Hello, I have Linux and Windows XP installed on the same computer. I have decided to uninstall Linux and merge the freed space with my Win partitions. I have two partitions one C: 14GB drive, which is in NTFS format, where Win XP is loaded and another D: FAT32 80GB.I will have about 20GB of freed space from Linux. Question: do you think PartitionMagic can merge this freed space with my C: NTFS drive without any problems? What if I want to add 10 GB to C: and 10GB to D:, do you think there might be any problems there? Tell me what you think, thank you.

Ilushka, Partition magic can merge the two partitions but you might have to format the fat32 partition and make it NTFS before anything can be done. Sincerely, Mr. Cheeks

isnt fat32 limited to 30-something gigs? Dont be like Johnny. Wear clothes.

I use Partition Magic a lot when playing with partitions too. Ilushka, I presume you already know how to use the software. If there aren't any important data in your ext partition, then go on and delete and format the partition to NTFS. I suggest you click apply after every task and not do multiple task at one time so as to save time. NTFS partitions have different cluster sizes and you have to match your C: partition with the new partition you're formatting so that you can merge the new partitions. The partition with WinXP would be a 4K cluster size, so you might want to resize the cluster of the newly created NTFS partition to 4K. You can also split the partition so that it would be 10gb-10gb. If the split option is not available, then resize might just do the trick. Resizing will be easy because you can just drag the size to the 10gb or so mark. After resizing, the other half might become an unformatted partition. Format it to FAT32 or whatever you want. If all goes well, merging the new 10GB NTFS partition to C: can either be easy, or you'd have to back up your C: drive. To merge the new NTFS partition to C:, right click on the new partition and select merge. A dialogue box will appear. Select something like "the new partition" becomes a folder of C: then provide a name for the folder below. Click ok. If everything continues, then there's the easy part. If an error emerges, this could be as close to impossible, except if you want to delete the C: partition again and reinstall WinXP. Before clicking on the apply button, be sure your files are safe in a different partition. To merge the two partitions, you'll have to delete the C: partition, then reformat it to NTFS with a 4K cluster size. Then that's the time you can merge the partitions. As to the FAT32 partitions, Partition Magic doesn't allow mergers other that NTFS partitions, so as what Mr. Cheeks said, you'd have to reformat them to NTFS with 4K cluster sizes. I hope this helps. This is all I can offer to you. The only computer that's safe is one that's shut down, unplugged, unwired, and buried six feet underground.

You cannot simply merge a fat32 and ntfs partitions you need to convert the fat32 drive to ntfs BUT the way i understand it you want to simply moved some of the free space you have created on that drive and not all of the partition. In order to do this you will need to resize your 80gb partition creating a partion to start before your existing 80Gb (this size will be smaller due to resizing ). Once you have created the free space you will then need to format it to ntfs after which you can merge it with your existing nts partition

Question: Do you think there might be any problems? Answer: Yes A lot of people do alright with PM but there are also a lot of people who come here and ask why their machine won't start after they use it. "NTLDR" not found is one of the errors when you are looking at an almost blank screen. Partition Magic is the lazy way to do it and might cause you a problem. If you have a dual boot you know how to do it the right way already, which might take some more time but it is safer. Although if you back up your stuff you can always try PM and then when/if it doesn't work you can always start from scratch then.

3 words of advice before you even contemplate playing with partitions. BACKUP ! BACKUP ! BACKUP !