Multi-booting, EasyBCD, and EASUS Partition Master

ChiefZeke

Active Member
Multi-booting, EasyBCD, EASUS Partition Master

I have two each WD 1Tb hard drives installed and each of them are divided into four partitions each; of varying sizes.

Drive #1:
C:\ = Primary/active partition: boot drive with boot loader, boot menu, and a number of folders containing
downloads/updates/hotfixes/etc for all operating systems.
Extended partition with logical drives:
E:\ = partition with audio, video, photos, music - all operating systems use this as a common location for those files/folders.
F:\ = contains copies of Windows/Office source CDs/DVDs for use when slipstreaming, integrating updates/hotfixes/etc
G:\ = contains programs used to perform slipstreaming, integrating, etc.

Drive #2:
D:\ = XP Pro w/SP3 (Primary partition)
Extended partition with logical drives:
H:\ = Win7 64-bit
I:\ = Win7 32-bit
J:\ = XP Pro x64 w/SP2

I asked in the EASUS forum about resizing any or all of the partitions of the drive structure shown above.

Their answer follows: Since the system partition and the boot partitions are in the two disks separately we do not suggest you
resize them. Otherwise, boot failure occurs. But we believe you should have no problem to resize the data partition E, F, G and we
suggest you perform one operation at a time. You can refer to the links in our last post for resizing the partition and the note you
may care about.

The link points to the following instructions/procedures: In order to ensure a smooth and successful operation process and data
protection, you may check the tips below before resizing/moving your partition:
1. Close all other applications including the antivirus software and the firewall when running the software.
2. Please run CHKDSK /R and Defragment on the involved partitions before using EASEUS Partition Master.
3. Please keep 5~10% free space as our product needs some space for data exchanging during resizing.
4. If possible, please backup your important data with our free backup software to a safe place such as external drive before
resizing. Backup is always necessary before repartition. This is for the data safety consideration.
5. If there is much data on the partition, it will take a long time to resize it. Please do not shut down or restart your computer
directly if the resizing process seems to stop running, instead, please check whether the indicator light of the disk is still
blinking or not, if so, our program is still running, you need to be patient to wait.
6. If there is much data on the involved partitions, the resizing would take more time. In this case, we suggest you do the
operations step by step. Apply the operations one by one.
7. Please do not do any change to the hidden partition before the primary partition (in some brand computers, especially for
laptops) in case of operation failure.
8. If you don't need to repartition the external device, please disconnect your external device before running our product.

I have installed EasyBCD in all four of the operating systems shown above on Drive #2 and have used it to edit the boot menu. Also,
it has been a while but earlier this year I used it to successfully re-create/repair boot files when I had to do a 'repair' install
of XP Pro w/SP3 after both version of Win7 had been installed.

Given the comments from the EASUS forum and the options provided by EasyBCD my question is this: If I use the EASUS Partition Master
to resize my drive C:\> - the boot drive - can I then use EasyBCD > BCD Backup/Repair > BCD Management Options to Re-create/repair
boot files. I picked this option because of the comments above from EASUS indicating a resizing of C:\ will result in a re-writing
of the information in the root of C:\ that points to the address location(s) for the file tables/MBR/etc. If there are other options I should also perform please advise.

I hope the above is understandable - if not please ask your questions and/or point out any errors and I will provide more information.
 
Yep. Should work.

Boot into something other than C:, resize C:, and use EasyBCD to remove and re-add the C: entry in the boot loader.
 
You can resize Vista/7 whilst they're running, using shrink/extend from Disk Management, provided that the start position of the partition isn't changed. (DM won't allow it because the UID in the BCD, used to locate the partition describes both the HDD ID and the start address).
If you want to move the start position, you must use a 3rd party program, and afterwards repair the BCD.
 
Last edited:
Yep. Should work.

Boot into something other than C:, resize C:, and use EasyBCD to remove and re-add the C: entry in the boot loader.

Right now Easus Partition Master is installed on my Win7 64-bit partition; drive H:\ as presently established.

So, you are saying I resize C:\ from there and then remove and re-add the C:\ entry in the boot loader.

Or, use EasyBCD to remove C:\ from the boot loader, then resize C:\ and then re-add C:\ to the boot loader.

Or, either way will work - my choice.:smile:

Thanks
 
29 Dec - with EasyBCD 2.1.0.129

If I use EASUS Partition Master to resize the partitions on Drive #1 - as posted above in my first posting - what do I remove and from where and then what do I re-add and how do I re-add so I can comply with the two postings, above, from Computer Guru.

I want to make sure we are all clear about the procedures. I want to resize Drive #1 with the partitions listed as above and then be able to use EasyBCD to 'repair'? the boot process so all four operating systems on Drive #2 stay viable.

Remember, the folks at the Easus forum say not to resize the 'boot' drive because it is on a separate drive from the operating systems and here the comments are: "Yep. Should work.
Boot into something other than C:, resize C:, and use EasyBCD to remove and re-add the C: entry in the boot loader."

When the system is booted the first menu I see is:
Earlier Version of Windows
Windows 7 32-bit
Windows 7 64-bit

Selecting Earlier Version of Windows brings up the menu:
Windows XP Professional
Windows XP Professional x64
Microsoft Windows recovery Console (created by XP Pro)

Opening EasyBCD > View Settings > Display Mode > Overview >
There are a total of 3 entries listed in the bootloader.

Default: Earlier Version of Windows
Timeout: 30 seconds
Boot Drive: C:\
Entry #1
Name: Earlier Version of Windows
BCD ID: {ntldr}
Drive: C:\
Bootloader Path: \ntldr
Entry #2
Name: Windows 7 32-Bit
BCD ID: {cbffecff-5a3a-11de-acd9-c2d9ddbbd4a5}
Drive: I:\
Bootloader Path: \Windows\system32\winload.exe
Entry #3
Name: Windows 7 64-Bit
BCD ID: {cbffed03-5a3a-11de-acd9-c2d9ddbbd4a5}
Drive: H:\
Bootloader Path: \Windows\system32\winload.exe

So, what is it I remove and re-add? Entry #1 above?
Thanks.
 
Just reset the BCD (EasyBCD -> BCD Install/Repair) and re-add *all* the entries. It'll take all of 30 seconds.
 
That is what I was thinking I would have to do, based on my previous experience doing a repair install of XP Pro and doing as you mentioned above.

Sorry if I've been a pest but I sure did not want to screw things up once I decided resizing was going to be done.
 
Back
Top