Programs for hard drives in Russian are collected in this heading. All programs can be downloaded for free with activation keys.

RusLive by Nikzzzz is an updated and more improved version of the software multi boot disk, which was created by a very famous domestic developer. This collection can be used as a bootable flash drive, when creating a disk image on a drive, and moving all the necessary software there. Here users are presented with a huge collection of software, but most of all, several varieties of the Windows operating system deserve attention. Each of them has its own specific system, or bit depth: 32 or 64 ...

UltraDefrag - This program is a powerful, reliable and convenient tool for disk defragmentation. Moreover, not only entire hard disks can be processed here, as in the standard device system, but also portable media, and even individual files. Components of any type and volume can be used for these purposes. Unlike the standard defragmentation method, using the functions of the operating system, the program will do its job much faster and more efficiently. Also here ...

With the help of this simple development, you can not only get a lot of information of interest to you on the existing system, but also, in particular, find out the current state hard disk, which is equally important. Now it is worth being a unique and special person who will apply many of his incredible character traits and will try to be a more wonderful and special member of society, who wants to constantly admire and actively pursue the set goal, no matter how difficult it may be on the chosen path. Download…

Hard Disk Sentinel - software, which is created for monitoring and testing the hard drive. The main purpose of this program is diagnostics, search and elimination of various problems on the disk. Users have the opportunity to view reports on the current state of the hard drive, its state, temperature and other characteristics. The Russian version of Hard Disk Sentinel allows you to use functionality programs without restrictions. On our website, Internet users can download the activation keys for Hard Disk Sentinel absolutely free of charge. After…

Many users are often faced with the problem of the so-called "lagging" computer. Not everyone can diagnose problems on their own, but spend money every time on service centres, to put it mildly, expensive. In order to avoid neglected cases, sometimes it is enough just to optimize your computer. You can optimize your computer absolutely safely at home with the help of a simple and convenient program Advanced SystemCare. One of the upsides is that the basic version of this program is free. License key will allow ...

VeraCrypt is an advanced software for creating secure encrypted storage of information on a computer, where you can save secret and private data absolutely safely. This utility can be downloaded for free in Russian on this site. The product allows you to create simple encrypted storages, encrypt non-system storage media (removable disks, flash cards) or encrypt system disks or parts of them. It follows that you can protect your sensitive data from unauthorized access and avoid virus threats or theft ...

Victoria HDD is a program developed in Belarus by programmer Sergei Kazansky. Designed for comprehensive monitoring of all kinds of flaws and malfunctions of a computer hard drive, proofreading S.M.A.R.T. data and other important information. You can quickly download the program in Russian on this site. The program has not been updated for a long time, but this has not yet affected its popularity. It can be used for the operating system Windows x64 (64 bit), for example, windows 10 and windows 7. Download Victoria for free ...

Iperius Backup is a very useful and multifunctional software that you need to create backups files, folders, or even an entire operating system. Due to this, users will be able to save important system components, or avoid very serious and even critical problems that may arise during computer breakdowns. If we talk in simple words then this program will allow you to save all the necessary files in the cloud, or on another hard drive or external drive. Therefore…

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The hard drive on your computer and the disk icon in My Computer are different concepts. For example, a computer might have one hard drive, while My Computer might have several. The reason for this strange inconsistency is that the hard disk can be divided into so-called partitions. This is called logical disk layout.

I will talk about why such markup is needed, how to do it correctly (and whether it should be done at all), and also talk about free software ah for such a delicate procedure.

Why you need to divide your hard drive into partitions

There are several reasons to divide a hard disk into partitions:

  1. Partitions on a hard disk are primarily needed for competent storage of information. For example, some users prefer the following division: the operating system and programs on the same disk (usually C), documents - on the second ( D), archive of photos on the third ( E) etc. In this case, the hard drive may well be one.
  2. If you have one hard drive, but you want to have two or more operating systems, you will have to divide the hard drive into partitions, since Windows and other operating systems can only be installed on different partitions or hard drives.
  3. Laptop manufacturers (and some computers from well-known manufacturers, such as Acer) have their own reason to divide hard disk partitions: on a partition that is visible as a disk C, Windows is installed, the second ( D) is absolutely empty, and the third one (which is not visible in any way in the "My Computer" window) stores a compressed copy of the partition C... This hidden hard disk partition is called recovery partition... If something happened to the operating system ("Windows flew" - as some users like to say), then when you turn on the laptop, just press the key combination (which one - see the instructions for the laptop) and a special program will clear the disk C, then unpacks the contents of the hidden section there. As a result, the user will receive a laptop with the programs that were originally on it at the time of purchase in the store. Disk D it will not be changed. The conclusion suggests itself: if all documents are stored on a laptop with such a recovery system not on drive C, but only on D, it will be possible at any time to restore damaged Windows with a brand new one, without losing important data for yourself. By the way, any advanced user can make such a recovery system for himself, but I'll tell you about it some other time.
  4. Operating systems Windows 7 and Windows 8, when installed on a clean, "unpartitioned" hard drive, create a hidden partition with a size of 100-350 megabytes. This small section contains the bootloader, which is, oddly enough, to boot Windows. This section will not be or its contents will be damaged - and the computer will not start the operating system, displaying an inscription on a black screen "Boot fail", "Cannot find boot device", "Boot error" or similar, the meaning of which is the same - the boot disk with operating system. Actually, the bootloader can be stored on disk. C:, and / or in hidden sectors of the hard disk (outside partitions), but the developers decided to use a separate hidden partition in Windows 7/8 in order to somehow protect the bootloader from being damaged by other programs, viruses or the user.
  5. There are other reasons for partitioning a hard drive. For example, for the correct operation of GNU / Linux operating systems, several partitions should be created, but this is a topic for a separate article, we will not consider them here.

