BleepingComputer.com: Merging Partitions After Vista Removal

I created a new partition on my computer to install the Vista Beta. After a week of messing with it I decided I wanted it off. I was able to remove Vista and all of it's files but now I have an empty partition. I tried deleting the partition with PartitionMagic but it just becomes unallocated which is wasted space I can't use. Is there anyway I can merge or add the free space back on to my current drive. Thanks in advance.

Partition Magic is able to merge partitions - have you tried this? I'd do it one operation at a time (rather than combining them) because of past problems that I've had with it using combined operations.

usasma, on Nov 6 2006, 07:53 AM, said:

When I try to run the Mege Partition wizard, I get a pop up saying that "There are no partitions on this drive that can be merged." Am I doing something wrong here. Thanks again!

Probably because it's an unallocated partition. First partition the unallocated space, then format it, then merge it. It's been a while since I've done this - but I believe that the steps are:
1) unallocated space
2) allocate the space so that it can be formatted
3) format the space (same file system as the other partition)
4) merge the partitions

usasma, on Nov 7 2006, 08:19 AM, said:

Thanks again usama! I tried the above steps but I still get the same pop up. I'll try to look more into it. Here is a screenshot(hotlinking didn't work) of PartionMagic if it helps.

Thanks for the screenshot - it makes it much clearer!

In the box labelled C: you've got a 112,xxx mB partition that's about ½ used (52,xxx mB used, 60,xxx mB free)

In the little yellow box to the right of the C: box, you've got a 251 mB type 88 partition (I think it's a Linux partition), then to the right of that you've got a D: partition on an extended partition that's 1,5xx mB in size.

Adding these numbers says to me that you've got a 100 to 120 gB hard drive - is that correct? If so, then there's no unallocated space that I can see.

usasma, on Nov 8 2006, 09:31 AM, said:

Yes you are correct, I have a 120GB HD. But I am wondering if there is anyway to get rid of the D: drive and add the freespace on that back to my C: drive. The D: drive currently has nothing on it, so I wanted that space back on my C: drive if possible. If not then, I could just use up the drive for something else. Thanks again for the help!

I'd imagine that you'll have to delete the D: drive/partition and then make it unallocated before you can merge it into the other partition. Probably the same thing with the type 88 partition also (you can't merge. This sort of operation is possible in PM - but I haven't used it in so long that I'm a bit out of touch.

But, to gain only 1.5 gB? IMO it's just not worth the effort right now - that's only 1/100th of your drive - and you're only using about half of the drive now.

By the time you need that 1.5 gB, you'll probably want another drive. I've got a 36 gB and a 74 gB drive on my system - and they're less than half full. I've also got a 500 gB USB drive for storing my backups - and that's only about 10% full (but it'll fill rapidly as I start imaging more systems).