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ACRONIS PARTITIONEXPERT 2003 User Manual

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PartitionExpert 2003
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  • Page 1 User’s Guide PartitionExpert 2003 Compute with confidence www.acronis.com...
  • Page 2 Copyright © SWsoft, 2000–2002. All rights reserved. Windows and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks and copyrights referred to are the property of their re- spective owners. Distribution of substantively modified versions of this document is prohibited without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Table of Contents ....................5 NTRODUCTION 1. I ........... 7 HAPTER NSTALLATION UNNING ’ ................. 7 NCLUDED ..............7 YSTEM EQUIREMENTS ..............7 NSTALLATION ROCESS ........8 PGRADING CRONIS ARTITION XPERT ..............8 EMOVING OFTWARE ................9 NTERFACE ......9 EFORE CRONIS ARTITION...
  • Page 4 4.1.11 C ................55 LEARING A HARD DISK .......... 57 DDITIONAL ARTITION PERATIONS 4.2.1 C ..............57 HANGING PARTITION LETTER 4.2.2 C ..............58 ONVERTING A FILE SYSTEM 4.2.3 H .................59 IDING A PARTITION 4.2.4 U ................60 NHIDING A PARTITION 4.2.5 S ..............61 ETTING ACTIVE PARTITION 4.2.6 R ..................62...

  • Page 5: Introduction

    Introduction What is Acronis PartitionExpert Acronis PartitionExpert is a hard disk partition manager, enabling you to: • Create hard disk partitions, • Resize and move them without data loss and destruction, • Convert partitions to other file systems without data loss, •...
  • Page 6 Guide. Software use conditions The conditions of Acronis PartitionExpert use are listed in the supplied «Li- cense Agreement». To be able to prove that you legally purchased and use Acronis PartitionExpert, you receive a registration card along with the pack- age.

  • Page 7: Chapter 1. Installation And Running

    Thoroughly follow all instructions. Having answered all installer questions, Acronis PartitionExpert files will be copied to the hard disk, and you'll be prompted to create Acronis PartitionExpert bootable diskettes or a CD (pass this step if you pur- chased PartitionExpert on a bootable CD).

  • Page 8: Upgrading Acronis Partitionexpert

    Recover/Update Acronis PartitionExpert and click Next. All Acronis PartitionExpert files will be copied to your hard disk again to restore the software. Software upgrades (with certain bug fixes) may be downloaded freely from Acronis website: http://www.acronis.com/ support/updates/. Removing Software...

  • Page 9: User Interface

    If you regularly work with Windows or X Window applications, you should not en- counter any problems with the Acronis PartitionExpert interface. While working with Acronis PartitionExpert software, a user deals with a se- quence of dialogs, in which he/she selects one further action, of several pos- sible, by setting switches to the necessary position or choosing a value from a list, or marking the necessary partitions or disks for work.

  • Page 10: Running Acronis Partitionexpert

    PC. Running Acronis PartitionExpert for the first time Having run Acronis PartitionExpert for the first time, you will be prompted to choose if you want to work in the Automatic Mode or in the Manual Mode.

  • Page 11: Chapter 2. Beginning The Work

    Chapter 2. Beginning The Work Acronis PartitionExpert Logical Organization Acronis PartitionExpert provides two operation modes (see 1.8 «Running Ac- ronis PartitionExpert» — «Running Acronis PartitionExpert»): • «Automatic partition operations» mode is designed for the most frequent operations suitable for most users.

  • Page 12: Acronis Partitionexpert Main Window

    Acronis PartitionExpert Main Window Acronis PartitionExpert is controlled through the main window. It includes the menu, toolbar, disk and partition tree (shown/hidden through the View menu), and represents the computer disk and partition list. The main window appearance differs depending on the selected operation mode (see 2.1 «Acronis PartitionExpert Logical Organization»).