So, The main reasons for partitioning a hard drive are: for the convenience of storing information, for installing several operating systems, for the recovery system, for storing the Windows 7/8 boot loader.

A bit of theory: file systems, partition types

Information about partitions (ie logical drives) is stored in a "partition table". Each logical drive can have its own file system. You can read more about all this in the Wikipedia articles: Disk Partition, Logical Disk, File System. For a beginner, it is enough to know the very minimum:

  1. If you divide the hard disk into logical disks (partitions), disk capacity will not increase- there is simply nowhere to free space! You can make partitions of any size, but in total, they cannot exceed the size of a real hard disk. Here is less - please. Then you get unallocated free space not visible in My Computer, from which you can get one or more new partitions. This is a question I often get from newbies, so I put it first.
  2. Exist primary (main) and extended (additional) sections. One hard disk cannot have more than four main partitions (why so - see the links above), so they came up with an extended partition - this is a primary partition that can include as many partitions as you want. As a result, thanks to the extended partition, the hard disk can have as many partitions as you like - dozens, hundreds.
  3. Each partition can have its own file system. IN this moment for Windows installations Vista, 7 and 8 can only use NTFS, and the outdated Windows XP can be installed on disks with the FAT32 file system. However, I do not recommend doing this, as it imposes too many restrictions. Make all partitions in NTFS - everything will work as it should.
  4. Any hard drive must be partitioned one way or another. Into one or more logical drives - it's up to you. When buying a hard drive, it is usually already divided into one section - so the manufacturer decided. If you are satisfied with this way of organizing information, do not touch it.
  5. It is very undesirable to do disk partitioning in laptops - most of them have hidden recovery partitions that can be damaged (see point 3 of the previous chapter).
  6. If you bought a 2 terabyte hard drive, and My Computer has “only” 1.86 terabytes (1,860 gigabytes), then don't rush back to the store. It's all about how the manufacturers and Windows calculate the volume. Read more about this in the Wikipedia Hard Drive article. The larger the hard disk, the more clearly you can see that the real gigabytes are smaller.
  7. Sections can delete, create, shift(change their physical position on the disk), resize, format, convert file systems on partitions from one to another. Moreover, many programs are able to do this while preserving all data. There are other operations, but novice users most often need the above.
  8. In the event of an error in the process of changing sections (see paragraph 7), information is almost always lost. Yes, it will be possible to restore it (or part of it) by special programs with the participation of specialists, but it is best to save all important information to other disks (not logical, but real disks) or flash drives, so as not to pay money for data recovery.

Disk Management snap-in for Windows

Windows has standard remedy section changes - " Disk management". Depending on the version of Windows, the capabilities of this program change slightly, but in general over the past years (if we talk about Windows Vista, 7, 8) there have been no major changes. Windows XP looks more modest in this regard - apart from formatting and changing the drive letter, there is little you can do there.

As an example I will take “ Disk management»Windows 7. You can open this program in several ways:

  1. The simplest - right-click on the line A computer on the menu Start- select the item Control- in the new window select Disk management.
  2. We open Control Panel - Administration - Computer management - Disk management.
  3. Push Start - Execute(or the keyboard shortcut Win + R) - enter in the window that opens diskmgmt.msc- press OK.

Disk management looks like that:

Here you can see both physical disks (including DVD drives, flash drives and other devices for storing information), and logical ones, i.e. virtual - hidden partition of the boot loader Windows 7, disks C and D... The number of disks on your computer may be different.

