MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Review (v11.6)
MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.6.1's entire uninstall command line is C: Program Files (x86) MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.6.1 unins000.exe. PartitionWizard.exe is the MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.6.1's main executable file and it takes approximately 4.59 MB (4817288 bytes) on disk. MiniTool Partition Wizard 12.3 New Update. MiniTool just upgraded the core product. Portuguese added. Recover data from Desktop, Recycle Bin, and a specified folder. Fully support exFAT partitions in Data Recovery. More bug fixes and improvements.
Usability - 95%
Support - 91%
MiniTool Partition Wizard 11 is an impressive partition and disk management tool capable of performing virtually any partitioning operation. Highly recommended!
MiniTool Partition Wizard is a free to use disk partition and management tool which runs within Windows. All of the basic partitioning tools such as the creating, resizing and deleting of partitions are included in addition to many more advanced features such as specialist data and partition recovery tools.
Some other useful features of Partition Wizard include the ability to migrate an entire system to a new disk (including optimisation for SSDs) and the ability to move, resize and copy partitions across multiple disks.
This is the free version of Partition Wizard I will be looking at and as such there are a few features which are found only in the Pro version The free version does, however, look very promising and with MiniTool having a great reputation for such utilities its time to have a look!
Key Features of Partition Wizard
- Well designed and easy to use software
- Welcome screen makes getting what you need from the tool quick and easy
- Most tools use a wizard style interface making this software easy to use
- Basic partitioning tools (create, delete, resize etc.)
- More advanced partitioning tools (Copy, secure wipe etc.)
- Ability to format partitions and convert between MBR and GPT (for disks larger than 2GB)
- Disk copying and migration tools (supports migrating to a new SSD)
- Space analyser tool very useful for analysing disk usage
- Bootable recovery media limited to Pro version
- Limited partition and data recovery options in Free version
- 100% free to use
Partition Wizard Usability
Installing Partition Wizard
Obtaining MiniTool Partition Wizard is easy, simply head over to the MiniTool website (click here) and download the Partition Wizard installer. Once downloaded the installer will then have Partition Wizard installed in just a few clicks.
Once installed the application will start up with the new welcome screen showing, this allows users quick and easy access to all of the main aspects of the application with a single click (this can be turned off in the future if required).
Once in the main application we are greeted by a detailed yet easy to navigate home screen, the main part of the screen shows the disks currently available and the multitude of available tools can be found at the top and left of the main window.
Basic Partitioning Tools
Many PC users will find partitioning of some kind is needed at some point in the life of their PC, this could be whilst adding a new, larger disk to the PC, trying to recover some data from an old PC or migrating data from an old disk to a newer, larger disk.
Whilst Windows itself does contain some basic partitioning tools it should be stated that they are very basic and for anything more than simple creation and formatting of partitions a specialist tool is needed, step in Partition Wizard 11.
Most of the basic partitioning tools can be accessed by right clicking on the target disk in the main window (as shown above), once any tool is selected a wizard will begin walking users through the available options. Once any wizard is completed the requested actions will not take place until the “Apply” button is clicked on he top menu, the application will, of course, warn that partitioning tasks can sometimes be destructive of any existing data in the process.
Other simple but still useful tools can also be accessed from this same right-click context menu for any individual disk, this includes hiding and activating the new disk within Windows if necessary.
Cloning Disks and Partitions
One of the main uses for such software is the need to migrate entire Windows systems to new, often larger or faster hard disks. One popular option in recent years involves migrating an entire system from an older mechanical hard drive to a newer and much faster SSD drive.
As can be seen above Disk Wizard contains tools specifically designed for migrating an entire system to a new disk, this includes any optimisations required to optimise for the new disk being an SSD!
These tools also allow for other copying tasks to take place as well, for example, an entire partition on an existing disk can be moved to a new, larger disk and (optionally) resized to make the partition bigger (or fill the whole disk) in the process.
Other, more advanced partition management tools include the ability to split an existing partition into multiple smaller partitions, the ability to merge multiple partitions into one and a tool for extending an existing partition into any available free space. All of the aforementioned tools are included within the free version of MiniTool Partition Wizard 11!
