Expanding my XP partition sans Linux & Solaris

[Red_Cloud]

Years ago I partitioned my HD and installed XP, Linux, and Solaris. I used the bootloader that was supplied with the Solaris OS. Now, I would like to do away with the partitions that house Linux and Solaris and expand the partition in which XP resides.

How can this be done without losing everything that I have in my XP OS?

Regards,

Red_Cloud

Edited June 28, 2009 by Red_Cloud

[Ponch]

You can use GPartEd from bootable CD or USB drive. I'm not sure about what will happen with your Solaris boot loader but you won't loose data. Get back here for any problem booting.

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

Years ago I partitioned my HD and installed XP, Linux, and Solaris. I used the bootloader that was supplied with the Solaris OS. Now, I would like to do away with the partitions that house Linux and Solaris and expand the partition in which XP resides.

How can this be done without losing everything that I have in my XP OS?

Regards,

Red_Cloud

Ponch is exactly right about GPartEd. This is probably the most versatile software for modifying existing partitions from multiple File Systems. As stated, it is actually booted from its own media containing its own OS. It is very powerful.

Alternatively, this is an opportunity to kill several birds with one stone. If you feel like upgrading to a newer/larger Hard Disk you can use the disc that comes with (or is downloaded) for a new HDD and temporarily slave the new one in the computer, boot with this disc, carefully follow the Cloning instructions and you will eventually get to some software dialogs that are similar to GPartEd allowing you to resize the partitions (grow/shrink/keep same) to use up all the space on the new larger HDD any way you choose.

At the end of the procedure you will have ...

1) accomplished your goal of wiping those partitions

2) a newer, larger harddrive (and reset the MTBF counter)

3) a failsafe drop-in spare HDD (with your multiple OS's)

4) reset the guarantee (certain new drives like Seagate have 5-year warranty)

5) possibly improved performance (depending on the age of the existing HDD)

The reason I mention all this is that hard drives are cheap and fast and it is nice insurance to tuck the previous one away, just in case. For your purposes you would always have that perfectly bootable XP/Linux/Solaris HDD sitting around in case you needed to fire one of them up again for some reason.

P.S. On Seagate drives the software is called DiscWizard which is a lite version of Acronis TrueImage. Note: I do not work for Seagate! I just offer the same suggestions I would give to any customer that walks into my shop! Hope it helps.