# Partition Magic



## AvvY (Oct 8, 2004)

I mentioned this in another thread, but I thought I'd post this up in its own.

I used partition magic several times a while back to do the obvious - it worked somewhat, but then major problems happened. Basically it caused so much havoc that I lost my data and had to reinstall the lot.

This not only happened to me but has happened to many of my friends.

I know that it sounds like a good program, which should do a good job, but it causes so many problems. I think it should stop being sold, because it is too unreliable.

I haven't used it since it was bought by Norton, so I'm not sure if it has gotten any better, but I would NEVER recommend it to anyone at all.

I use Windows Disk management to handle partitions - sure it is limited, but it always does the job correctly and doesn't stuff up partition tables and so forth.

What do you guys think? What are your experiences?

Late,


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## Stoner (Oct 26, 2002)

I have heard these horror stories before, so it's obvious there is something going on to cause the problem, but I have been using PM and Boot Magic for a little more than 4 years with no problems.

My version is PM5.


The only data relocation was done under Fat32. And it worked without any problems.


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## Stoner (Oct 26, 2002)

BTW........what does 'Bno' mean?


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## AvvY (Oct 8, 2004)

Yeah - I heard one of its problems is not being able to handle the NTFS file system properly. Aparently it shouldn't cause any problems with FAT32.

- Clearly "Bno" was a typo.....

Late,


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## Stoner (Oct 26, 2002)

> - Clearly "Bno" was a typo.....


Sorry, I blame it on the time change


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## Big-K (Nov 22, 2003)

I've never used it except for the limited version included in a Caldera distro of linux, so I can't give much, but I say if it works for some people let them buy it, similar to AOL(although the commercials should die).


Heheh...pms


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## brendandonhu (Jul 8, 2002)

Did you read the partition magic instructions? It says about 50000000 times that there's a chance of losing data and that you need to make a backup first.


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## AvvY (Oct 8, 2004)

Oh I realise you need to make backups, and I think that should be done with any sort of major operation on ones comp - I now have a slave drive which is dedicated for backups. But even so, I just don't trust it.

My experiences, and along with my friends have been during the batch.exe when you reboot Windows. It has happened several times with myself and others where the batch file simply fails, the comp reboots and you cannot get into Windows - if playing with the C:, or data or partitions are gone.

I'm just not sure if the product is ready for certain applications. Because I'm sure it does some things "well", but other functions fail.

I was talking to a friend of mine who really knows his stuff, and he said that one of the problems with Partition Magic is that it messes around with the partition tables in a very funny manner, and doesn't do the job properly. I can't remember exactly how he put it or the technical points he made, but thats the jist of it.

Late,


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

> I was talking to a friend of mine who really knows his stuff, and he said that one of the problems with Partition Magic is that it messes around with the partition tables in a very funny manner, and doesn't do the job properly. I can't remember exactly how he put it or the technical points he made, but thats the jist of it.


Your friend certainly knows a lot...... Fiddling around with the Partition Table is basically the whole raison d'etre of Partition Magic and they have probably been doing it since before your mate ever even heard of computers. I will certainly concede that since Symantec got their hands on it there have been issues. But the older versions are safe IF YOU FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS PROPERLY. I use it all the time and have never had any problems that were not to do with faulty drives.


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## AvvY (Oct 8, 2004)

> since before your mate ever even heard of computers


Actually, he has been around for quite some time - he is 40 odd, and has been dealing with comps for a majority of that.

Anyhow, I will try and find out exactly what he said about it.

I followed the instructions, but it kept crashing during batch executions, for me and a number of my friends - thus it cannot be 100% fool proof if it has failed mulitple times with multiple people on mulitple systems.

Late,


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## AvvY (Oct 8, 2004)

I found what he had briefly said in a forum post - on another site. This is what he breifly said, ill see if i can find what he said in detail..



> Yeah Partition Magic SUCKS EGG ON XP! It still doesn't properly format the tables properly when different file structures reside on the same hdd.





> PM has NEVER EVER been good at tabling NTFS partitions with anything other then NTFS partitions. NEVER! They have never been able to fix it, they most likely will never be able to fix it. Its


Late,


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

THAT is a load of C&*%. For a start the partition structure is Totally OS independant and there is nothing particularly new in XP. Second: If you are ever going to change a disk structure radically and particularly the Boot partition, you should ALWAYS use the emergency recovery diskettes to do it, not the Windows based version.
I have been using it since it first came out in the early 90s and have never had a failure caused by it rather than a fault on the disk.


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## the_thin_man (Apr 1, 2005)

I've had no problems great bit of software. I always create a ghost backup before I use it and never had to use the backups. - Although through force of habit actually use the old PQDI rather than ghost.


