PartitionMagic

This article is about a Windows utility. For the Linux utility, see Parted Magic.
PartitionMagic

Main window of PartitionMagic 8.05
Stable release
8.05 (Build 1371) / May 5, 2004 (2004-05-05)
Development status Discontinued
Operating system DOS, Microsoft Windows (Must use a bootable disc for Vista and later), WinPE
Type Partition editor
License Proprietary
Website www.symantec.com/partitionmagic/

PartitionMagic is a computer program for hard disk drive partitioning originally made by the PowerQuest corporation, but now owned by Symantec. As of December 8, 2009, the Symantec website stated that they no longer offer Partition Magic. The program runs on Microsoft Windows operating systems including Windows 2000 and Windows XP, but the application is incompatible with Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 or 10 and must use a bootable disk for partitioning drives instead. The utility can also be run from a bootable CD-ROM and enables creation and modification of partitions. Existing partitions can be resized without loss of data.

Details

PartitionMagic is capable of resizing NTFS, FAT16 or FAT32 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, FAT32 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 had somewhat limited support for ext2 and ext3 partitions. PartitionMagic was the first commercial product of its kind containing patented technology.[1]

The first version of PartitionMagic was released with DOS and OS/2 support. Versions 2–3 were offered with DOS, OS/2 and Windows support. Symantec's PartitionMagic version 8 dropped the OS/2 version. Server versions were also offered under the name Server Magic for Windows and Novell NetWare servers.

The stable version of PartitionMagic 8.05 also included a rescue floppy disk with an additional DOS version of PartitionMagic. The DOS version (which included DR-DOS or MS-DOS) came on one 2.88 MB or two 1.44 MB floppy disks.

The Windows version of PartitionMagic can also be integrated in BartPE (Bart's Preinstalled Environment) a Windows XP based Live CD created by using the PE Builder. To integrate PartitionMagic into BartPE a PE Builder plug-in for PartitionMagic is available.

Future versions

PartitionMagic, while under PowerQuest, was updated regularly, adding new and useful features. Since Symantec purchased the application in 2003,[2] there has not been a new release, and Symantec has stated that it has no plans on releasing a new version.

As of October 13, 2011, the Symantec website states, "Sorry, we no longer offer Norton Partition Magic."

Compatibility issues

PartitionMagic is compatible with Windows NT, 95/98, ME, 2000, and XP desktop editions. However, it is not compatible with server editions of Windows NT, 2000, nor 2003 by design — a more expensive product from the same manufacturer, ServerMagic, would handle these - nor does it run on Windows Vista or Windows 7.

PartitionMagic 2.0.5, VolumeManager 7 and VolumeManager 8 cannot resize dynamic disks.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Patent #5675769". U.S.Patent Office.
  2. ↑ "Symantec to Acquire PowerQuest" (Press release). Symantec. 23 September 2003. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  3. ↑ "Changing volume sizes on dynamic disks". Tom's Hardware. 2005. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
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