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How to re-partition a hard disk under Vista or Server 2008 without having to re-install

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Following my earlier post How to run Small Business Server (SBS) 2008 on a machie that's already running Vista/XP I thought it worthwhile to explain a nice feature of Vista and Server 2008 which enables you to dynamically resize disk partitions without loosing data.

All you need to do is to select "Disk Management" from the "Computer Management" tool (to find this simply type "Computer Management" from the Start Menu, select the partition you wish to Shrink (or expand) and use the right mouse button menu to perform the action - as long as you have sufficient space to make the change the system will go ahead and resize the partition for you. 

The image below shows you the interface as described above:

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    PingBack from http://blogs.technet.com/steve_lamb/archive/2008/07/08/how-to-run-small-business-server-sbs-2008-on-a-machine-that-s-already-running-vista-xp.aspx

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    John> I don't know enough about Dynamic partitions - I've found them to be problematic but that's probably due to my lack of knowledge of them

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Sumit> that's unusual. Are you trying to do so through the "Computer Management" interface I've shown? Have you tried booting off a Vista/Server or XP installation disk and creating the partition from there?

  • Anonymous
    July 09, 2008
    Hi Steve, I have a 200GB hard disk with no partition. I tried partitioning through this and not able to shrink more than 6GB volume.

  • Anonymous
    July 09, 2008
    Steve is there a way to do this if you have made the disk Dynamic instead of Basic?? I have searched all over and not found a way.

  • Anonymous
    July 12, 2008
    Steve, I tried this using the  computer management interface as shown in your blog. I didn't use any installation disk for this. It only allows me to shrink 6GB volume and disables buttons if I enter more than 6GB. suggestions?

  • Anonymous
    August 03, 2008
    I am trying to find out what hard disk partioning is all about.  I have a basic understanding, but I don't know the true impact of why or why not this should be done.