're more a purist when it comes to portable apps, it's not. The loose definition of portable software is you don't have to run a setup app to install it -- the stricter definition is that portable software will not alter the copy of Windows used to run it. Macroit in my experience fits the first category, which isn't bad really, but if you think portable software because it has no impact on Windows, you won't be pleased.

* * *

#12: "Used computers for years but have never partitioned any disks. With many programs already installed is it too late to bother?"

Yes & no...

Partitions are basically a way to keep data separate -- same as folders [or directories & sub-directories] really, but because a partition is assigned it's own drive letter, it keeps stuff really separate. The example more people are familiar with I think is when you have more than one OS installed, they go on separate partitions -- you choose the OS to start during boot. The most commonly used extra partition is the hidden one for Windows boot files I mentioned above.

In your case, Ken, you can put new software on another partition, & you can transfer files like music or pictures or video to another partition, but transferring any installed software, while often possible, can sometimes get involved -- that's because the files making up an app often have their location stored in the registry.

Besides the situations where you have to have another partition, e.g. multiple OSes, the advantage of having more than one partition IMHO is that it makes maintenance easier. Switch your system disk/partition to an SSD, you've already got a minimum of files/folders. Create a backup and you don't have to backup stuff on another partition that's the same as last time. Upgrade or have multiple versions of Windows, and you can sometimes use/share software you've already installed to another partition, though depending on the software you may have to re-register, or more rarely in my experience, re-install. I've got a Video folder for example holding 10 GB worth of video related apps, like the converters that are on GOTD from time to time, & I can run any app in that folder whether I'm in XP, 7, or 8.1. My wife's PC has a shared Game folder -- she can run all the GOTD games she's collected in that folder whether she's booted into Vista or 7 or 8.1. [She still has Vista for her RealArcade collection.]

# 13 Ron :

If you haven't used up to now Partition Wizard Pro 8.1.1, EaseUS Partition Master 10.0 and the AOMEI Partition Assistant 5.5 you don't need to install this one as third partition tool.

Flip a coin : heads you use EaseUS, tails you use AMOEI. If it stands on the side, take the Partition Wizard. They all do a good job. But if you prefer a latest build, than install this one - and deinstall the other ones...

# 14 VegasSmitty I really don’t see the point.

You have an example above ;-)

#12 Ken, I'm with you, been running computers since the 1980's and never partitioned a HD yet. I really don't see the point.

Could someone please compare the Partition Wizard Pro 8.1.1 with the EaseUS Partition Master 10.0 and the AOMEI Partition Assistant 5.5?

Both were GOTD but I never got around to using them and now I need to break down a 2TB external and copy several different drives to it.

Thanks!

Used computers for years but have never partitioned any disks. With many programs already installed is it too late to bother? Any reply appreciated.

Prefer their Partition Wizard Pro 8.1.1 freeware Home Edition.

What I like most is their "change font" under View. It allows you to change the font and size for easy visibility. It is a very useful feature for those like me who likes big and easily visible font. It is a feature that so few developers (or none so far as far as I know) care to have in such software.

#8 wosa
Thanks for your help much appreciated, my C partition is purely for my system, other petitions hold my data and programs and I have copies, and I need a clean copy of the C partition that is bootable.
Being on XP I feel vulnerable, although I have Windows 7 pro on my system I dislike it, going to hang on to XP until the bitter end.

@ cloning is a very special task concerning windows...
As far as I remember, todays giveaway does "exact" cloning - but "cloning" is only one side of a set of problems and dependencies when working with windows and want to have it booting from the clone! (Disk-Id (cleaning), number/ of the partition, cleaning in the registry if already "known" to windows ....)

The - by far" - best tool for cloning is HdClone: http://www.miray-software.com/products/applications/hdclone.html
it will perfectly do any needed adjustion on the clone.
(I tested, just for fun, to clone a bootable 32 GB stick to a 1 GB USB-HD: it worked: booted as expected with all menus and options!!!)
Even their free version will do all that - except that it works M-U-C-H slower....

#5 Giovanni

hey Karl, don’t leave me alone in this task, please!!)

Tu sei il re delle freebie.

You are the king of the freebies. This is your title and your job. I simply try to give a short very personal impression. I appreciate your comments.

It belongs to the very best of partitioners, working under windows!