  • Page 13: Disk And Partition Information

    Partition creation, free space, and copy wizards automatically recog- nize unallocated disk space. Acronis PartitionExpert main window, Manual Mode 2.2.1 Disk and partition information The main window shows the partition’s disk number, assigned letter, label, type, status, size, free space size, and file system.

  • Page 14: Customizing The Main Window Appearance

    2.2.2 Customizing the main window appearance You can customize the main window appearance as you would like using the View menu — in particular to show or hide window elements like sidebar, parti- tion and disk tree, toolbars, etc. The partition and disk tree in the main window Calling Partition Operations All partition operations in both modes are called and executed similarly.

  • Page 15: Additional Operations

    FAT16, Linux Ext2/Ext3 partition context menu contains Advanced Change Bytes per INODE. 2.3.3 Invoking Acronis PartitionExpert wizards Acronis PartitionExpert wizards are invoked from the Wizards submenu and the same sidebar list. For example, select Wizards Create Partition for the parti- tion creation wizard. Partition Operation Properties 2.4.1...

  • Page 16: Pending Operations

    Pending operations All Acronis PartitionExpert operations are pending, that is they are performed later, when you are completely sure they are necessary. Until then Acronis PartitionExpert will only show the new partition structure that is provided by operations to be performed.

  • Page 17: Undoing User Actions

    User entries are necessary operation parameters on the wizard or dialog box pages. One user action in Acronis PartitionExpert enables you to plan a whole list of partition operations. For example, calling a wizard for partition creation or re- sizing.

  • Page 18: Wizard Operations

    Redo All. 2.4.7 Wizard operations Pending partition operations, created by Acronis PartitionExpert wizards, differ in that a user must provide a list of operation parameters to perform it. Each pa- rameter is entered on a separate wizard page. Entering operation parameters, you change wizard pages using Back and Next buttons until you reach the Preview page with the Finish button.

  • Page 19: Protecting Acronis Partition Expert Witha Password

    Undo Last Action. Acronis PartitionExpert shows the wizard and its results as a user action by creating the list of operations. Any pending actions can be fully undone by any of mentioned methods, i.e. pressing Undo Last Action will undo a user action and all operations, planned by the wizard.
  • Page 20 New Password and Confirm New Password fields in the Set Password window, Click OK to enable password protection. Please Note: If you protected Acronis PartitionExpert with a password and forgot it, you will have to uninstall PartitionExpert by selecting Programs Acronis...

  • Page 21: Chapter 3. Automatic Partition Operations

    Chapter 3. Automatic Partition Operations In the «Automatic partition operations» mode Acronis PartitionExpert enables you to perform the following typical partition operations: • Create a new partition, • Increase partition free space, • Copy a partition. These operations are performed with wizards, enabling to enter operation parameters step-by-step and return to any step as needed.
  • Page 22 Partition creation method selection window The partition creation wizard provides the following operations: If you want to create a partition using unallocated disk space: Set the switch to Unallocated space. The wizard will offer to create a partition on the largest unallocated area. For example, if you have 5.0 GB and 12.0 GB unallocated areas, the wizard will offer to create a partition on 12.0 GB area.
  • Page 23 On the next wizard page select partition type — Active (Active Pri- mary), Primary or Logical. Typically Primary is selected to install an operating system to a parti- tion. If the partition is for data storage, select Logical. Select Active, if you want to install an operating system on this parti- tion to boot at startup.
  • Page 24 At startup, an operating system assigns letters (C:, D:,…) to partitions. These letters are used by applications and the operating system to lo- cate files on partitions. For example, C:\Program Files\Acronis\Partition Expert\PartitionExpert.exe. See also Appendix B «Glossary» — «Letter (of a drive, partition)».
  • Page 25 Create, delete, move partition operations, as well as hiding/unhiding a partition and direct letter change may result in problems running appli- cations, opening files (as some shortcuts become unusable) or booting an operating system. Therefore performing partition operations, you must be careful and remember that each operating system works differently with partition letters.
  • Page 26 Windows NT/2000/XP Windows NT/2000/XP operating systems initial letter assignment is done automatically: in Windows NT 3.x it's similar to Windows 95, and in Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 2000/XP — similar to Windows 95OSR/98. Windows NT 4.0 does not support FAT32, but assigns let- ters to such partitions.
  • Page 27 Clicking Finish on this page to make Acronis PartitionExpert create a pending operation for new partition creation, (your actions may only modify an existing operation as well. See 2.4.5 «Modifying pend- ing operations»). The new partition structure will be graphically represented in Acronis PartitionExpert main window.
  • Page 28 The window of existing partition selection to create a new partition By creating a partition using the free space of other partitions, Acronis PartitionExpert can collect it in such a way so the final partition size is not smaller than 110% of data-occupied space.
  • Page 29 If you do not select a partition to take space from on the Select Parti- tions wizard page and there is no unallocated disk space, you will see an error message: Error message of deficient disk space for partition creation In this case you will have to return to the previous wizard page and se- lect a partition to take the necessary space from.

