(OT) Free Partition Software For Old Windows
 

To have a dual boot (Windows & Linux), I need to make a free partition tool. Unlike Windows 10, one needs to have a partition tool for Windows XP. I try two "free" partition software EaseUS and MiniTool Partition based on online article recommendations. And it turns out both are fee-based tools right now. They might be free a few years ago.

Please let me know if you use such free tools lately.

Gparted is the Linux tool, and it's certainly free. Install it with the package manager.

Thanks. I guess I need a tool for Windows to make a room on the hard drive for Linux. I work on an existing Windows installation.

Most distributions have a live version that runs from CD or USB that has gparted installed or use its live CD version.

https://gparted.org/livecd.php

What are the specs of your XP computer?

Great! It also works on Windows. I need to create another bootable USB for it. The PC has 120GB hard drive and 3GB memory. I don't know whether that is what you ask for specs or not.

If you already have a bootable USB, simply connect to your network and install gparted in the live environment. Might be quicker/easier.

Just copy & paste the file to the bootable USB?

That won't work. The system won't know about it. Boot from the USB, and install it. If you copy it to the USB, you can install it using dpkg, but you need to know how, and where the package is. It's much easier to boot the USB, get networking going, and install it from the repository using the package manager.

You can't resize the partition from Windows while it is running. You can't alter partitions which are in use, so you have to boot from some external drive in order to alter the partitions on your HDD anyway.

Yes you can. Run diskmgmt.msc as an administrator, and that will allow you to resize & alter partitions on a running system. But that won't allow you to shrink a partition down to below the last used sector, because it doesn't move files.

That's where Paragon partition manager comes in: https://www.paragon-software.com/free/pm-express/#. That will let you do whatever you want, running system or not.

I don't remember Windows XP disk management having resize capabilities and Paragon only supports Windows 7+ now.

Is the computer 32 or 64 bit

It doesn't. Otherwise, I won't ask for a tool for the task. The Paragon website says it supports Windows 7 - 10. It won't work for XP. My old Dell desktop is 32-bit.

Make sure you use a 32 bit iso. I would try Mint, I believe it includes gparted. Windows 10 can burn a CD/DVD from ISO image. Does your XP PC have the capability to boot from USB?

It does. I tried to get partition done this afternoon. The PC is slower than I remember for some reason.

Apologies for the mis-information. GParted it is.

They have a live CD/USB image available in 32 bit: https://gparted.org/livecd.php

It is ok. Thanks.