PartitionMagic

PartitionMagic[1][2] is a utility software for hard disk drive partitioning originally made by PowerQuest, but subsequently owned by Symantec. As of December 8, 2009, the Symantec website stated that they no longer offer Partition Magic.

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)
Operating systemDOS, Microsoft Windows
TypePartition editor
LicenseTrialware
Websitewww.partition-magic.com 

The program runs on pre-Vista Microsoft Windows operating systems including Windows 2000 and Windows XP, but the application is incompatible with Windows Vista and later versions (although Microsoft added resizing). In any of these cases, existing partitions can be resized without loss of data.

Details
PartitionMagic 4.0 product materials, c. 1998

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.[3]

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.[4][5]

The Windows version of PartitionMagic could 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 was available.[6]

History

PowerQuest's Partition Magic originated in 1993;[7] Version 2.0 was available for purchase by January 1995.[8] An OS/2 version was available by September 1995.[9]

Version 3.02 came out early 1997.[10]

PartitionMagic, while under PowerQuest, was updated regularly, adding new features.

Once Symantec purchased the application in 2003,[11] there were no new releases, and Symantec stated that it had no plans on releasing a new version. As of October 13, 2011, the Symantec website stated, "Sorry, we no longer offer Norton Partition Magic."

Competition

A product named Partition Commander (from VCOM Products)[1] was not Partition Magic's only competitor.[2] There was also Paragon Partition Manager[1]

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 and later versions.

PartitionMagic 2.0.5, VolumeManager 7 and VolumeManager 8 cannot resize dynamic disks.[12]

See also

References
  1. J. D. Biersdorfer (October 10, 2006). "Rearranging Rooms on the Hard Drive". The New York Times.
  2. By J.D. Biersdorfer (May 8, 2003). "Recarve a Hard Drive Without Losing Data". The New York Times.
  3. "Patent #5675769". U.S.Patent Office. Archived from the original on 2012-09-10.
  4. "To run PartitionMagic from rescue disk". When you boot your computer from the first rescue disk, PQMAGIC automatically runs. You must insert the second rescue disk when prompted.
  5. "Partition Magic Rescue Disk creation". April 8, 2011.
  6. http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=24321
  7. "PartitionMagic".
  8. "PartitionMagic: The Essential Hard-Disk Manager; Version2.0".
  9. "PartitionMagic for OS/2".
  10. "Partition Magic 3.02". Computerworld. February 24, 1997.
  11. "Symantec to Acquire PowerQuest" (Press release). Symantec. 23 September 2003. Archived from the original on 11 November 2007. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  12. "Changing volume sizes on dynamic disks". Tom's Hardware. 2005. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
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