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| PartitionMagic | |
|---|---|
 Main window of Norton PartitionMagic 8.05 |
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| Latest release | 8.05 (Build 1371) / May 5, 2004 |
| OS | DOS, Microsoft Windows (excluding Vista), WinPE |
| Development status | discontinued |
| Type | Partition editor |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | www.symantec.com/norton/partitionmagic/ |
PartitionMagic is a computer program for hard disk drive partitioning originally made by the PowerQuest corporation but now owned by Symantec. The program runs on Microsoft Windows operating systems (only 2000 and XP, not Vista) or from a bootable CD-ROM and enables creation and modification of partitions. Existing partitions can be resized without loss of data.
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Details
PartitionMagic is capable of resizing NTFS or FAT (16 or 32) partitions without data loss, and can copy and move partitions, including to other disks. It also has various other features, including being able to convert between FAT16, FAT32 and NTFS, modify the cluster size of FAT16/32 and NTFS filesystems, and merge adjacent FAT or NTFS filesystems (all without data loss, though some NTFS-only metadata is lost on conversion to FAT). Additionally, it has somewhat limited support for ext2 and ext3 partitions.
Partition Magic releases 1–3 were offered both in OS/2 and Windows versions. Symantec's Partition Magic version 8 only supports Windows.
Future versions
PartitionMagic, while under PowerQuest, was updated regularly, adding new and useful features. Since Symantec purchased the application in 2003[1], there has not been a new release, and Symantec has stated that it has no plans on releasing a new version.[2]
Compatibility issues
PartitionMagic is compatible with Windows NT, 98, ME, 2000, and XP desktop editions. However, it is not compatible with Windows NT, 2000, or .NET server editions. It crashes if a Windows Vista partition is present, even if it is run from a different operating system, with the error "Init failed: Error 117. Partition's drive letter cannot be identified". However this error can be avoided if the Windows Vista partition is configured using Windows XP instead of creating the partition using Windows Vista or its installation disk. To fix this, all partitions on the hard drive need to be deleted and formatted into new partitions using the Windows XP installation disk, allowing for a working partition for Windows Vista to be created. The same error occurs in some conditions under Windows XP.
PartitionMagic 2.0.5, VolumeManager 7 and VolumeManager 8 cannot resize dynamic disks[1].
References
- ^ Symantec to Acquire PowerQuest
- ^ Nistor, Codrut (2006-08-04). "Ever Thought About Slicing Your Hard Drive?". Softpedia. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
