Unpartition System harddrive help

Help needed:


I have a 120g harddrive that is partitioned. One partition is my C-drive with Windows XP installed on it. The second partition on the harddrive is misc files, which I have moved to another harddrive.

I also have a 2nd 160g harddrive, D-drive, that has nothing on it at the moment.

I would like to have as precise as possible, step by step instructions on how to un-partition the C-drive and put Windows XP back on it, without reinstalling Windows XP, if possible.

I kind of have an idea on how to do it, just not sure of how to do it, if you know what I mean.

I know I have to backup the Windows XP system from the C-drive. What is a good easy to use product for the backup and where to go from there, i am not sure of.

Any help would be appreciated.


Thanks,
RwsRichard

 

You can use the HDD manufactures free utility to copy/transfer a bootable image (your OS) from one HDD to another, then format/partition then use the utility to copy your OS back to the drive.

Other software that can resize your HDD is Partition magic, not free though

This might work, it's free http://majorgeeks.com/Partition_Resizer_d4701.html

 

Thanks ASUS.

Maxtor came with a CD, but the copy function could not copy over 15,000 files of the 120,000 files to the new harddrive. And it would not copy the boot info.

Partition Magic and I have NEVER got along. I or it 'bricks' every harddrive I put it on. So I try to stay away from it.

I just tried using xcopy and scopy, but neither one copied over the boot info and a bunch of other file, either.

After trying Maxtor, xcopy and scopy the system did not recognize the fact that I have two bootable harddrives, even though both drives are active.

I will give Partition Resizer a try. This is SOOOOOO complicated.

RwsRichard

 

An update on my problem. The problem has been solved.

I had to reformat the new harddrive and re-instal EVERYTHING from scratch.

What a pain in the arse.

I even bought Norton Ghost, which was 'supposed' to be able to make a bootable re-install on a dvd(s)/cd(s), BUT I never got it to work correctly.

I guess, after doing this literally a couple hundred times, that I would/could figure out a better way to do it, but since it 'seems' that all software 'requires' windows to work, you have to do things the hard way.

In other words, format new harddrive into NTFS using Windows XP, install Windows XP, then TRY to re-install your old Windows XP system and working software over your newly installed Windows XP system. All I EVER get is ERRORS.

Anyways, thanks for all those that tried to help me out. I appreciate it.



RwsRichard