Partition Magic produces a PQRP partition for C:

[brucek 38]

I was doing some hardware maintenance and moving my C: drive when PM ver 7.0 locked up and aborted (this is the script when XP reboots). What I now have where C: was, is a PQRF partition. I've gone on line and searched for it, and find that it's what happens when PM cannot complete a task. By design, it will rename the partition type header on the partition to this when doing anything, then name it back again- so that if it doesn't complete (as in my case) then the partition cannot be accessed by ScanDisk etc.The C: drive is now invisible to the PC (and in Disk Management), but hasn this wierd descriptor "PQRF" in PM.My PC still boots, so the data is still there, just no longer accessible by the PC. I multi-boot my PC to an instance of XP on E:, but of course the basic boot files (NTLDR, Boot.ini, etc.) are on C:. I gather that there used to be an FAQ on this topic at Powerquest, but support is now only available for ver 8.x.What I am thinking of doing is to format the PQRF drive (I can do that in PM, about the only thing I can do other than "Delete"), then re-install XP to C:, booting from the XP CD. Will my XP install see my other intance of XP on E: and modify boot.ini accordingly? I assume at worse, if t can't, then I could manually edit boot.ini with the "multi" statement.Any sugestions much appreciated.Thanka, Bruce.

[Guest baksteen33]

Hi Bruce, I shuddered when reading PM7, doesn't it have a 80GB HD limitation? There are also 1-2 upgrades AFAIK. PM7 also came with a big fat manual containing loads of tips and troubleshooting help. But again, I wouldn't use PM7 on current hardware any more, it's highly likely you'll be exceeding the 80GB HD spec. Kind regards Jaap

[brucek 38]

Thanks Jaap,well, I bit the bullet and installed a parallel instance of XP on C:, then used Notepad to edit boot.ini, and voila- I'm back going again.I did intially try (after formatting the defunct partition back to NTFS and labelling it C:) installing ntldr, ntdetect.com and other "root C:" system files from my wife's PC, and a saved version of boot.ini. However, it would not boot.Yes, I think I will throw PM7.0. Besides, there's not much that PM can do now that XP has almost the same functionality in Disk Management.Thanks again,Bruce.

[Guest baksteen33]

Hi Bruce, glad you were able to recover. Don't you just hate computers sometimes?!? :-) Kind regards Jaap

[brucek 38]

Thanks Jaap- and yes!! :)Bruce.

[geoffco 0]

I've also had problems in the past with PM - if you want a really good disk management and partitioning software, Acronis Disk Director is pretty good. I've been using it for probably a year by now and have had no issues with it!Geoff