The main actions are available by right-clicking on the desired section:

The list of actions is rather meager:

  • Items Open, Conductor allow you to see the contents of disks
  • Make a section active- indicate on which disk (partition) the loader is located. In Windows 7 and 8, this is a system-reserved partition. You cannot make another partition active - the operating system will stop loading.
  • Change drive letter or drive path- you can change the drive letter displayed in the "Computer" window or display it as a folder. Yes, partitions can be displayed not only as disks, but also as folders on any disk.
  • Format- you can read about it in the article Formatting Wikipedia. The item opens a window with which you can start high-level formatting.
  • Expand volume- if there is space on the hard disk that is not marked as a partition, then you can expand the size of the partition at the expense of this free space.
  • Shrink volume- this item allows you to reduce the size of the partition. The result will be the formation of unallocated space, which can be put into action - to expand the volume of another section (see the previous paragraph).
  • Delete volume- delete a section. Don't click on an item without carefully considering the consequences. If you delete a section, then the information on it will be possible to save only with the help of special programs, and even then not always.
  • Properties- a properties window will open with information about the selected disk (partition).

Of course, this is not a complete list of possibilities. Disk management... You can create dynamic disks, for example. However, novice users do not need this, this article is designed just for them.

So, to create, delete, resize partitions via Disk management, only three menu items are needed: Expand volume, Shrink volume, Delete volume.

All operations take place in real time, i.e. after clicking the desired item and an affirmative answer to the question - do we want to do this - the actual action takes place.

Do not forget that there is a risk of failure, due to which we can lose both one section and all. This applies primarily to computers with a large number of unnecessary programs - each of them may be the culprit for the deletion of all data. Moreover, the scenario when you need to change the partition from which Windows is started (usually this is a disk C) is the worst - most often, users experience problems when they try to change the system partition.

To minimize the risk of failure, there are three methods:

  1. Insert the hard drive into another computer and change partitions from it by running Disk management or any other program for changing partitions. Due to the fact that Windows will be started from a different disk, no programs will climb onto the other disk, interfering with the critical operation.
  2. Boot from Live CD - the operating system and programs will be launched not from the hard disk, but from CD or DVD, flash drives - again, nothing will interfere with changing partitions.
  3. Use a program that can work in Native mode to change sections. For example, checking the disk C always works in this mode - black window with white text before loading the desktop. In this mode, a minimum of programs are running, the risk of failure is minimal.

The third option is the simplest, because the user does not actually need to do anything - just restart the computer and wait a few minutes. The following two survey programs are able to do this.

Free for home use program for changing partitions of the hard disk.

By clicking on the section (it doesn't matter - in the list above, in the picture below), you can see the menu (both pop-up and on the left panel) with all the requested actions:

Resize / Move partition- resize the partition and / or shift its physical position on the disk. By the way, the official website says that the EaseUS Partition Master Home (free) version does not support changing partitions. It is not - everything works great.

Copy partition- copy the partition to another disk with all the information available on it.

Merge partitions- merging two or more sections. Convenient if you need to save information on the hard disk, but reduce the number of partitions. Convert to logical / primary- conversion to logical (extended) / main (primary) partition.

Change label- change the disc label.

Change drive letter- change the drive letter.

Defragment- launch of the standard Windows programs to defragment the disk.

Check partition- checking the disk for errors using again standard program Windows.

Hide partition- make sure that the section is not visible in the "Computer" window.

Delete partition- deleting a section.

Format partition- section formatting.

Wipe partition- clearing the contents of the section. All folders and files will be deleted, the section will remain. Information deleted in this way cannot be recovered.

Explore partition- view the contents of the section.

View properties- see how much space is occupied on the partition, what file system it has and find out other technical information.

The list of actions changes depending on where you click. In the screenshot above, I clicked on the non-system partition. By clicking on the system partition (from where Windows is running), there will be no items for deleting, hiding, cleaning. If you click on the physical disk icon, the list of actions will be completely different:

I will list the points:

Copy disk- the contents of the entire disk are copied: sections, information in them. This requires a second disk of the same or larger capacity.

Upgrade disk- the function is primarily needed to transfer Windows to a new larger hard drive. The partition is copied and enlarged in proportion to the size of the new hard disk.

Delete all partitions- delete all sections.

Wipe disk- the same as the previous point, only with special deletion algorithms, due to which the information will be impossible to recover.

Surface test- checking the surface of the disk (physical). Allows you to detect bad sectors (the so-called "bad", "bad blocks").

View properties- display information about the disc.

Yes, knowledge of English is clearly required here, especially considering that almost every item calls up a window with settings for the action to be performed. After you make the necessary manipulations, you need to apply the changes by clicking the button Apply(Apply):

Only then will the partition change begin. This process can take some time - from a couple of minutes to several hours.

Depending on whether the system partition is affected or not, the operations are carried out either immediately in the window, or you will need to restart the computer and start changing the partition in Native mode:

The program has a lot of functions, you can't list them all. I recommend that you read the help for EaseUS Partition Master. It is in English, unfortunately, but you can use the Google translator. The translation is quite understandable.