Advanced Maintenance Tools
In addition to the basic and slightly more advanced partitioning tools already mentioned, Partition Wizard also contains a selection of additional maintenance tools to help manage your system effectively.
One such tool which many users will find very helpful is the storage analyser tool which can scan a hard drive and report on which files and folder are using the most space, this makes cleaning and optimising a drive much quicker when you know where to start looking!
The “wipe partition” tool allows a partition to be securely wiped by overwriting any existing data, this makes the process of recovering it much harder or (likely) impossible!
The “Surface test” and “Check File System” tools are both great additions to this free tool both allowing for both the physical disk and the logical drive to be checked for errors. Should any issues be detected Partition Wizard has the ability to attempt repairs where applicable.
Minitool Partition Wizard User Guide
The “Disk Benchmarking Tool” is another great addition to Partition Wizard which allows disks to be measured for performance across several different metrics. These metrics include both sequential reading and writing and random reading and writing to help deliver a full picture of the drives performance.
It is great to see this benchmarking tool included and it can be a useful way to help monitor the overall health of a hard drive and the impact it might have on how a PC will perform.
MiniTool Partition Wizard Free vs Pro
MiniTool Partition Wizard so far has proved itself as a very capable partition manager with a few, very useful, system maintenance tools also bundled in with it. For a piece of free software I have been impressed!
MiniTool do, however, also offer a Pro version of Partition Wizard which builds upon this base functionality and brings several additional tools into play. This Pro version can be obtained directly from MiniTool by clicking here and costs $59 (with lifetime free upgrades).
One of the main tools upgraded in the Pro version is the “Partition Recovery Wizard”, this tool is available in the free version of the software but only in an advisory context, in other words to scan for partitions and advise if they are eligible for fixing or not. To get the full power from this tool and actually recover any found partitions would require the use of the Pro version.
Other tools included in the Pro version include the tool for converting partitions from NTFS back to FAT, changing the partition type ID and serial number of a disk, and the bootable recovery media tool.
MiniTool Partition Wizard Security
MiniTool Partition Wizard, where applicable has little need for security additions such as encryption, this is because the software does not act as a backup tool and actually store any image backups (like its sister product MiniTool ShadowMaker). Instead, when cloning disks or partitions Partition Wizard will do so directly to the target disk meaning the act of using encryption is unnecessary.
The secure drive wiping tool is, however, very effective at destroying the contents of a partition or an entire disk and works by overwriting data meaning recovery is almost certainly impossible.
MiniTool Support
MiniTool provide 24/7 support for all software via the MiniTool website. The MiniTool website also provides user manuals, FAQs and a forum / comments system for reaching out to the support team.
MiniTool Partition Wizard Pricing
MiniTool Partition Wizard is 100% free to use, the Pro version featuring additional and upgraded tools costs a one off $59 and comes with free lifetime upgrades!
Summary
MiniTool Partition Wizard 11 is an impressive disk management tool which performed well during my testing, add in that this tool is completely free and things start to look even better.
Disk partitioning might not be something that is needed often but when it is needed it is important to have a stable and reliable tool available. Partition Wizard includes all of the basic partitioning tools allowing partitions to be created, modified and deleted in addition to more advanced tools allowing the drive to be converted from MBR to GPT and so on.
Most people seeking such software will do so in the process of upgrading a PC, when it comes migrating an existing Windows system to a new SSD, for example, Partition Wizard will automatically move, resize and optimise everything by itself.
A great piece of free software and an upgrade to the Pro version will cater for virtually any partitioning related task you can think of, Excellent work MiniTool!
Company Profile
MiniTool Software Ltd. a prestigious software development company devoted to deliver total business solution software in the field of partition management, data recovery, data backup and restore. The company is based out of Hongkong with a huge business unit in British Columbia, Canada. It has achieved name and fame in Partition Management solutions since last 10 years and is trusted by millions. Its products are downloaded by over 10 Million users worldwide. With a dedicated team continuously working to develop new products this company has made a name.