Maybe a goody and a hint for some of you:
Works flawlessly with the Windows boot and installation DVD!
Just press [Shift]-[F10] when the 1st (langugage...) screen shows up or befor finally deciding where to install Windows to: you will get a command window. from ther you can do a lot, even start your favorite commander.
I copied it to a folder "D" on the DVD, together with TotalCommander and some other useful tools to have it always at hand...

BTW: I am using the pro version since many years - never disappointed me.

This GAOTD is one of my favourite ones, since it's one of the few apps out there providing you with a flawless bootable CD version for FREE.

Besides formatting, deleting, moving, resizing, extending or splitting your HD partitions, this GAOTD can also align them, rebuild the MBR (Master Boot Record), copy it, perform surface tests or convert MBR disks to GPT (GUID Partition Table) disks in order to break the 2TB partition damn size limitation.

Compared to the FREE version, this GAOTD offers you a couple of additional advanced features such as the dynamic disks support, the ability to merge partitions and/or to change cluster size without data loss.

So if you are not an advanced user or don't have a dynamic disk in your PC, I think that the FREE version of this magic app is more than enough to fit any need you may have for partitioning the HD of your machine.

4 THUMBS UP from me!

BEST FREE ALTERNATIVES (hey Karl, why do you never mention them in your nice comments? Don't leave me alone in this task, please!!)

* GParted (==> My Personal First Choice)
Super cool FREE Partition Manager & Editor, enabling you to create, resize, copy, and move HD partitions without any data loss risk.
In fact, unlike other similar apps out there, it doesn't run under a primary OS but only from an external boot of Linux using an external HD, CD/DVD ROM, USB stick etc...

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php

* (Portable) Macrorit Disk Partition Expert FREE Edition
Superb FREE & PORTABLE app designed to perform very advanced disk partitioning operations, such as creating new partitions, reallocating or wiping FREE space between different partitions, HD defragmenting, changing volume labels and drive letters or performing HD surface tests. Best part is that any HD changes you may have decided to perform will not take effect immediately, since users are given the ability to undo them at any time.

http://macrorit.com/partition-magic-manager/free-edition.html

* Aomei Partition Assistant Home Edition
http://www.disk-partition.com/feature.html

* PartitionGuru
http://www.eassos.com/partitionguru-free.php

Enjoy!! ^_^

Quick to install and register opening up to a clean easy-to-use interface that offers many different functions including being able to copy a partition. Surface test of the disc/partition is also possible in fact to see all it does, best go to the website, link:-
http://www.partitionwizard.com/partition-magic-free.html
A really decent local help file and if that's not sufficient their website has good videos for even more help.
Looks like a really good box of tricks to have your disposal, I'm certainly going to keep it.

A quick question for those with experience; when with programs of this type you copy a petition, if it is the C drive is it a copy of everything, in effect a clone?

I went to the developers' website to check the difference between this giveaway, the Professional Edition, and the freeware Home Edition. What this version can do that the free one can't is:

Convert GPT-style Dynamic Disk to Basic.
Move Boot/System volume for Dynamic Disk.
Merge Partition.
Support Linux Ext2, Ext3, Ext4.
Full support Windows Dynamic Disk Volume.
Convert Dynamic Disk to Basic Disk.

Being able to merge partitions could be quite useful but, unless you're using Dynamic Disk Volumes or Linux formatted disks, its the only real difference between the two versions. Is it worth $39? That's up to you.

Installed and registered without problems on a Win 8.1 Pro 64 bit system.

A Canadian company with address and a picture of the office building.
MiniTool Solution Ltd. is a software development company based in Canada

Partitioning programs seems to be a constant business. The search for 2partition" on GAOTD returns 722 hits.

Don't forget to load the free Partition Wizard boot CD from this address:
http://www.partitionwizard.com/partition-wizard-bootable-cd.html
The size (48 MB) shows that this is a linux based boot cd.

Upon start a resizable window opens. If you have ever worked with a partition tool, you recognize this window. It has a nice (hidden) feature: under help you can make a screenshot - a good way to save information about the current state. A clear interface with detailed information.

You can modify the partitions in every way, recover partitions and save partitions. You can copy a partition - if you could restore the same partition, you would have a complete backup program.

The link under data recovery leads to some freeware from the same producer.

I did not test the partitioning itself, assuming, that this would work as the other partition tools.

If you don't have a partition tool, take this. It makes a good impression.

I'm not a software collector. I don't need 7 partition tools on my PC.

Have used free version to partition and Format SD card for Mobile phone - worked very very well. So if you have the need.... grab it.