Pros of EaseUS Partition Master Home Edition:

  • There are a lot of functions.
  • All actions are "virtual" until the Apply button is pressed. So, you can undo operations before this "point of no return" and try to do something else with the partitions. Or not at all if you change your mind.
  • Works consistently and predictably. For example, during testing while changing partitions, I started copying files to the partition to be changed. Bottom line - a window appeared stating that the partition could not be locked, all operations were interrupted, the data did not disappear anywhere.
  • The program is free for home use.

Cons of EaseUS Partition Master Home Edition:

  • The interface is in English only.
  • There are probably too many opportunities - this can confuse beginners.
  • A serious failure during the operation will lead to serious consequences.
  • For example, if you turn off the computer while changing the partition, the data on the partition will disappear. However, this is a minus of absolutely all programs for changing partitions.

Output: the program is good. You can and should use it, there is no alternative among free programs.

Paragon Partition Manager 11 Free

Free program for changing partitions from a company based in Russia. Unfortunately, the program is in English. What made the developers take such a step is not clear. Moreover, the paid version of the program is Russian.

The main window of the program is no different from the hero window of the previous review, except that the buttons have changed their order:

Deserves special mention Express Mode(Simplified mode). By clicking on this button, we will get a window with a list of the most frequent actions:

One could say that this is an ideal mode for beginners, if not for one "but": everything here is in English. And I had a suspicion that the English was somehow wrong, as if it was not a person who translated, but a machine.

Pros of Paragon Partition Manager 11 Free:

  • Many windows are clear enough to understand the functions.
  • Some operations are carried out directly in the program window, some (if required) in Native mode. That is, the program does everything to reduce the chance of data loss.
  • The program is free to use at home.

Cons of Paragon Partition Manager 11 Free:

  • English-speaking, and because of the strange construction of phrases, it is quite difficult to perceive.
  • The simplified Express Mode works exactly the opposite: first, the descriptions of operations and the operations themselves have more technical subtleties than required; secondly, this mode is very capricious and does not really work, giving out meaningless errors.
  • The program is running too slowly. For example, it took me about 5 minutes to delete a 38GB hard drive partition - long enough for such a simple operation.

Output: the program works, but somehow unpredictable. I do not recommend using this program, since there is an alternative in the form of EaseUS Partition Master Home.

Changing partitions during installation of Windows 7, 8, 10

This tool deserves a mention too.

We take any installation disk with Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8 or 10, start the disk installation, go to the partition selection and click Disk setup:

Everything seems to be simple: you need to click on a section in the list, then the action button. Unfortunately, there is little action here: deletion, formatting, partition creation and expansion.

You can, for example, delete a partition and, at the expense of the free space, increase the size of another partition or partitions (selecting the desired partitions, press the Delete and Expand buttons one by one).

Alas, a very popular operation - reducing the size of partitions - is not here. You can delete a partition, then re-create a new one with a smaller partition, but, unfortunately, we will lose data in this case.

All operations take place in real time, i.e. after the button is pressed, the action takes place.

Outcome: editing partitions during Windows setup is a very primitive tool. Works, but performs only a limited list of actions, among which the only one that saves data is increasing (expanding) the size of the partition. If you need to install Windows and do not need to save data on partitions, then the tool will come in handy.

If suddenly you accidentally deleted a partition during Windows installation or through any program, do not despair - the partition recovery function is available in EaseUS Partition Master Home Edition.

In order to recover a deleted hard disk partition, do not touch sections, immediately boot into Windows (or insert the hard drive into another computer if you deleted the system partition and Windows boot impossible), then run the above program, click on the line with the word in the list Unallocated("Unassigned"), then click Partition recovery.

The rest, as they say, is a matter of technology - the action wizard will tell you where to click, where to tick, then restore your deleted disk.

Tip # 2: Install two or more Windows operating systems on one hard drive

All it takes is several sections. If the hard disk already has a second partition, which is visible in the window " A computer"- make sure that there is at least 20 GB of free space (more is better), then during Windows installation, simply specify this second (third, fourth, etc.) drive. Once installed, you will be able to select Windows using the menu that appears when you turn on your computer.

If you have one disk ( C), I suggest the simplest option: Through Disk management first give the section FROM command Shrink, reducing by at least 20 gigabytes (or better - more, because in addition to Windows, you will also install programs):

Right-click on the C drive ...

After pressing the button Shrink disk size C decreases, unallocated (free) space appears in the partition map:

We indicate unallocated space. The section will be created by the installer itself.

After installation, you will have two operating systems. You can make more unallocated spaces or empty disks, specify them for installation.

Thanks to reader Vladimir for bringing up this topic.

You may have noticed that in the screenshots of the Disk Management window, all partitions are marked with a blue stripe. You may have sections with green stripes. What is the difference between the blue and green sections?

