Best way to move a partition

What is the BEST - and SAFEST - method/software/etc. to move a partition located on one hard drive to free space on another hard drive? Is it possible to retain the partition drive letter during the move?

Thanks,

Dekade

 

The answer depends very much on what the partition contains. If it contains an operating system don't even think about it, but if it just contains data files then you could create a new partition on the drive with free space and just copy the contents across. Drive letters can always be changed by using Disk Management. You may need a disk management program to do this, try Partition Wizard

 

Thanks Earthling,

My intention is to transfer a partition located on a 750GB drive to a newly defined partition located on a 1TB HDD. Everything is data. Preparing environment to install a new SSD for Win7Pro OS and soon to come Windows 10 install. Thus, getting 750GB ready for programs that experience non frequent use. Five or six constant usage programs will go on Samsung 850 Pro 256GB SSD.

 

You have bags of room on a 256GB SSD for Windows and all the programs you are ever likely to need. In fact you could dual boot two or more such setups and still have masses of room. The trick is to move all your personal stuff off of the SSD and onto a spinner, just leaving Windows and your software on the SSD. This makes for small and therefore quick system images and safeguards your personal files if the system drive ever has a problem.

 

Thanks again Earthling,

I feel that I am not making myself clear though on my desired process.

I'll try again.

1. I have a partition {named drive L:} located on a 750GB HDD drive. This partition {named drive L:} contains ALL of my data. It does not contain any programs or OS.
2. I have a second HDD which is 1TB. On this 1TB HDD I have created an unallocated partition.
3. I have purchased a Samsung 850 Pro 256GB SSD.
4. I will be doing a fresh install of Win 7 PROFESSIONAL onto the new SSD. I will also be putting a handful of my most used programs onto the new SSD. I do not plan on partitioning the SSD.
5. I want to move "drive L:" from the 750GB HDD and place it onto the unallocated space on the 1TB HDD. I want to retain (if possible) the same drive letter L:
6. I will then take the empty space on the 750GB HDD and install all of my minor usage software onto it.
7. Maybe I am doing a lot of extra stuff but here is why I am doing it: I want the new SSD to remain as pristine as possible and only contain what is most important to me (the OS and some software). If the OS on the SSD ever crashes then I will have a small clone or image to restore. I plan on making the clone or image before I ever start using the software or the OS on the SSD. That way - I am hoping for a really clean and small clone or image for future problems that may arise.
8. I also plan on upgrading to Windows 10 for free when it is released.
9. I have never cloned or imaged a drive before and certainly wish I would have. Now I understand the benefit after reinstalling an OS and software several times in the past 5 years. YUK.
   [*]That all said - what is the best way/software/process etc. to get named drive L: from the 750GB HDD onto the 1TB HDD? That's the initial focus of this thread.

Thanks for any further assistance from anyone,

Kind regards,

Dekade

 

I've read what you have to say Dekade but your plan is based on a misunderstanding of how system images work. Keep Windows and ALL software on the same partition/drive and, especially with SSDs, keep all data on a separate drive. If you do as I recommend there wouldn't be any need to move your L partition but as I said you can change a drive's letter at any time using Disk Management. You can also attach more meaningful names to drives and partitions rather than just using drive letters.

 

So, in your opinion then, it is not necessarily a threat to have tons of software on the same disk? I was assuming that the more software there was then the greater the chance for the registry to get corrupted thus slowing down the computer. I always led myself to believe that the registry was more than likely the main culprit in a slow running machine/OS. Thus I felt that if I kept my main drive simple and sweet then the better off my registry would be. However, it just came to my mind that no matter what disk the software is on; the software programs still are in the same registry as the SSD that contains my OS and 'so called preferred software programs'.

I would also like an opinion on when to image or clone a OS drive. Should it be done after the OS is first installed, after all software has been installed, or after using the entire setup a while. My fear of cloning or imaging (or rather when I do it) is that I am cloning or imaging registry problems - which I do not want on a reinstall.

I'm probably confused about imaging or cloning in the first place. All I know is that I am sick and tired of reinstalling software for the 3 times I have done so in the last 5 or 6 years. Thus I want to learn how to prevent that nightmare; should it ever arise; especially when I get my new SSD.

 

I'd say "yes" to all three options. If you create images at each of those points, then you will have more to choose from if you want to do a restore.
Keep those first two or three images so you will always have those to fall back on. You will be making new images on weekly, bi-weekly or monthly intervals.
You could create a separate partition for backups on either of those hard drives. You should have plenty of room.
I use a 250GB partition with separate folders for file backups and images.
AOMEI BackUpper and Macrium Reflect are two good free imaging programs.

Don't be overly concerned about a corrupt registry. That's not likely to happen. Windows 7 is very stable.

 

The software that Earthling mentioned can handle that.

MiniTool Help: Move/Resize Partition

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mjnc,

Thanks a bunch for the reassurances. This will make my process less stressful.

Dekade

 

Best advice I can offer is to get stuck into imaging like you mean it. That really means creating an image and restoring it successfully, as the first time you pull it off you get a flood of relief, not only that it worked but at the guarantee you now have that you will never have to reinstall again unless you want to. Knowing you can restore your system any time you like is far better than any sleeping pill

Many ppl are put off by the time imaging can take but if you keep your personal files off the system drive, as you do, then typically it only takes about 15 minutes to back up your system to a hard drive, no big deal. Restoring takes about the same.

If you hesitate to go the whole hog and prefer not to restore your image, for fear you may have done something wrong, then at least do a dummy restore right up to the point where you could give it the go-ahead and then stop right there. You have then proved that your rescue CD works and that you know how to find your image and point it at the drive it has to be restored to. You don't want to be finding out how when you have to restore for real.

I image all the computers here regularly, at least once a month, but the only older image I hang onto would be one taken shortly after a fresh install, activated and with any licensed softwares already installed. Other than that I usually retain images covering the last three months.

Let us know how you get on

 

Thanks Earthling,

I just got done with a fresh OS install onto the new SSD. I am now adding programs and operating from the SSD some on a daily basis. I will be getting at a chosen software for imaging in a few days. I have a diversified enough setup that I can probably go ahead and do an actual restore onto a spare hard drive to see how it works out. I'll try to remember to let the forum know the end results/satisfaction/success, etc.

Thanks again for the responses from forum members to this thread. Any further tips will always be appreciated.

Dekade