Want to try out Windows XP but don't want to wreck your current system? Try PowerQuest PartitionMagic 7.0 -- it lets you create, merge, split, copy, and convert your hard drive's partitions so that you can run multiple operating systems on one machine. If you've never used PartitionMagic, it is well worth trying it out. However if you already have version 6.0 and don't plan on experimenting with XP, 7.0 the AU$109.95 upgrade fee is hard to justify.

Can a disk divided still stand?

Creating a partition divides a single, physical hard drive into separate, independent regions so that you can place multiple operating systems on that drive. You can convert a single PC into both a Windows and a Linux workstation, for example, and partitioning is always a good idea when you need to work on your machine's general organisation and file management. You can, for example, create a separate partition for data as insurance when you make backups.

Normally, you can't change your drive's partition configuration without reformatting it and deleting all the data on the drive during the process. But PartitionMagic's wizardry overcomes this limitation, letting you make extensive changes without losing a thing.

Intuitive interface

Installing PartitionMagic is easy, thanks to a familiar Windows-style set-up. Helpful wizards guide you through tasks such as resizing or merging partitions. The Windows-based interface consists of colour-coded bar diagrams of the partitions on each hard drive. The diagrams display the location, size, and type of the current partitions. You modify your partitions by manipulating the size and placement of these bars within the diagram. An Explorer-style file/folder tree on the left side of the main window offers another way to view and modify your drives and partitions. Once you've created the desired partition configuration (say, for example, you want to add Windows XP but still hang on to Windows Me), just click the Apply Changes button to restructure your hard drive. PartitionMagic also features BootMagic, a handy utility that manages your PC's boot process so that you can select which operating system to run on your hard drive at start-up.

Of course, adding or deleting a partition affects the drive assignment (all fixed hard disks are associated with drive letters that can get thrown off if you manipulate your drives), so you might end up invalidating shortcuts and registry entries that point to specific files and directories. To keep you from mucking up your shortcuts, PartitionMagic comes with a handy utility called DriveMapper that searches for references gone awry and adjusts them to reflect your new partitions. We also appreciate the rescue floppy disks that you can create during installation (or anytime, using the option under the Tools menu) that allow you to run PartitionMagic and BootMagic as DOS utilities. If you accidentally hide a partition, the rescue floppy disks allow you to boot up your machine and manipulate the configuration.

Pros and Cons Pros Supports bigger hard drives and Windows XP Superb documentation Runs in DOS mode to recover hidden partitions Cons Few new features Offers only 30 days of free tech support

Essential documentation and support

Unfortunately, PartitionMagic's awesome partitioning power burdens you with a lot of responsibility. Make a few missteps, and you could easily render your PC unusable. Thankfully, PartitionMagic's 150-page printed manual and online documentation do a thorough job of explaining the program's features as well as the many dangers inherent in modifying your disk's layout.

Phone support is free for over the life of the product. However, the support line is fed by Melbourne-fed and Western Australian customers may find this inconvenient.

Version 7.0 runs more like a point release than a new full version. It looks and feels exactly the same as 6.0, and its list of new features is short: it offers support for Windows XP, USB hard drives, drives of more than 80Gb and the ability to merge NTFS partitions. Perhaps PartitionMagic's best new feature is Secure Erase, which lets you wipe a drive so secure in the knowledge that its data is gone forever. Secure Erase can take a while, depending on the size of the partition (10 minutes for an average drive), but it's useful when you're preparing a PC for recycling or sale.

Whether you're upgrading or coming to it fresh, you'll quickly come to rely on PartitionMagic's power and flexibility for running multiple operating systems, creating test environments, and managing your system. If you're new to disk partitioning you'll benefit from the software. However, veterans with no plans to run Windows XP, may end-up asking themselves some difficult questions if they spend AU$109.95 on the upgrade.

Partition Magic 7.0
Company: PowerQuest
Price: AU$149.95
Distributor: Marketing Results
Phone: (02) 9899 5888

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