A green bar in Disk Management is a sign of an extended (additional) partition. As I already wrote above, inside there may be "nested" sections, which from the user's point of view are no different from the main (primary) sections. Nested partitions have one peculiarity - if you reduce their size, then due to the free space that appears, it will not be possible to expand the main partition just like that. You must first compress the extended partition itself (which stores free place and a reduced partition) to create free space outside of any partitions, only then you can expand the disks.

Standard Disk Management does not know how to work normally with extended disks, so if you see green marks instead of blue ones, it is better to use the free programs above - they will reduce extended partitions, move free space where necessary and expand the main disk.

Good day!

For some reason, many users believe that the heart of a computer is a processor. (for some game lovers - a video card 👌)... But purely in my opinion - the most important piece of hardware in a computer / laptop is a disk (HDD / SSD).

Whatever hardware breakdown is (if it is not connected with the disk) - by replacing and repairing it, you will restore your work and continue it as if nothing had happened. But if the hard disk "flies", then it is not always possible to recover data simply...

Okay lyrics, on this page I want to collect the most necessary and useful programs for working with a hard drive. I give only the most popular and current programs, which I used myself more than once or twice.

HDDlife / SSDLife

I really like this utility for its clarity and focus on novice users. All you need to do is install the program, after a while you will find out:

  • the state of the "health" of your disk in percentage terms;
  • status about its performance;
  • temperature;
  • how much actual time he worked (not to be confused with age and date of manufacture).

The utility works in constant mode (minimized in the tray, next to the clock), and when alarms appear, it will notify you in time. What else do not experienced users need to diagnose ?!

Approx. : not only work on a PC is supported, but also on laptops, netbooks, etc. SSD drives are also supported.

Victoria

One of the most renowned utilities for testing and diagnosing disks. The program allows testing: HDD, FDD, CD / DVD, USB / Flash / SCSI.

Main functions:

In general, I must admit that the program is not very friendly and easy for novice users. It should be used with caution - here, as never before, it is correct: "if you don't know - don't press!"

MHDD

A very popular free program for diagnosing hard drives. Allows you to make a fairly accurate diagnosis of the fur. parts of drives, view SMART attributes, retrieve defective sectors (note:), it contains various tests, and other useful functions.

HDAT2

An excellent program for testing disks. Its main advantage over MHDD and Victoria (discussed above) is support for all drives with a wide variety of interfaces: ATA / ATAPI / SATA, SSD, SCSI and USB.

By the way, the program does not work under Windows, to run it you need to write bootable media (USB flash drive or CD / DVD disc), and after booting from it, run the utility.

HDDScan

Very high quality utility for HDD check and SSD for broken sectors, viewing S.M.A.R.T., for setting up special. parameters (power management, acoustic mode adjustment, etc.).

Hard disk temperature can be displayed on the taskbar (to be aware of how things are going 👌).

Supported drives:

  • HDD with ATA / SATA, SCSI, USB, FireWire or IEEE 1394 interface;
  • SSD with ATA / SATA interface;
  • RAID arrays with ATA / SATA / SCSI interface;
  • Flash drives with USB interface.

CrystalDiskInfo

Decent program for monitoring the health of hard drives that support S.M.A.R.T.

The program displays detailed information about your disks: interface, total operating time, firmware, serial number, standard, allows you to manage AAM / APM settings, (useful when your drive is noisy), displays S.M.A.R.T. parameters. (read errors, track seek time, number of on-off cycles, performance, spindle starts / stops, sector errors, etc.).

Cleaning the disk from debris

Advanced SystemCare

One of the best programs for cleaning your computer from junk, fixing errors, editing the registry, removing invalid shortcuts, etc. Allows you to tidy up your Windows in a few minutes and make it work much faster.

Using the program is very simple: just install and run. In my example below, I did just that - it turned out that there are enough problems (although I regularly use wizards to clean Windows ...).

Found problems after scanning in System Care

Also note that after installing Advanced SystemCare - a special manager appears in the upper right corner of the screen: it shows the current CPU and RAM load (in percent).

Thanks to this manager, you can take screenshots, watch the load of the disk, memory, processor, perform a quick cleaning, diagnostics. In general, it replaces the task manager ...

CCleaner

Free utility for comprehensive cleaning of your Windows. Cleans various garbage: temporary unnecessary files, "leftovers" from remote programs, browsing history in browsers (all popular ones are supported: Firefox, Opera, Chrome, etc.).

there is portable version: which does not need to be installed. The program works in all popular Windows versions: XP, 7, 8, 10.

Wise Disk Cleaner

This program allows you to deeply clean your Windows system and hard drive from a variety of junk. As much garbage as Wise Disk Cleaner finds - no other utility will find it!

