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CNET Editors' review
A full-featured disk management utility is something most experienced Windows users need, whether it's to add and format a new hard drive, configure a USB drive, or copy partitions or whole drives and move them to new drives. MiniTool Partition Wizard is a powerful but easy-to-use partition manager that does all that and much more, and it's free, too. It supports FAT, NTFS, EXT, and Linux Swap file systems, and all hard-disk types recognized by Windows, including RAID arrays. It's also compatible with both MBR and GPT partition tables. Partition Wizard supports hard disks of up to 2TB in capacity and up to 32 individual drives. New features include one-step partition extending and improved partition splitting as well as Windows 8 compatibility.
Partition Wizard's user interface is good-looking and also intuitively configured, with a layout resembling many similar tools, including Disk Manager. Bar graphs and tables displayed the capacity and status of all our system's drives, including its three logical partitions and USB thumbdrive. Even if you're familiar with disk-managing utilities, it's not a bad idea to start with Partition Manager's Help file, which does a great job of explaining each feature. And this program has features, starting with four Wizards: Copy Partition, Copy Disk, Partition Recovery, and Free Data Recovery. Each of these tools walks you through the steps necessary to perform these tricky operations. Speaking of Operations, Partition Wizard lists no fewer than 21 of them, everything from Align Partition to Surface Test. We could format, delete, copy, merge, split, explore, hide, and wipe partitions; set Active and Logical partitions; change serial numbers; and much more. You can also create a bootable CD that lets you use Partition Wizard during reboot to perform operations that you can't do when Windows is loaded.
Step 1 when making changes to your disk drives is always backing up your system, especially if you're making changes to your primary drive. All the tools we tried worked well, including the Move/Resize Partition Wizard, which let us set the partition by dragging it into place. MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition is a keeper.
Partition Wizard 7 - Manage all your hard disk partitions - Download Video Previews:Publisher's Description
From MiniTool:
Working as partition magic, Partition Wizard Home Edition is a free partition manager designed by MT Solution Ltd. This partition software supports 32/64 bit Windows Operating System. Home users can perform complicated partition operations by using this powerful but free partition manager to manage their hard disk partition such as Resizing partitions, Copying partitions, Create partition, Delete partition, Format partition, Convert partition, Explore partition, Hide partition, Change drive letter, Set active partition, Convert Dynamic Disk to Basic Disk, Surface Test, Change Partition Serial Number, Change Partition Type ID and Partition Recovery.
What's new in this version: Version 7.8 adds support to copy UEFI boot disk and enhances ability to handle memory card & flash drive.
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All versions:
4.4 starsout of 537 votes
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Current version:
4.6 starsout of 17 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Recovered my MBR after being overwritten by GPT"
Version: MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.8
Pros
Worked well to recover the overwritten MBR...didn't have to read any manuals
Cons
Was a 500GB USB3 (seems to be running in USB2 mode) and MPWHE seemed to crash when running Partition Recovery...10 minutes later I could recover my MBR;
then I used GPT Disk to delete the GPT remnants;
so that I could take the recovered volumes online in Windows Disk Management.
Disk recovered!! -
"I am very impressed with this program"
Version: MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.8
Pros
After trying many ways to find the lost partitions on two 500 Gig drives after having windows 8 as a secondary OS, the Hard drive decided to prevent me having control over it due to this accursed MBR Partition Table. Mini Tools soon sorted it out and I was able to regain the partitions on two drives and re install window 7 without any problem
Cons
There were no cons, and I would grade it far above my paid for version of partition magic that was no help at all
Summary
If you want an all singing all dancing Partition manager this is the boy. There are a few item you will not get with the free version, but you will certainly be able to do all the basic things and more, and that includes sorting out the lost partition problem with the MBR Partition Table on EFI systems
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"Does a good job aligning partitions."
Version: MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.8
Pros
I works and its easy to use menu interface.
I had to align may partitions after clone to a new HD put them all out. This fixed them without data loss. Great tool.
RecommendedCons
Non that I am aware of at this time
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"Absolutely Outstanding !"
Version: MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.8
Pros
Does what it says on the tin. Very easy to use, once you get the hang of it. Lighter footprint than similar tools. Excellent help guides.
Cons
GUI can be a little confusing at first since there are often several ways to perform any given function. (Eventually you'll find which you prefer - I'm of the "when in doubt, right-click" school of thought.)
Summary
I've been using this tool for around 3 years now, except for a brief period when I experimented with the EaseUS Partition Master, which is also a very capable tool. In contrast, it has a lot of extra baggage ('takes up over 90MB as compared with around 46MB for the MiniTool), and uses somewhat more cluster space. I could live with either one, but find the MiniTool more to my liking. CNET has always pushed the EaseUS, and I have to wonder why. Smart users will try both, and if you check the numbers, MiniTool has way more downloads. Check it out for yourself. I bet you'll be as pleased as I am with this fine software.
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"most capable one"
Version: MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.8
Pros
recovered a missing partition that other tools could not.
Cons
i don't see any cons.
Summary
recovered a missing partition that other tools could not.
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"Easy to use, does almost every task as it says"
Version: MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.8
Pros
Easy interface;
Effective operation re-sizing disks on std Win 7 Prof system;
Varied options are clearly presented;
Seems faster than my old 'PARAGON Part Mgr 11 Personal' & it is free !Cons
I could not instruct it to re-size the (100 Mb) reserved partition
on my SSD,
thus, I cannot personally recommend it for use on Solid State Drives ('NAND'
memory). -
"great as it used to be"
Version: MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.8
Pros
very fast and easy to use
Cons
none has been found.
Summary
minitool partition wizard just never lets me down and i have used it for years. just download the latest version and i regard it as the best free partition management tool ever. keep up the good work, guys!
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"Simple, and simply Works"
Version: MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.8
Pros
The simplest, most user-friendly disk partitioning utility I've used, and it has never failed.
Cons
For most of us, partitioning something done infrequently or only once. I'd recommend that most users not bother with the Windows installable version, instead downoading the bootable disk image version of the same software, and creating and using the bootable disk instead.
Summary
It's great, get it!
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"I think the MiniTool will meet most peoples needs."
Version: MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.8
Pros
Does what is says it will!
Cons
Having said that, your needs will quickly lead you to the pro version to fulfill your needs.
Summary
Great for simple tasks!
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"Not What It Used To Be."
Version: MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.8
Pros
Allows the creation and removal of disc partitions with relative ease. Plan you strategy, set your options, then when ready, "Apply" your changes. Contrary to the other review, this approach of outlining your steps, before performing them, minimizes (not increases) the likelihood of mistakes.
Cons
1. Certain features are no longer available to Home users (i.e. Merge Partitions). These lost features don't limit the quality of the product, but certainly lower it's usefulness to end-users.
2. For Vista x64 (and perhaps others) it turns off driver signing and puts the OS into "test mode". To fix this problem, run the Command Prompt in Administrator mode and type "bcdedit /set testsigning off", then reboot your PC.Summary
I'm becoming increasingly mistrustful of C-Net reviews. They're often tested by non-techs with little indepth knowledge very quickly and without tracking actual software changes. You will find software with pretty interfaces that actually do nothing they claim getting scathing reviews on here (e.g. anything by COMODO). This particular review was completely off... they either just copied the developers own description or tested the Pro version and gave a Home version review. Tsk Tsk Tsk.
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