MiniTool Partition Wizard
MiniTool Partition Wizard is one of the best free disk partition manager trusted by over 10 million customers. This partition manager is available in Free, Pro & Pro Ultimate variants helping users to check file system, manage disks and partitions, align SSD partition, clone disk, migrate OS to SSD, convert MBR to GPT, etc. To enhance user experience and to make MiniTool the powerful free partition tool, company has included multiple new features in Free version.
The free version features Disk Benchmark and Space Analyzer that is part of the paid variant in most of the rival products.
Tech Specifications
Developed by MT Solution Ltd, MiniTool Partition Wizard Home-Edition is a free partition management tool. It supports both 32bit & 64bit Windows OS, enables home users to perform complicated operations on partition for example Creating partition, Resizing partitions, Deleting partition, Formatting partition, Copying partitions, Hiding partition, Converting partition, Exploring partition, Changing drive letter, Setting active partition, Converting Dynamic Disk to Basic Disk, Surface Testing, Changing Partition Serial Number, Changing Partition Type ID and Recovering Partition. Free version of the tool does not consist of all the options.
Purchase MiniTool Partition Wizard
Features
Minitool Partition Wizard How To Use Windows 10
Space Analyzer
Its inbuilt space analyzer helps in analyzing drive usage on the computer. Using it you can easily check which files and folders are eating up disk space when you consider deleting a few files to free-up disk space. It also indicates last used date to show the relevance of the file for usage. This is a rare feature and is hardly available in other rival products.
Disk Benchmarking
Disk benchmarking enables you to measure data transfer rate (Read / Write). Its graphical representation shows sequential and random scenarios of data transfer to gauge speed and performance of the Hard Drive. This is a complementary functionality of free version.
Minitool Partition Wizard How To Use Windows
Disk Partition Manager
Managing partitions is not easy for home users or amateur professionals however with MiniTool Partition Wizard, you can do it as a Geek. Being one of the best partition manager for Windows operating system, MiniTool Partition Wizard’s objectives are to maximize disk performance by Creating, Resizing, Converting partition between NTFS and FAT32 without reformatting, Converting disk between MBR and GPT disks without data loss, Formatting partition flexibly, and Converting dynamic disk to basic without data loss in simple and easy steps.
Powerful Disk Clone System
To back up and upgrade Hard Drive, Disk cloning and system migration are one of the most frequently used practices. To create an instant backup, we use Disk cloning for perfect results. In the same manner, System migration helps in returning documents on the new disk in a couple of minutes. You need not spend hours on reinstalling OS and other applications all over again.
Efficient for Data Recovery
MiniTool partition manager is a perfect solution for accidental data recovery. Data Recovery feature helps in recovering deleted files and regain lost data from formatted, damaged, and inaccessible drives without any struggling. At the same time Partition Recovery Wizard helps in quickly finding and recovering lost partitions. It also recovers lost or deleted partitions and rebuilds your MBR table without any efforts.
Outstanding Disk Diagnostics
As an abundant disk diagnostic tool, MiniTool Partition Wizard can quantify disk read / write speed, confirm the file system of a volume, analyze disk properties and disk usage on a computer, fixes logical errors on file system, and swiftly detect and remove bad sectors from the Hard Drive.
Migration of OS to SSD
MiniTool Partition Wizard gives you hassle-free option to migrate your operating system from HDD to SDD, to optimize computer performance with any version of windows. Your system performance can be boosted up within few clicks.
Move / Merge OR Resize Partition
With just one click you can Move / Merge OR Resize Partitions on your Hard Drive with MiniTool Partition Wizard. It’s a one-stop-solution to manage Hard Drive partitions and perform various tasks combined in MiniTool Partition Wizard.
User Interface
It interface is user-friendly this means you can navigate through the options easily to simplify tasks. Check out the options available with MiniTool Partition Wizard.
Extending Partition
Space Analyzer
Disk Benchmark
Migrate OS to SSD
Convert FAT to NTFS
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