In addition to its main purpose, the program has a built-in defragmenter. Defragmentation after cleaning has a very good effect on the responsiveness and performance of the hard disk.

Wise Disk Cleaner has a convenient and pleasant interface: all the main tabs are located on top, by clicking on one of them, you can quickly complete the current task. In general, some positive emotions from such software 👌!

Formatting, Breaking: Working with Sections

A very convenient and multifunctional program for working with hard drives. Its capabilities are more than enough for the average user, here you go: resizing the partition (no formatting), moving a disk partition, joining (merging) partitions (without loss of information), partition deletion, formatting, wizard Reserve copy, HDD to SSD Migration Wizard, and more.

What is especially noteworthy: all operations with disks are performed using a step-by-step wizard, which at each stage will tell you what is used and for what purpose. Also, most disk operations are performed without data loss. (unless the program has warned otherwise).

Aomei Partition Assistant - what can be done with a HDD partition

Acronis Disk Director

A very powerful and reliable tool for managing disks and volumes on your computer.

Main functions: split and merge disk volumes, formatting disks (all popular file systems are supported: FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, Exts, Ext3, Reiser3, Linux or SWAP), recovering accidentally deleted volumes, the ability to load the program into offline(without using windows- for this you need to prepare in advance bootable USB drive) and etc.

MiniTool Partition Wizard

A very convenient harvester for working with a hard disk: it allows you to perform the entire list of operations that an ordinary PC user may need.

Main functions:

  • Windows Migration Wizard to Another Disk / Partition (convenient, for example, when transferring Windows from HDD to SSD);
  • partition copy wizard;
  • recovery wizard;
  • merging, formatting, splitting, deleting sections;
  • Russian language support;
  • works in all popular Windows: 7, 8, 10.

EASEUS Partition Master Free

The best free solution for Windows 10 / 8.1 / 8/7 / Vista / XP, which will help you create, delete, resize, transfer, expand, split, format, clone partitions of any disks: HDD, SSD, USB-drives (flash drives, disks, etc.), memory cards, and other storage media.

The program allows you to change the file system (from FAT32 to NTFS) without losing data, change the partitioning of the MBR disk to GPT, or the reverse operation - GPT disk partitioning to MBR (also without data loss).

In general, a convenient and irreplaceable manager for working with disks (certainly more convenient than the wizard built into Windows ...).

Defragmentation (for HDD)

If, when opening any files from a disk, your PC began to think, it does it slowly and not immediately, then in the most innocuous case, the reason is fragmentation.

To fix this disgrace, you need to carry out the reverse operation - defragmentation(such is the tautology ✌).

Defragmentation- the process of optimizing the storage of information on disk to ensure a continuous sequence of clusters.

In general, if you deviate from the incomprehensible terms, then after defragmentation your disk starts to work faster: reading and writing files is accelerated. Thanks to this, your programs become more responsive, it becomes more pleasant to work on such a PC!

By the way, Windows also has its own defragmentation wizard, but in my opinion, it does not work perfectly ... Therefore, I will give a couple of necessary utilities.

Auslogics Disk Defrag

Despite its compact size, this utility will give odds to many competitors! The program works very quickly, optimizes the file system, thereby accelerating your work. Needless to say, the program is used by over 11 million users worldwide!

Main functions:

  • defragments files and unused space on the HDD;
  • special attention is paid to defragmentation system files (which affects performance);
  • you can defragment specific files (there are not many programs where there is this chip);
  • the ability to work in the background (i.e., unnoticed by you);
  • free for home use!

MyDefrag

A free and small utility for defragmenting HDD, USB disks, memory cards, floppy disks. By the way, the program has a very convenient setting of the start time - you can set up the work schedule so that the disk is analyzed and defragmented when you are not working at the PC.

Main functions of MyDefrag:

  • there is a version working from command line(does not need installation);
  • 2 algorithms for defragmentation;
  • there is a scheduler (schedule) of tasks;
  • the standard version of the program is automated and will not take a minute of your time to set it up.

Defraggler

Free defragmenter from the manufacturer of the CCleaner utility (Piriform Ltd). The program allows you to work both with an entire section of the disk, and with individual files and folders.

After analyzing the desired hard disk partition: the program will display a list of fragmented files. You can select the ones you want and Defraggler will quickly optimize their placement. As a result, you do not waste time defragmenting the entire disk. (in general, in some cases it is very convenient!).

The page will be updated with new software as you work with the site.

Partitioning a hard disk refers to the process of dividing one disk into multiple logical disks. In this article, we'll take a look at popular hard drive partitioning software.

Operating Windows system 7 has a built-in partitioning utility. To start it, follow the path: Start - Control Panel - System - Administrative Tools - Computer Management - Disk Management.

By running the Disk Management utility, you will have access to all the necessary functions. For already existing disks, you can perform: delete, format, change letter, shrink and delete the disk. If you have a new hard drive connected to your computer without partitioning, you can partition the drive.

If the capabilities of the built-in utility for partitioning the disk are not enough for you, you can use third-party programs.

Wondershare Disk Manager Free

There are not so many quality free partitioning software. One of these programs is Wondershare Disk Manager Free. This program allows you to create, delete, copy, and convert partitions. The program has a very simple and intuitive interface. Thanks to this, even the absence of the Russian language will not complicate the process of working with the program, even for not too experienced users. To install this program, you will have to go through a free and extremely simple registration on the manufacturer's website.

Paid partitioning software

One of the most popular and well-known programs of this kind is Partition Magic from Symantec. This program can run from a bootable disk, which greatly simplifies the partitioning before installing the operating system. Partition Magic supports file systems NTFS and FAT. In addition to basic operations such as creating and formatting, Partition Magic allows you to convert file systems, resize partitions, merge partitions.

Paragon Partition Manager

Paragon Partition Manager is a powerful program for hard disk partitioning, backup, and management operating systems... Unlike the previous program, Paragon Partition Manager has a wider set of features and functions. So, this program is one of the few that allows you to work with disks for virtual machines(MS Virtual PC, VMware Workstation, VMware Fusion and Sun VirtualBox).

Acronis Disk Director

Acronis Disk Director is another advanced hard disk partitioning and disk management software. Acronis Disk Director consists of three parts: a disk management module, an Acronis Recovery Expert module for recovering lost data, and an Acronis OS Selector module for managing multiple operating systems. Acronis Disk Director is equipped with all the necessary functions for disk management, while the program supports all modern file operating systems.

The hard disk is the most important element of the system. All available information is stored on it - photos, videos, user files. Very often the operating system of the computer does not cope with the tasks at hand - test performance, check clusters, merge partitions or restore a hard drive. This requires an independent software. Below are the best programs for hard drives.

The most popular runet program, as it is considered multifunctional, simple and convenient. Compatible with all operating systems (OS).

The application has both a basic purpose (copying, moving, resizing, merging, splitting, deleting, restoring, etc.) and specific capabilities (converting FAT to NTFS, cloning an OS, restoring MBR, complete cleaning, change ID and serial number, viewing data on bad sectors, etc.).

For installation, the minimum conditions are required - at least 380 MB of RAM, an X86 architecture processor.

Advantages:

  • Russian interface;
  • a wide range of operations and functions;
  • intuitive navigation;
  • does not require a long study, many operations are carried out in two clicks;
  • availability of tips;
  • updated regularly ( latest version- November 2018).

Disadvantages:

  • some features are only available with a paid subscription (PRO);
  • there is no Portable option (i.e., the program requires installation, it will not work to run the application from a USB flash drive).

One of the best software for diagnosing a hard drive and monitoring its condition. Many specialized publications include this utility in their collections.

It has rich functionality - it monitors HDD performance, reads S.M.A.R.T. (more than 50 attributes), controls errors as well as temperature, adjusts the noise level, supports external media.

Installation requires two conditions - Internet Explorer version 8.0 and higher, NET platform. Framework version 2.0 and newer. Compatible with all OS.

  • Russian interface;
  • there is a color indicator (shows the status and t of the hard drive);
  • it is possible to manage energy consumption;
  • in stock Portable version(which can be run from a USB flash drive without installation);
  • updated regularly.
  • does not support all SSDs;
  • no explanation to S.M.A.R.T;
  • complex navigation;
  • the presence of additional software during installation (if you do not remove the "tick", the "left" program will be loaded on the computer).

The application is more suitable for a PC, in the work of an administrator this tool will not "pull". Has a small functionality - split disks, create new ones, resize them, copy, defragment, optimize clusters, convert HFS + to NTFS (and vice versa), find bad sectors.

Special requirements include Microsoft's Visual C ++ 10.0 Runtime IDE. The program is compatible with all operating systems.

Advantages:

  • intuitive interface, the utility is easy to learn;
  • performs operations efficiently (there are no "glitches");
  • step-by-step wizard with graphic tips;
  • support for all carriers.

Disadvantages:

  • there is no Russian-language version;
  • some functions are available only after a paid subscription;
  • rarely updated (most recently in 2017).

The main purpose of the software is to operate with partitions of a hard drive. The main functions include - formatting, editing, merging, deleting, creating new ones, cleaning and checking, converting NTFS to FAT32 (and vice versa), changing the disk type, testing for operability, copying and transferring to a new media.

The application is compatible with all operating systems.

  • multifunctionality (within the framework of the main task);
  • visualization of the master;
  • updated regularly (last June 2018);
  • very powerful product (works with volumes up to 2 TB).
  • there is no Russian language.

There are Free and Pro options (with paid subscriptions).

Utility for low-level HDD formatting. The functionality is small, but powerful - hiding "bad" sectors for writing data, permanently deleting information from the media, deleting the MBR.

The application has two levels of formatting - normal and low. It is able to clean "under zero" not only files, but also the entire partition table.

The program supports hard drives from most manufacturers. Compatible with all OS.

Advantages:

  • when formatting, brings the state of the HDD to the factory state (used for "broken" media);
  • simple interface;
  • speed of work;
  • works with all carriers;
  • there is a version in Russian.

Disadvantages:

  • the free version is limited in speed (50 Mb / s);
  • there is a paid option;
  • on many devices, S.M.A.R.T. not available.

Another tool for exploiting hard partitions. The main features of the program are consciousness, editing, merging, deleting, moving sections. And also - resizing, checking and copying. There is a function to recover data from a damaged sector.

The utility supports all file systems (ext, FAT, HFS, etc.). Works with any storage device. Compatible with all OS.

  • does not require installation;
  • wide and powerful functionality for managing hard drive partitions.
  • in English;
  • slightly difficult to work with (takes time to master);
  • access is possible via Live CD.

A solid, time-tested tool. The utility is designed to check HDD performance and find errors. There are many options - viewing S.M.A.R.T parameters, detailed information about the hard drive (model, volume, properties, etc.), surface testing for the presence of "broken" areas.

There are functions for advanced users - measuring settings and passport options, adjusting the timeout length for various elements. This product works with all storage devices. Compatible with Windows only.

Advantages:

  • simple and intuitive interface;
  • it is enough to have the skills of a confident PC user;
  • does not require installation on a computer;

low-level formatting.

Disadvantages:

  • there is no Russian version;
  • no tips;
  • the speed in the 64-bit version is low.

Average price - 1,700 rubles.

One of the most powerful tools for working with a hard drive with a full range of all kinds of operations. The only program that allows, both manually and automatically, to use all the functionality without losing data.

The product consists of 4 modules:

  • section manager (designed for creating, converting, changing volumes, deleting, and other operations);
  • boot administrator (allows you to install multiple operating systems on your computer);
  • disk editor (able to change HDD content directly);
  • recovery utility.

To install the application you need certain conditions- Availability of RAM 512 MB or more, screen expansion at least 1024 × 768, processor frequency - 1 GHz.

  • ease of use, intuitive interface;
  • powerful functionality (in the paid version);
  • there is a version in Russian;
  • regular updates.
  • Free only Demo version.

The software is designed to diagnose the hard drive. The program tests HDD for errors and "broken" sections, reflects S.M.A.R.T-indicators. The software tells you which site is in danger and requires a reservation. Able to "isolate" him.

There are various settings for regulation - reduce noise, reduce energy consumption, control rotation when idle.

Advantages:

  • attractive interface;
  • high testing speed;
  • detailed description of S.M.A.R.T parameters;
  • it is possible to synchronize with most information transfer protocols;
  • reports on the work of the software are visualized in detail;
  • updated regularly (last July 2018).

Disadvantages:

  • in English;
  • specific knowledge and skills are required (intended for professionals);
  • does not interact with all drives;
  • sometimes isolates the working sector together with the damaged area.

MHDD

A powerful time-tested veteran utility that is used not only for testing HDDs, but also for "healing" damaged areas.

The principle of use - the instrument monitors the surface of each sector, measuring the access time. In the event of a failure (the time has expired, the information cannot be read) marks the site as "damaged". After it enters it into a special journal. The "bad block" sector can be replaced with a reserve one.

The key functionality of the application is scanning and identifying damaged areas, remapping (replacing / reassigning) bad sectors, low-level formatting and deleting data, obtaining S.M.A.R.T. parameters, independent health analysis.

Uses low-level access. Has hot keys. The utility is available in three versions - an ISO image, an image for burning a bootable disk, an executable file.

  • powerful tools for the treatment of "broken" areas;
  • detailed log about the utility and user actions;
  • identifies problem areas with high accuracy.
  • the utility is complex, requires special knowledge and skills (for example, working in DOS);
  • slow scanning;
  • no editing S.M.A.R.T .;
  • it is not always possible to recover information from "broken" areas;
  • there is no Russian language option.

How to choose

Which one and how to choose the best program to manage and rebuilding hard disk, each user decides for himself. It is important to understand here that all such products are divided into two unequal groups:

  • universal utilities;
  • highly specialized software.

There are very few of the first ones, they are Acronis Disk Director, Partition Manager. With the help of these products, you can perform a whole range of tasks for maintaining and managing a hard drive.

The second group is represented by a large number of programs. Their functionality is limited, but it benefits from the power and variety of operations of one function.

Depending on what kind of main task the utility will perform, you can choose the appropriate software.