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## Tamerz (Apr 14, 2005)

I've used many versions of PM on many different machines and drives, and many different types of partitions and file systems. I never once have had a problem with it. I think it is an excellent utility.


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## Bonzodog (Apr 17, 2005)

Hi Guys ...

I have a problem with the Symantec Partition Magic 8, any help or hints appreciated.

I've written to Symantec Help a couple of times, and got replies. Unfortunately they are about as useful as tits on a bull.

I'm running XP, I have 2 drives in the 'puter, an 80gb in 2 partitions, and a 160gb in 4 partitions.

The 80gb is split into a 30gb C: drive boot, and a 50gb data drive.

I bought PM8 to be able to increase the size of the C: drive.

I go into PM8, select the tasks, 1) reduce the data partition 2) add the space to the boot partition, and hit the 'apply' button.

The program tells me it needs to reboot to effect the changes, which it proceeds to do. The system reboots, a screen comes up telling me that PM is doing it's stuff, but the screen closes almost immediately, Windows loads, the system restarts, and NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

I have removed the program, reinstalled it, tried running it in 'safe' mode, tried running it from the C: drive and from the secondary drive, tried altering partitions on both drives .. and I repeat .. NOTHING CHANGES.

I've been trying this for a couple of months now, and I'm beginning to think I've blown 50 bucks on a piece of crap.

I'm not computer illiterate, I'm happy digging under the hood, playing with both hardware and software, but I am at a loss with this.

HELP !!

cheers ... Bonzodog


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## AvvY (Oct 8, 2004)

Have you run a scandisk and defrag on both of those partitions?

- Your lucky it didn't make your system go belly up though.. Despite what people say here I hate that damn program! =)

Late,


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## Bonzodog (Apr 17, 2005)

Yup, did the scandisk, defrag, highlights, cut and rinse, manicure and ear wax. 

I've tried it with other stuff installed and without. 

I've tried it when it's raining and when it's fine.

I waited for a full moon and slaughtered a chicken to the gods.

I spoke nicely to it, and then hit it with a stick.

Oh, and some other technical stuff too. Thanks for your suggestion though, I'm willing to try anything 

Cheers ... Bonzodog


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

Create the emergency diskettes/cd and do it from there.
I never use the Windows based ones unless I have to.


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## pr0t3st (Apr 17, 2005)

FORGET PartitionMagic and use "Acronis PartitionExpert"...


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

And pay extra????


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## pr0t3st (Apr 17, 2005)

DaveBurnett said:


> And pay extra????


Just giving a recommendation... Besides, you can always "try before you buy". If it you like it, buy it. If not stick with what you have.


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

Please don't take me toooo seriously. I am just a great believer in using what you have and making it work. The suggestion I made was basically saying PM tries to do it this way anyway so why not bypass the bit that is causing a problem and go directly to where it is trying to get.


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## Gabriel (May 2, 2003)

PM works fine on my machine


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## geoand (Apr 28, 2002)

I use PM8 - and have been with it since PM4 days. This version has one great tool 'DriveMapper' which saved me tons of work. Plus the ability to change NTFS to FAT 32 and vice versa are pretty handy. I can only hope Norton build on all the great work PQ put in.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I find this poll somewhat amusing. You'd be hard pressed to name any software program that doesn't have issues. The plain fact is, PM is probably the best piece of software that Symantec has, certainly beats some of the other junk they sell.


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## AvvY (Oct 8, 2004)

The only reason I created it was me and a lot of my friends had major issues once using it. AT the time I was being probably a tad dramatic with the poll options, but I couldn't figure out how to edit them 

Late,


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## tdi_veedub (Jan 29, 2004)

It's one of the very few pieces of software that is actually worth its licencing cost. I too have been using it since version 4 and never had any issues with it. I just hope SYmantec doesn't bloat the hell out of it like they do with everything else they acquire.


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## ez112 (Aug 11, 2003)

So uhh did you solve the problem, Bonzodog, because I'm having the same problem,


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

> I just hope SYmantec doesn't bloat the hell out of it like they do with everything else they acquire


Oh, they already have. <G>
Version 7 was the last CLEAN one


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## Space Cowboy (Apr 19, 2005)

Norton Partition Magic works fine for me everytime? 

I never install it though.. just boot off the 2 floppys I have.

Why install it when it just boots back to DOS anyways?

Kinda like Norton Ghost 2003.


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

Absolutely


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## pm1941 (Mar 31, 2005)

brendandonhu said:


> Did you read the partition magic instructions? It says about 50000000 times that there's a chance of losing data and that you need to make a backup first.


At least 50000002 times actually....LOL


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