Extending a partition to unallocated space on the LEFT

[Sharky.]

I need to extend my Win7 partition due to a lack of free space (thanks to rFactor and mods...) into the 50 GB unallocated block immediately to the left of it. I know that Windows will only extend to the right, and my unallocated block is on the left. Is there any way I can move this chunk to the right of Win7 - thus enabling me to extend my Win7 partition by 50 GB - without losing any data? Or is there some tool that can extend partitions to the left?

I know I should've taken the max amount off my Vista partition when setting up 7, as 7 was and is always going to be my primary OS on this computer...

If push comes to shove, I *could* wipe the 7 partition, resize it and then reinstall 7, but I don't want to do that. (I would be able to reuse my activation key on a fresh install, right?)

 

[Sharky.]

As an alternative solution, would I be able to (temporarily) triple-boot Vista and TWO Windows 7s, using the unallocated 50 GB as a new 7 partition, removing the existing 7 partition afterwards, and extending into this now-free space? I know I'd have to reinstall all my programs, but that's not too much trouble.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Why not just format the 50GB and use it for programs?

It would probably be the least risky.

 

[Sharky.]

Good point, but not all programs like being run off a different partition (Photoshop springs to mind).

edit: And Windows won't create a primary partition from the 50 GB, it'll only make an extended one

 

[Casio]

Partition Magic.

EDIT: Wait you can't use it in Vista. That's a shame cause it was the ****.

 

[Eric.]

If you have some sort of disk imaging software you could clone that Windows 7 partition, erase both it and that unallocated 50GB space, make your new partition, and then restore that cloned partition right where you're wanting it. Otherwise, you can't move that partition to the left.

 

[wfooshee]

Good point, but not all programs like being run off a different partition (Photoshop springs to mind).

edit: And Windows won't create a primary partition from the 50 GB, it'll only make an extended one

Because you already have 3 primary partitions, the max.

I would rather have the partition as a single space rather than be extended into it, so imaging the 7 partition and removing it, giving a contiguous unallocated space to restore to would be my preference. I don't know what to tell you to use for that, though, as I don't know any freebie stuff that does like the likes of Acronis.

As for making a separate program or data volume out of it, not much would be accomplished other than easily accessing the space. Programs that prefer a separate work dirve and program drive do so for performance reasons, and you get the performance from multiple spindles. Using multiple partitions on the same drive would probably actually reduce performance.

BTW, how did you get this hole in the drive, anyway?

 

[Sharky.]

Because you already have 3 primary partitions, the max.

Google says four.

BTW, how did you get this hole in the drive, anyway?

I cut 50 gig off my Vista partition. Hence the "hole" between my partitions.

This is all due to rFactor, by the way. The folder's up to something around 15 gig

 

[wfooshee]

I think (but I'm not infallible, as much as I want people to believe I am) that you can have four partitions, but only 3 primary partitions, the fourth must be an extended partition, which can carry multiple logical volumes.