Messed with vista partitions...help!

Just installed a new HD on my ASUS. No problems.

I wanted to have a sensible sized bit for my Vista OS and a big bit for all my files.

I have used vista disk management and at first really struggled to do this. Shrunk my OS partition but could not merge the spare bit with the other partition.

Finally figured out it was because of the "Extended Partition" (surrounded by the green box) - I enthusiastically deleted this and now they have (automatically) merged.

I'm worried that I should not have done this - Have I done something bad!

I also have a strange 13gb slice at the start - what is this - does it need to be there?

I don't run another os system - All I want is my laptop to be set up to run as smoothly as possible with max disc space for files and a sensible amount for the OS.

What do I need to do? Do i need the extended partition back?

Screen dump below

 

Well, the "strange" 13.02 partition at the start may be your PQSERVICE partition you better leave it alon if you ever want to reinstall. As for your worries about the extended partition, i don't really think it matters. Your hdd performance will be the same.

 

You don't have a problem with the way it is. Don't know why strange 13GB is there, possibly a mistake on installing vista and selecting partitions. If you want the OS at the start of the drive you could reinstall and start over and delete all partitions and start from scratch, or copy the vista partition to the 13 GB and do what you want with the rest.

 

I used ATI to clone my previous drive. It seems to have expanded each drive in proportion to what it was.

I have already shrunk OS partition (can/should I shrink it further?)

Is there any way to tell what is stored in the first 13GB or am I best to ignore?! I reckon it used to be 5gb before new HD.

Can I shrink it and adsorb some into OS system?

 

no it may render your OS useless because you are modifying the partition table by deleting the a partition , better use it to install another OS or use it as a another drive you need to format for you to see the partition

 

I'm curious to see what is inside that partition. AFAIK, you only need the system and boot partition to boot your system.

 

Just had a nightmare with "BOOTMGR missing" problem.

Had to put old harddrive in to download Vista Recovery File.

Finally seems to be working - not sure what I did wrong!

The 13Gb bit is a bit frustrating - seems a waste of space.

Should I be reducing the OS bit as much as I can?

Am I best tempting to save everything in the partitioned area to keep it separate from OS?

I can feel a search on storage etiquette coming on!