Combining 2 HDs into one

Clarifications

Well, it is possible if you configure the 2 drives as a RAID array. However, configuring the RAID array usually means that you have to format the drives again. So, at a minimum, you need a full backup of your existing drive.

Another option is to simply buy a larger hard drive and install it using the drive manufactures utilities.

Most drive manufactures have utilities that allow you to copy your existing operating drive onto the new hard drive. Then, just change drive settings to boot from the new drive and you are set to go.

Then there is the option of thoroughly cleaning old and temporary files from your existing hard drive. Utilities such as ccleaner can help automate this task.

I myself am running with 4 physical hard drives with several logical drives configured on the physical hard drives. I use the different drives like file cabinets and store specific information on specific drives.

Chas

You can add a second HDD to ease the strain on your C:\ HDD, but not by adding it to the existing C:\ space. What you would do is RELOCATE some of your existing C:\Directories to your new D:\ HDD.

For instance you could Relocate your 'My Documents' entirely (Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos) to your new D:\ HDD, thereby regaining all the drive space that is occupied at present. To know which directories are using the most space, you should download and install [b]'TREESIZE'[/b] - this will give you analytical views of where all your existing hard drive space has gone and which programs/data are the guilty parties.

http://download.cnet.com/1770-20_4-0.html?query=TreeSize+Free&searchtype=downloads

Of course, when you only have one hard drive, EVERYTHING that you install gets installed on the same HDD. Once you have 2 HDDs to pick from you can opt to install programs to the second HDD, leaving the C:\ drive for what it is primarily responsible for - running the Operating System ONLY.

NOTE: You won't be able to Relocate existing installed programs (like Games or Utilities) because the Registry already thinks these programs exist on the C:\ HDD. If you wanted to save further space by 'Relocating' them to your D:\ HDD, you would have to Uninstall them from your C:\ drive, then Install them again, this time choosing the D:\ drive as the PATH to install them to.

hi
the way to do what you asked about is to set up a 'Dynamic Volume' see here -

http://www.lockergnome.com/it/2006/11/22/convert-to-a-dynamic-disk-in-vista/

bearing in mind this -

http://searchenterprisedesktop.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid192_gci1347353,00.html

this is possible without a RAID controller or having an extra drive letter
cheers!

the impression he wanted to add a physical hard drive and share the space across them - hence the links regarding spanning...
oh well

it out in VirtualPC to see if it was possible to expand a C:\ drive. The original Q was about adding a 2nd physical HD. Sorry for the confusion. Don't know if there is a huge difference b/w the two.

Create an empty folder in your C drive. Add your new hard drive and when you format the partition, you can use that empty folder as a mount point. Anything you save in the folder will go to the other drive.