PartitionMagic 6.0: Disk Division Made Easy

In 1995, PowerQuest's PartitionMagic gave Windows users a way to easily divide their hard disks into multiple virtual drives, or partitions, without reformatting--something that has become even more useful in recent years as drives balloon to monstrous capacities and users run multiple operating systems on the same disk.

The latest version, PartitionMagic 6.0 ($70, or a $30 upgrade), adds support for Windows 2000 and Millennium Edition, plus a few new tricks. By contrast, rival V-Communications' Partition Commander 6.0 ($40 boxed or $30 as a download), which we reviewed in September, does not yet support Microsoft Windows 2000. I tested a shipping version of PartitionMagic 6.0 under Windows 98, Millennium Edition, and 2000.

Off to See the Partition Wizards

PartitionMagic is known as much for its colorful interface as it is for its powerful features, and the new version maintains that look. The main panel presents a list of existing partitions and their vital statistics, plus a graphical representation of their relative sizes. Each partition is color-coded by the type of formatting; partitions using the 16-bit Microsoft file allocation table (FAT) show up bright green, while 32-bit or "FAT32" partitions are olive green. You can also set up Windows NT File System (NTFS) and Linux partitions. Version 6.0 adds an additional view, inspired by Microsoft Windows Explorer, that represents the system's drive or drives and partitions in a hierarchical tree format.

PartitionMagic's signature features are the wizards (represented by cartoon icons) that step you through the partitioning procedures. Version 5.0's wizards could create, resize, and merge partitions, as well as redistribute space from one partition to another. This version adds a new wizard that lets you copy any partition and paste it into unallocated space on your hard drives. (A copy function was available previously, but not as a wizard.)

The wizards are just one of several ways to run the program. You can also activate functions by using drop-down menus and toolbar buttons, or by right-clicking any partition listed in the main window. I found it a little confusing to have so many choices. Fortunately, you can hide screen elements--including the tree view of partitions, the color-coding legend, the toolbar, and even the wizard cartoons--by deselecting them in the View menu. Still, these customizing options are poor substitutes for a truly clear user interface.

Divvying Up Partitions

PartitionMagic 6.0 makes it easier to split FAT or FAT32 partitions. To do this in older versions, you had to resize the partition, create a second partition, and then finally drag and drop files into the new partition via Windows Explorer. The Split Partition function automates the process: You just select the partition you want to split and choose the files you want to move into the new partition.

Unfortunately you can't choose how to divvy up space when you split the partition: The program automatically decides for you based on how many files you have in each. I split a 2GB partition and opted to place only one file folder into the second partition, which PartitionMagic sized to a measly 78MB. I then had to perform a separate operation to redistribute space from my first partition to the second.

If you decide to delete a partition and later regret it, PartitionMagic 6 gives you a chance to change your mind. If you've zapped a partition but have not altered the disk space it occupied, the Undelete feature lets you restore it. V-Communications' Partition Commander has offered an undelete feature for some time; it's nice to see one now available in PartitionMagic.