  • Page 30: Increasing Partition Free Space

    Clicking Finish on the last wizard page allows Acronis PartitionExpert to create a pending operation list for new partition creation (these ac- tions may only modify an existing operation as well. See 2.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»). The list will include not only the operation of partition creation itself, but also operations of partition resize for creating a new partition.
  • Page 31 If you need to increase partition free space (size): Run the increase free space wizard by selecting Wizards Increase free space or a similar item in the Wizards sidebar list or by clicking Increase free space on a partition on the toolbar, On the Select Partition To Increase wizard page select a partition that you want to enlarge, Selecting a partition to increase free space...

  • Page 32: Copying Partitions

    The new partition structure will be graphically represented in the Acronis PartitionExpert main window. Similar to creating a new partition (see 3.1 «Creating A New Partition»), Acronis PartitionExpert considers the results of partition free space increase as a single com- plex operation that can be undone only as a whole.
  • Page 33 May we again recommend our backup solution — Acronis TrueImage. It enables you to create a backup (image) of a partition and/or entire hard disk in a compressed archive file, while allowing comments password protection. http://www.acronis.com/products/trueimage/). The copy partition wizard will let you create a partition copy on the selected disk space.
  • Page 34 On the next Partition Location wizard page a record of copied partition parameters will be created (Copy of Win98(C:) on the figure below). The page for selecting a disk location for partition copy You will have to select a copy location on one of the disks, among ex- isting partition.
  • Page 35 The figure below shows the result of locating a partition copy after clicking after PROGRAM(J:) partition. You can locate a copy anywhere on your disk(s). The copy partition wizard will automatically perform all necessary operations, even if it has to resize or move other partitions! The selected disk might lack space for a copy.
  • Page 36 If you do not select a partition to be partly used as the copy location on the Select Partitions wizard page and there is no (or not enough) unallocated disk space, you will see an error message: Error message showing not enough disk space for a partition copy In this case the wizard will prompt you to select a partition to take some space from.
  • Page 37 By copying a partition at the expense of existing partition free space, Acronis PartitionExpert can take the partition space to make sure that partition size is not smaller than 110% of data-occupied space. On the next Partition Type wizard page you can select partition copy type: Active, Primary and Logical.
  • Page 38 The new partition structure will be graphically represented in Acronis PartitionExpert main window. Copied partition in Acronis PartitionExpert main window Chapter 3 : Automatic Partition Operations...

  • Page 39: Chapter 4. Manual Partition Operations

    Chapter 4. Manual Partition Operations Unlike the «Automatic partition operations» mode (see 2.1) the «Manual parti- tion operations» mode is intended for experienced users only, and offers much wider operation lists. Manual operation parameters are entered in the dialog boxes. To execute a partition operation, you select Operations Commit or click (Commit Pending Operations).
  • Page 40 If you need to create a new disk partition: Select hard disk and unallocated space in Acronis PartitionExpert main window; Create a new partition button will become available on the toolbar, and Create Partition operation — on the sidebar and in the context menu;...

