[Elvandil]

This link came from the UBCD4Win downloads page. This is version 8.0 of Paragon's Hard Disk Manager. For those who haven't used it, it will partition, recover, format, and image a drive. Very useful.

The offer seems to have expired a long time ago, but I downloaded it yesterday and requested a product key which was sent immediately to my email box. So, it's still working.

I've found it useful for many things, but it is unsurpassed at partitioning and formatting USB drives that nothing else seems to want to work on.

Free Paragon Hard Disk Manager 8.0 Special Edition

[paisanol69]

thanks a lot Evandil,

I downloaded it, and received my validation code within 15 min by email. Ive been wanting this software for a while now.

[Stoner]

Thanks Elvandil.......

[Elvandil]

You're welcome.

I forgot to mention that it will move and resize partitions, and even defragment. It can recover lost partitions, copy partitions, schedule backups, and has a bootable CD creator for offline use. Really, all you need to manage hard disks. Hence, the name .

But, in Vista, it needs to be run in XPSP2 Compatibility Mode. I see no loss of functionality, however.

[JohnWill]

I gave it a try, we'll see what happens. It said it sent the key...

[buf]

Many thanks Elvandil for your passing on this info. I downloaded it and got it registered; as easy as you said I have been waiting to hear what John Will's input will be. Yours seems to be very descriptive. Perhaps others who have tried it already will report their findings also. More input is better and with differing opinions.

[JohnWill]

I got the key in the mail, so obviously it still works.

[buf]

Thanks for your reply John. Since everyone else seems to have gotten the key also, I had "assumed" you had probably run a check on a nearby PC to see if what is claimed really worked for you also. That is the input I thought we would be seeing from you.

[Elvandil]

It should be noted that Paragon has gone to version 8.5 and then to the "2008 Suite" since 8.0 came out. So, though I'm sure it will work fine for most people under most circumstances, Vista didn't exist when 8.0 came out. So be wary. I haven't tried making a Vista backup, for example.

[JohnWill]

I haven't actually installed it yet, I just figured I'd grab it and have it handy...

[Elvandil]

I only installed it into Vista so that it could be incorporated into my copy of VistaPE. This project is a bootable version of Vista and has the potential (very nearly realized already) of being even more useful then UBCD4Win.

But I still use version 7.0 of the Paragon partitioner sometimes since it fits on a floppy. It's pretty handy sometimes and even has an NTFS defragger included in the single floppy version. It works and XP had no problem with the partitions it created.

[buf]

OK John. Guess that is what I figured cause I did the same thing.

[buf]

Thanks Elvandi for your additional input. Quiet a weapon; a floppy with so much help on it.

[JohnWill]

I'm moving to either CD's or USB drives for my support tasks. More and more computers are coming without floppies, but you rarely see one without either an optical drive or a USB port.

[Elvandil]

Originally Posted by JohnWill

I'm moving to either CD's or USB drives for my support tasks. More and more computers are coming without floppies, but you rarely see one without either an optical drive or a USB port.

Definitely. I make all my tools available on CD. But I've accumulated such a store of great tools on floppies over the years, and most have been replaced by bigger and better versions but still work fine, that I'm always glad to see that floppy drive present on a machine.

I'll have a floppy on my own machine for some time to come. There are still plenty of drivers in use (like the Compaq "ROMPaq's") that I need to make one from time to time. Virtual floppies work fine for working on them, but not when I need a copy.