Hard drive problem

Simon · Jul 04, 2011, 11:39:40

A friend has a hard drive where Windows is on the C partition, and Documents on the D partition. Windows is knackered, and the C drive is so full that it has less than 200mb disc space left, and the computer basically won't function.

Would booting from a Linux CD enable them to recover their data on the D partition, to an external hard drive? If so, how exactly is this done?

Alternatively, could they boot from a Windows CD, delete the C partition and reinstall Windows, without putting the data on D drive at risk? Could they also expand the C partition this way, and again, would this put their data at risk?

I'm not getting involved with this one, other than to offer advice!

zappaDPJ · Jul 04, 2011, 11:53:53

If the data is important, I would probably replace the drive, install Windows on the new drive and then put back the original as a second drive. You should be able to copy off the data partition as files.

JB · Jul 04, 2011, 12:22:34

Quote from: Simon on Jul 04, 2011, 11:39:40
I'm not getting involved with this one, other than to offer advice!

I would boot Puppy Linux from a CD or USB stick. It's a super little system with a decent file manager. If he boots with an external USB hard drive connected Puppy should mount that and it will also see the files on the old d: partition.

It should then just be a case of copying the docs from there on to the external drive.

I've used this method to retrieve files from old HD's, some of which didn't have an OS on them at all.

HTH.

Simon · Jul 04, 2011, 12:28:45

Thanks guys, both useful suggestions.

JB, have you got a link to Puppy, please?

Steve · Jul 04, 2011, 12:43:08

They may need someone else to download it

Simon · Jul 04, 2011, 12:51:35

I know!

pctech · Jul 04, 2011, 12:53:15

Removing the C partition should not affect a data partition at all.

kinmel · Jul 04, 2011, 12:53:35

Quote from: Simon on Jul 04, 2011, 12:28:45
Thanks guys, both useful suggestions.

JB, have you got a link to Puppy, please?

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/puppy-linux-on-usb/

Simon · Jul 04, 2011, 12:55:52

Cheers, Alan. So, they boot from the CD, and it just works?

pctech · Jul 04, 2011, 13:18:59

If both partitions are primary then there's no need

Simon · Jul 04, 2011, 13:21:20

No need for what, Mitch?

pctech · Jul 04, 2011, 13:22:52

To boot from Linux

Simon · Jul 04, 2011, 13:26:10

Sorry, Mitch, I didn't see your previous post. I cant see the point in simply reloading Windows on the existing partition, as it's only 20gb, so they'll soon end up back where they are now. If the C drive was expanded, with the D drive still present (this is one physical hard drive), would that not risk data loss?

Steve · Jul 04, 2011, 14:32:51

Yes

Simon · Jul 04, 2011, 14:40:57

Thought so.

kinmel · Jul 04, 2011, 14:55:32

Boot from puppy linux to a desktop

run Gparted partitioning tool to reduce "D" and then increase the size of "c" - wait ages and then re-install Windows onto the C partition, the D will remain unaltered in any way

or copy D off onto another media and then install windows to the whole drive and create any other new partitions where you want them later

Simon · Jul 04, 2011, 14:59:17

Option 2 seems preferable, Alan, as it would give them the chance to be selective. There's a lot of stuff they don't need, and it's only really photos and music which is essential.

JB · Jul 04, 2011, 16:29:29

Quote from: Simon on Jul 04, 2011, 12:28:45
Thanks guys, both useful suggestions.

JB, have you got a link to Puppy, please?

Sorry, been away for the day. I see that Alan has given a very comprehensive overview.

I always keep an old 1Gb pen drive with Puppy Linux on it and it includes the Gparted disk partitioner/re-sizer. It's a valuable stick to take to any friend's problematic computer.

pctech · Jul 04, 2011, 18:23:46

Not sure how big the disk itself is but I currently run XP on a 130GB partition on a 250GB drive.

Simon · Jul 04, 2011, 18:32:46

I think that's probably excessive for their needs, Mitch. I think it's a 250mb disc, and I was going to extend the Windows partition to 60gb, with Documents on the rest. They are also buying a 500gb backup external drive.

gizmo71 · Jul 04, 2011, 20:33:31

Quote from: Simon on Jul 04, 2011, 18:32:46
I think it's a 250mb disc

I've spotted the deliberate mistake and I claim the five pounds.

Simon · Jul 04, 2011, 21:36:23

I've never understood that.

Lance · Jul 04, 2011, 22:58:01

I had a 250mb (or there abouts) HDD in 1994 - I was 8 years old and it was our first pc.

Simon · Jul 04, 2011, 23:21:28

Ahh!!

The penny got stuck in the slot there - now it's dropped.

I thought you were saying the 'm' should have been capitalised, but indeed, it should have been a 'g'.

Lance · Jul 04, 2011, 23:29:37

Simon · Jul 07, 2011, 12:24:16

I'm having trouble with this. I've loaded Puppy, and can see all the drives in the Gparted window. It will let me reduce the size of the D (Documents) drive, but it won't let me increase the size of the C (boot) drive, only reduce it, which is the opposite of what I want to do. Any help?

Ray · Jul 07, 2011, 12:35:00

Simon, I think you'll need to reduce the size of the D partition first to create some unallocated space to expand the C partition into.

Lance · Jul 07, 2011, 13:11:49

And I thought you were only acting in a advisory role!

Ray · Jul 07, 2011, 13:18:30

It's always the way, Lance, you end up doing it for them!

Simon · Jul 07, 2011, 13:24:46

I did that first, Ray, but it still wouldn't do it. As they'ed back up, I ended up deleting the D partition, then it allowed me to resize C. All was fine, but now, after initially connecting, it won't connect to the web via the Ethernet cable, but other devices can connect wirelessly. It says "Acquiring network address", but fails, and then I get "Limited or no connectivity."

Steve · Jul 07, 2011, 14:04:03

Your're on to problem number 2 now

Glenn · Jul 07, 2011, 14:09:16

I thought you wasn't going to get involved.

Ray · Jul 07, 2011, 14:10:03

kinmel · Jul 07, 2011, 16:37:43

Try this..........

Start> Run> " Cmd.exe " > " ipconfig /renew " to clear the network connection settings, re-boot if necessary

Simon · Jul 07, 2011, 19:33:46

It turned out to be a faulty router, Alan. Wireless was fine, but the Ethernet connection had failed. They now have my spare 2700 on loan, and that works fine, except that we have now discovered the machine has multiple viruses, and Windows is shot, so it's all going to be reinstalled.

MisterW · Jul 07, 2011, 20:37:26

QuoteSimon, I think you'll need to reduce the size of the D partition first to create some unallocated space to expand the C partition into.

For future reference what you needed to do was:-

Reduce the size of the D partition, then move it right to occupy the free space now created after the D partition. This will leave free space after the C Partition and thus allow you to expand it into that free space.

It will take a while though...

Simon · Jul 07, 2011, 21:23:14

Ahh... I wondered what the moving thing was about. I think that's where I slipped up.

MisterW · Jul 08, 2011, 07:06:38

Yep, you can only expand a partition into free space to the right of it. I'm pretty sure you can move a partition either way into free space but it does take a long time for reasonable ( > 100Gb ) size partition.

kinmel · Jul 08, 2011, 07:21:38

Quote from: Simon on Jul 07, 2011, 21:23:14
Ahh... I wondered what the moving thing was about. I think that's where I slipped up.

Sorry my instructions missed that bit, I always resize and then move as one operation and forgot they are actually separate.

Simon · Jul 08, 2011, 07:27:01

No worries, Alan, it worked out OK in the end.