  • Page 41: Copying A Partition To Unallocated Disk Space

    Created partition parameters window By clicking OK, you add the pending operation of new partition creation. The new partition structure will be graphically represented in Acronis PartitionExpert main window. Creating a partition in unallocated disk space in Windows 95/98/Me can change the order of letters, assigned to other partitions.
  • Page 42 If you need to copy a partition: Select a hard disk and a partition to copy. Data (K:) partition of the hard disk 2 is selected for copying on the figure below. Selecting a partition to copy Execute partition copy operation by selecting Disk Copy or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list or by clicking Copy the selected...
  • Page 43 Acronis PartitionExpert will automatically compare the size of a copied partition and disk free space as shown in the Copy Partition window. Only the free space on disk 2 is available for copying. Free space available for copying Note that the unallocated space is smaller than copied partition size, but its data area is smaller than unallocated space.

  • Page 44: Moving A Partition To Unallocated Disk Space

    (your actions may only undo or modify already existing operation; see 2.4.5 «Modifying pending op- erations»). The new partition structure will be graphically represented in Acronis PartitionExpert main window. Copying a partition in Windows 95/98/Me and assigning it a letter can change the order of letters, assigned to other partitions.
  • Page 45 If you need to move a partition to unallocated disk space: Select hard disk and partition to move. Data (K:) partition of hard disk 2 is selected for moving on the figure below. Selecting a partition to move Execute operation of partition moving by selecting Disk Move or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list or by clicking Move the...
  • Page 46 On the next wizard page select the type of moved partition (Logical — Primary), size, and location. Changing partition type is not as necessary here as partition copying (see 4.1.2 «Copying a partition to unallocated disk space»). Nevertheless, Acronis PartitionExpert gives you this added flexibility. Entering moved partition parameters...

  • Page 47: Resizing And/Or Moving A Partition

    Resizing and/or moving a partition You may find that there is not enough free space on a certain partition. For ex- ample, it is almost filled with MP3 files. Acronis PartitionExpert lets you easily enlarge a partition. Reasons of moving a partition were discussed above (see 4.1.3 «Moving a partition to unallocated disk space»).
  • Page 48 The new partition structure will be graphically represented in the Acronis PartitionExpert main window. Acronis PartitionExpert features a wizard for performing more complex partition resizing (see 3.2 «Increasing Partition»). Simple partition resizing lets you increase partition size only if there is free (unallocated) space before or after a partition. The wizard lets you perform more complex operations such as increasing partition free space at the expense of other partitions.

  • Page 49: Changing Partition Labels

    By clicking OK in the Partition Label window, you add the pending op- eration of partition label changing (your actions may only undo or modify an existing operation; see 2.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»). The new partition label will be graphically represented in Acronis PartitionExpert main window. Copyright © SWsoft, 2000–2002...

  • Page 50: Formatting A Partition

    4.1.6 Formatting a partition Acronis PartitionExpert lets you logically format a partition. It includes orga- nizing a file system that supports files and folder data storage. If you need to format an existing partition: Select a disk and a partition,...

  • Page 51: Deleting A Partition

    Wiping unallocated disk space means multiple writing of special data to hard disk sectors. Acronis PartitionExpert features a rather simple wiping algorithm. During each pass a symbol sequence or logical zeroes (0x00) or ones (0xFF) are written to unallocated space sectors.

  • Page 52: Checking Hard Disk Partitions For Errors

    3.1 «Creating A New Partition». 4.1.8 Checking hard disk partitions for errors Acronis PartitionExpert enables you to check hard disk partitions for file sys- tem errors. Hard disk partitions should be checked before any partition operations (see 1.7 «Before You Run Acronis PartitionExpert».

