Unallocated space

[Dragstk]

I have been using Drive Image as a back up. I knew I was going to do a full reformat/re-install, so, following the "help" in Drive Image I deleated the .pqi file (thats where Drive Image stores it's compressed files). I did the reformat/ re-install, and the place used by the .pqi file is just unallocated space. It did not get reformatted.
Anybody know how to get this space back?
Thanks;
Dragstk

[Straight_Man]

Um, look and see if Drive Image did what I think it did.... Normally drive image makes its own PARTITION to store an image in, and does not use a file on an existing partition. So, to get the space back, you use Partition Magic.... You can make either a new partition in unallocated drive space or extend the existing partition, depending on how the drive structure now is organized....

Technically, if you want to make a new (additonal, not replacement) partition, you need to get into the drive management area of XP if you are running XP(XP can do this itself, ie make a new partition), and with ME and 98 you can make fdisk and then format do this new partition for you, but you need to run Partition Magic(PM) to get a partition extended. Partition Magic is a nice tool to have also-- for XP, use PM version 8.0 and for 98 or ME PM version 7 will work fine. For Win2K, I RECOMMEND PM version 8.0.

John.

[Dragstk]

Thanks Ageek;
If I want to use Drive Image again, will it use the unallocated space now, or will it carve out another partition?
Can I erase the unallocated space or extend the main partition, without having to do a complete reformat?
Can this be done w/ fdisc, or do I need to get PM?
Thanks again;
Dragstk

[madmat]

If you use fdisk you'll stand a very good chance of losing everything on the drive although there is a utility to save it but I can't remember the name.
I personally would dl the trial version of PM if they have one (and I'm sure they do, it regularly comes with Max PC disks) and use it, you can do it from within windows.

[Dragstk]

Thank you madmat.
With PM, I'll be able to extend my main partition, and get back the unallocated space?

[madmat]

Yep...you'll tell it what you want to do and it will reboot and do what needs to be done before windows loads.

[Dragstk]

Thank you very much!

[madmat]

You're welcome...just trying to help where I can.