2

I have an HP dv6 laptop which came with 4 primary partitions:

  1. System Reserved Partition
  2. C: (contains OS)
  3. Recovery Partition
  4. HP_Tools

Now I want to create a new partition (primary) for putting my data in it, as of now all the data is in C:/.

Question:

Can I convert C:/ to a logical partition, so that I can create a new Primary partition for putting data in it? If I do so, will Windows 7 boot from system reserved partition?

Here is the snapshot of my harddrive:

enter image description here

I am using Windows 7

6
  • Anybody who knows the answer? Jan 19, 2014 at 14:50
  • You are going to run into an issue. Your disk is a MBR disk which means you already have the max number of partitions created. Most people keep their data on a single partition. The reason HP didn't do it in this case is more then likely the system didn't ship with a GPT disk.
    – Ramhound
    Jan 19, 2014 at 18:50
  • @Ramhound If you mean that he can only create four partitions and he has four.. then try to read his question. He asked "Can I convert C:/ to a logical partition, so that I can create a new Primary partition for putting data in it? If I do so, will Windows 7 boot from system reserved partition?"</i> And, If he has 4 primary partitions and converts a primary to a logical(or rather, an extended and a logical), then he's not going to be looking at 5 primary partitions is he! It's not going to be more than four.
    – barlop
    Jan 22, 2014 at 21:32
  • @barlop - Thanks for the information, I don't agree, but willing to accept your feedback on my comment.
    – Ramhound
    Jan 22, 2014 at 21:34
  • 1
    @Ramhound Look if you have 4 primary partitions. P,P,P,P and you convert one to a logical call it L. That's creation of an extended partition and one or some logical partitions. P,P,P,E,L There are not more than four primary partitions there. He had 4 and if he does the conversion he would have 3. Neither of those are >4! Also see superuser.com/questions/368173/… You can have 4 primary partitions, or 3 primary partitions and one extended partition containing any number of logical partitions.
    – barlop
    Jan 22, 2014 at 21:40

2 Answers 2

1

No. Converting the C: partition to logical, assuming that to be possible, means replacing its entry in the MBR partition table with an "extended" partition entry. This does not free up another entry in the partition table (4 entries only!) so you can make a new primary partition for data.

1
  • This is correct. Simple and correct. Sep 5, 2023 at 23:19
0

See "Method Two" from this guide:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/146694-partition-extended-logical-drives.html

added by barlop
Looking at that webpage, that webpage lists two things, creating a partition with diskpart which it calls "method 1". But what you want, is under "Method 2" on that webpage, it mentions how to convert primary to logical. It says to use Partition Wizard which can be bootable CD here or bootable USB here. I haven't tried it but I see from that webpage It lists partitions, it doesn't list "convert" under operations, but it can convert- you can right click the partition choose "modify" then "set partition as logical" and that does it. It can also "set partition as primary". And it mentions that you can run diskmgmt.msc as administrative, and right click a partition and choose "shrink volume" or "extend volume" (no doubt non-destructively and no doubt it does likewise with the partition and not just the volume within the partition.).

There is also a note on that page which i'll describe here, you need an active primary partition to boot from. On a windows 7 system the active primary partition is called "system reserved" and is 100MB/200MB (as opposed to the C partition). On XP there is no "system reserved partition" and the active partition is typically C.

4
  • @barlop So if I make C:/ drive to logical which in my case is "Boot, page file, primary partition", I will still be able to boot in to Windows 7? Am I right? Jan 20, 2014 at 9:33
  • @UmerFarooq I suppose if it's logical it'd be inside an extended. If you're terribly worried then back up beforehand but I think you'll find it's all reversible anyway. Remember besides partitioning, XP had bootcfg /rebuild.. Win 7 has its equivalent (seems to be bootrec.exe). And these operations are extremely quick to do. So if you become "screwed", you shouldn't be screwed for too long. It's a matter of making the right partition primary and active (Seems the reserved one in 7's case) then (if need be) making sure that can see all the others. bootrec.exe /fixboot bootrec.exe /fixmbr
    – barlop
    Jan 20, 2014 at 16:21
  • I haven't done it in years and haven't done it with win7. but it's no big deal.
    – barlop
    Jan 20, 2014 at 16:24
  • There is no esay way to convert a primary partition to a logical. This would mean reducing the partition in order to insert an extending partition header with a sort of little partition table inside which points to your partition. It is not a matter of simple flag adjustment in the partition table. Oct 16, 2021 at 15:34

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .