System Requirements:
Intel X86 500Mhz or higher compatible processor;
512 or more RAM; 100MB Hard Disk space;
Windows/2000/XP/Vista/Windows 7 SP1 (32 and 64 bit);
Hard disk and GPT disk (Supports all Hardware RAID,
removable storage devices (supports 2TB partition on
MBR, 4TB on GPT))
The windows operating system comes with its own
partitioning software; however, while this is
adequate for the simplest of tasks such as Creating,
Formatting and Deleting, it severely lacks clout
when it comes to doing anything more advanced. Yes
it is possible to shrink a partition using Windows'
own Disk Management application, but there are
severe limitations upon just how much of a reduction
you can physically achieve.
For this reason it is advantageous to have a
third party partitioning application to hand that
can help you out of any tight scrapes you get
yourself into while performing partitioning tasks.
For example, say you accidentally delete a
partition. Will Windows Disk Management actually
help you recover it? The answer is a resounding No;
hence you need a more versatile partitioning
application such as EaseUS Partition Master
Professional.
EaseUS Partition Master Professional displays a
clean, uncluttered interface with everything you
need to hand and is capable of performing, not only
basic tasks such as: Creating, Deleting and
Formatting, but also more advanced tasks such as
Resizing, Moving, Merging and Undeleting. It also
has the capability to check for errors on a
partition, using Microsoft's ChkDsk application,
perform a surface scan and repair any disk errors.
Fig: 9-1 The main Partition
Master interface has a crisp clutter free look
As well as Creating and Resizing partitions,
Partition Master Professional includes support for
dynamic disks allowing you to copy and resize
dynamic volumes; it is also easy to convert dynamic
disks. You can also safely merge two adjacent
partitions to create a bigger partition without loss
of data. Unallocated space can also be securely
wiped ensuring any sensitive data is completely
erased from your hard drive.
Defragmentation
EaseUs Partition Master Professional has the
capability to defragment the hard drive. However,
the defragmentation engine used is that of
Microsoft's own defragmentation tool. As such this
form of defragmentation leaves a lot to be desired
in the sense that there is no visible way of knowing
how far the defragmentation tool has progressed.
Wizards
Partition Master Professional comes with three
built in wizard, a copy disk wizard, copy partition
wizard and a partition recovery wizard. These guide
you quickly and effortlessly through the relevant
procedure.
Fig: 9-2 Partition Master's
Wizards are clear and concise
If you are installing a new hard drive the Copy
disk wizard provides an easy way of copying the
contents of one hard drive to that of another, thus
ensuring that you get a true copy of the
disk/partition you are attempting to copy.
Lost A Partition
While creating a partition is relatively easy
there is nothing more guaranteed to get you into a
sweat than accidentally deleting a partition.
Fortunately, Partition Master Professional has a
quick and easy partition recovery option. Partition
Master will scan your hard drive to see exactly what
partitions can be undeleted, thus saving the day.
Fig: 9-3 Partition Master can
easily recover lost partitions
Bootable Disks
No self-respecting partitioning application is of
much use unless you can access it from a pre-windows
environment. Partition Master Professional accesses
the pre-windows environment with the aid of a
bootable disk. Partition Master Professional
supports two types of bootable media, WinPE and
Linux.
Fig 9-4 You can create a
bootable disk using a CD/DVD, USB stick or you can
export to an ISO file
Although both options are made available in the
Partition Master window the only one which works,
the other option simply directing you to the EaseUS
upgrade website, is dependent upon the version of
Partition Master you ultimately buy. The lowest
priced version having a Linux bootable option while
the more expensive has the latest WinPE option.
Verdict
EaseUS Partition Master Professional is up there
with some of the best partitioning applications. The
application is easy to use whether you are a novice
or a professional.
The downside, in our opinion is the rather
conspicuous Backup Tool button situated at the top
right of the Partition Master window. This is
somewhat misleading in that Partition Master
Professional does not, by default, have any form of
backup facility. Indeed the backup tool button is
only of any use when you also have the EaseUS Toto
Backup Workstation (price £23.96 ($39)) application
installed on your system. If you don't have the Toto
application installed then the button becomes
totally superfluous to requirements.
Setting the misleading Backup button aside,
EaseUS Partition Master Professional is an excellent
partitioning application which is well worth having.
We highly recommend it.
Rating
- Ease Of Use: 9.0
- Features: 9.0
- Value For Money: 9.0
- Overall: 9.0