  • Page 53: Defragmenting A Partition

    Acronis PartitionExpert enables you to defragment a hard disk partition. If you need to defragment a hard disk partition: Select hard disk and partition to defragment in Acronis PartitionExpert...

  • Page 54: Wiping Unallocated Hard Disk Space

    Windows tools do not guaranteed data destruction. Deleted files can be re- stored. Formatting and even deleting a partition leaves hard disk sector con- tents the same. Acronis PartitionExpert offers a simple but reliable algorithm for wiping hard disk unallocated space.

  • Page 55: Clearing A Hard Disk

    4.1.11 Clearing a hard disk Acronis PartitionExpert lets you clear not only unallocated disk space, but en- tire disk as well. If you need to clear the entire hard disk: Select hard disk on the Tree View panel of Acronis PartitionExpert —...
  • Page 56 Therefore if you need to destroy confidential in- formation, set the switch to Delete partitions and destroy data! For information about Acronis PartitionExpert data wiping algorithm see the com- ment for 4.1.7 «Deleting a partition».

  • Page 57: Additional Partition Operations

    (your actions may only undo or modify already existing operation; see 2.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»). The new partition structure will be graphically represented in Acronis PartitionExpert main window. Only Windows NT/2000/XP lets you change letters assigned to partitions. Windows 95/98/Me assigns letters to partitions automatically.

  • Page 58: Converting A File System

    If you replace a small-capacity hard disk with a high-capacity hard disk. If you need to convert a FAT16 partition to FAT32: Select the disk and FAT16 partition to convert to FAT32 from the list in Acronis PartitionExpert main window, Execute operation of partition converting by selecting Disk Advanced...

  • Page 59: Hiding A Partition

    Main Specifications». 4.2.3 Hiding a partition Acronis PartitionExpert allows you to hide a partition. It can be useful for protecting important information from unauthorized or casual access. Unlike other software Acronis PartitionExpert can hide any partitions independent of their types, primary or logical.

  • Page 60: Unhiding A Partition

    If you need to unhide a partition: Select disk and partition to unhide from the list in Acronis PartitionExpert main window, Execute operation of partition unhiding by selecting Disk...

  • Page 61: Setting Active Partition

    A disk can have only one active partition. If you need to set an active partition: Select primary partition to set active from the list in Acronis PartitionExpert main window, Execute operation of setting active partition by selecting Disk...

  • Page 62: Resizing Root

    (512 elements after standard formatting). Acronis PartitionExpert lets you change the root size of existing partitions. If you need to resize FAT16 partition root: Select disk and FAT16 partition from the list in Acronis PartitionExpert main window, Execute operation of FAT16 partition root resizing by selecting Disk...

  • Page 63: Changing Cluster Size

    However reducing FAT32 partition cluster size might increase the space, oc- cupied by file allocation table (FAT) and slowdown file access. If you need to change cluster size: Select disk and partition from the list in Acronis PartitionExpert main window, Execute operation of cluster resizing by selecting Disk...

  • Page 64: Changing Partition Type

    In the Cluster Size window you can: see the current cluster size of selected partition, see average statistics of disk space losses for the selected parti- tion and different cluster size, Some cluster sizes might become unavailable for a partition because there will not be enough clusters to store actual partition data on.

  • Page 65: Resizing Inode Table In Linux Ext2/Ext3

    If you need to change partition type: Select disk and partition to change type of from the list in Acronis PartitionExpert main window, Execute operation of partition type changing by selecting Disk Change type or a similar item in the Advanced sidebar list, or...
  • Page 66 If there are many small files, there must be many descriptors, each of which occupies some space. Large files require fewer descriptors. Acronis PartitionExpert enables you to resize INODE tables of existing parti- tions to change the maximum file amount on it.

  • Page 67: Appendix A. Hard Disk And Operating System

    Appendix A. Hard Disk And Operating System Provided Appendices contain additional information about hard disk construc- tion and data storage, partitions, file systems and interaction of operating system with hard disk. Hard Disk Organization All hard disks, or hard disk drives, have basically the same structure, how- ever diverse they are.

  • Page 68: Hard Disk Partition

    There can be up to several tens of thousands of cylinders per disk. The higher the write density on the disk, the more cylinders can be created on it and the larger the capacity of the disk. This design has a lot of technical implementation peculiarities, but we are not discussing them here.
  • Page 69 (unallocated) disk space, or format a partition. You cannot however change partition structure by means of the Windows operating system. To do this you will need software such as Acronis PartitionExpert. Acronis PartitionExpert lets you resize, move, hide partitions, set them active, copy, and perform other operations without losing any data or causing any OS and application workability problems.

  • Page 70: Primary Partitions

    Primary Partitions Primary hard disk partition can contain operating system, applications and user data (files). Only one primary partition can be set active in the given PC session. Most operating systems can boot from a primary partition only. If you want to use several operating systems, you might have to create sev- eral primary partitions.

  • Page 71: File Systems

    After formatting logical disks are organized as follows: • Logical disks start with the boot sector; • One or several copies of file allocation table (FAT) are placed after the boot sector; • Next goes the root folder; • Next goes the data area. Each logical disk has to be formatted with FORMAT separately.

  • Page 72: File System Main Specifications

    A.9.1 File system specification summary Below is a summary of the most popular file systems. Each system is briefly commented. This information can help you work with Acronis PartitionExpert. Table 1. Windows file systems. File system FAT16...

  • Page 73: Fat16

    Table 2. Linux file systems. File system Ext2 Ext3 ReiserFS Operating systems Linux Linux Linux Max. partition size 16 TB 16 TB 16 TB Max. file size Limited by parti- Limited by parti- Limited by parti- tion size tion size tion size Max.

  • Page 74: Fat32

    Table 3. The following table gives the approximate depend- ence of these losses versus the cluster size: Wastes Partition Size Cluster Size <127 MB 2 KB 128–255 MB 4 KB 256–511 MB 8 KB 512–1023 MB 16 KB 1024–2047 MB 32 KB 2048–4096 MB 64 KB...

  • Page 75: Linux Ext2

    A.9.5 Linux Ext2 Ext2 is one of the main file systems for the Linux operating system. Ext2 is a 32-bit file system. Its maximum size is 16 Terabytes. Main data structure that describes a file is an INODE. A place to store the table of all INODEs has to be allocated in advance (during formatting).

  • Page 76: Appendix B. Glossary

    Appendix B. Glossary Absolute sector. All the sectors of a hard disk can be numbered sequentially, starting with zero. Thus numbered sectors are called absolute. Active partition. One of the primary partitions of a hard disk is usually active. Default MBR code tries to boot an operating system from the active partition of the first hard disk.
  • Page 77 Bootable partition. A partition that can host an operating system. In the be- ginning of such a partition there should be a boot record. Cluster. Information storage unit in such file systems as FAT and NTFS. Every file occupies a certain number of whole clusters, so the more the clus- ter size the higher the losses are that are due to file size adjustment, but the smaller the cluster the more place do the cluster distribution tables occupy.
  • Page 78 with tracks and sectors), partitioning and high-level (creation of file system on a partition). Hard disk (hard drive). Fixed storage media along with integrated electronics that consists of several magnetic platters that rotate synchronously on one spindle. Hard disks have relatively high capacity and high read/write speed. Hard disk geometry.
  • Page 79 Since a boot manager usually supports multiple operating systems on one computer and even one partition, it has to perform some preparatory actions (create the boot context) before booting an operating system. Partition. An independent area on a hard disk where a file system can be lo- cated.
  • Page 80 System disk/partition is a disk/partition from which an operating system may be booted. Such disk usually contains the boot sector and system files of this operating system. System file is a file that contains the code and constant data for an operating system.

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