Creating New Hard Disk Partitions

[noumaan]

I just bought HP Probook 4530s with 500gb HDD. The problem is that this machine has only one partition and two system partitions. The only partition is more than 480 GB and it has Windows installed on it. 

Now I want to create more partitions without harming the windows partition. What is the safest way to resize the windows partition. Secondly, if I create the partitions would I still be able to use recovery options? 

How I can safely manage my HD space without loosing recovery options or making my warranty void. 

[banhien]

Hi,

Please follow these steps:

  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/gg309170.aspx

Regards.

[CherylG · Accepted solution]

Your Recovery function will no longer work as designed after changing partitions. Burn your Recovery DVD set before altering hdd.

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Other-Notebook-PC-Questions/How-to-repartition-HDD-of-HP-notebook-with-...

[PB-user]

Since this is a business model (probook), HP does not usually offer any software for making recovery disks. Instead you need some third-party tool to make a full disk image backup which saves all partitions and the boot record into a compressed file. There are several freeware utilities that can do this. Just boot from a custom USB-drive or CD with the tool of your choice and make the backup to an external harddrive.

You could also call HP and request "recovery disks" which may be free of charge under the warranty period, depending on which country you live in.

I would not recommend using microsoft disk management tool for creating a new partition since it would force a conversion to a dynamic disk (if you already have 4 primary partitions). That would definitely stop both recovery and various HP tools from working properly.

Read the guide above posted by CherylG which explains how to make a conversion to a logical disk using partition wizard tool.

[noumaan]

Can you please recommend a few free utilities to make full disk image backup?

@CherylG If I create a logical partition in C: will I be able to install new OS such as Debian Linux into newly created logical partitions? Also, will I be able to use recovery options, then?

A generic question why would HP setup these netbooks with this limitation? Wouldn't it be better if they made two partitions C: and D: so that people can store their data and operating system separately.  

[PB-user]

You can read about a couple of free disk image utilities here. Searching the internet will give you more info. This very useful freeware utility collection contains several disk clone tools.

Another option is the dd command found on most linux distros but used incorrectly it can wipe out a disk.

[CherylG]

For a couple of free disk imaging apps click here>>Custom Recovery Options

[noumaan]

Thanks to all for your kind advice and help. 

[Birdmen]

You can use Partition Assistant to do such kind of work. You can follow the tutorial according to you system http://www.extend-partition.com/related-tutorial.html.

[Birdmen]

You can use Partition Assistant to do such kind of work. You can follow the tutorial according to your system http://www.extend-partition.com/related-tutorial.html.