Jason Mason
Member
Two computers built and configured . Multiboot Win7 first partition Then Acronis installed to install 2 iterations of
XP. Alll 3 O/S on 1 physical HDD. First computer had no System Reserve partition created so just 3 Active partitions.
The HDD on which the O/S reside is 500GB. Each partition set @ 68 GB leaving ca. 275 GB of Unallocated space.
2nd Physical HDD holds all logical partitions D thru G.
NOW I Need to utilize the unallocated space on HDD #1 . Able to accomplish what I needed on computer #1
( without the system reserve). Tricky and difficult but Done.
Computer #2 : Acronis will not permit me to change any configuration on the O/S HDD because of a limit on the number of Active partitions (the system reserve tho 100Mg ). Acronis Tech no help here. . Can BCD be utilzed within the framework of an already existing bootloader like Acronis. Could consider total backup ( All backups have utilized Acronis Disk Director TIB format so must have it installed permanently even if temporarily uninstall Acronis and utilize Easy BCD. to eliminate the System Reserve.
End desire is to have 2 iterations of Win7 (1st and 2nd physical position) and XP as the 3rd. On the same HDD and to use its unallocated space to create a new "D" logical partition, thus shifting O/S labels and Partition designations on the 2nd physical drive.
Any thoughts or suggestions
As an aside I saw a thread suggesting installation of XP first and then Win 7.in multiboot situation. I think that is incorrect. With Windows the most recent O/S due to Bootloading instructions requires the more newest O/S on that first physical partition. Since new to the site and really not highly qualified here I hestated to Post.
XP. Alll 3 O/S on 1 physical HDD. First computer had no System Reserve partition created so just 3 Active partitions.
The HDD on which the O/S reside is 500GB. Each partition set @ 68 GB leaving ca. 275 GB of Unallocated space.
2nd Physical HDD holds all logical partitions D thru G.
NOW I Need to utilize the unallocated space on HDD #1 . Able to accomplish what I needed on computer #1
( without the system reserve). Tricky and difficult but Done.
Computer #2 : Acronis will not permit me to change any configuration on the O/S HDD because of a limit on the number of Active partitions (the system reserve tho 100Mg ). Acronis Tech no help here. . Can BCD be utilzed within the framework of an already existing bootloader like Acronis. Could consider total backup ( All backups have utilized Acronis Disk Director TIB format so must have it installed permanently even if temporarily uninstall Acronis and utilize Easy BCD. to eliminate the System Reserve.
End desire is to have 2 iterations of Win7 (1st and 2nd physical position) and XP as the 3rd. On the same HDD and to use its unallocated space to create a new "D" logical partition, thus shifting O/S labels and Partition designations on the 2nd physical drive.
Any thoughts or suggestions
As an aside I saw a thread suggesting installation of XP first and then Win 7.in multiboot situation. I think that is incorrect. With Windows the most recent O/S due to Bootloading instructions requires the more newest O/S on that first physical partition. Since new to the site and really not highly qualified here I hestated to Post.