14 DAY TRIAL // EASEUS has grown in the eyes of the users as a good solution especially for the hard disk partitioning software it has released. The suite of applications working in this field covers every type of user and every type of Windows flavor. From the home user that needs only the basics when it comes to partitioning the hard disk, to corporate solutions for server storage segmentation, EASEUS brings home the bacon.
There is the Home Edition that has some limitations, but you can cut the HDD into as many pieces as you want. The Professional Edition's restrictions are only OS-wise, in the sense that it cannot be used on servers. And then there is the solution for servers, whose only confinement is the limited usage within the company. For the unrestricted edition, EASEUS issued an Unlimited Edition, which suffers no restrictions.
The Server Edition of the Partition Master can be acquired for $149, but you are not restricted to testing it, even if the only limitation is the inability to move or resize a partition. Evaluating this can be done on an average computer by using the Home Edition of the software.
This issue of the application makes no exception with regards to the interface, which seems to be imported from another time of Windows, as it looks fit for Windows 98 and is in no way ready for the upcoming Windows 7. But the stress in this type of software is on its functionality rather than looks, and a successful job matters more than the visual windows you've passed through.
Some of the features of the application include the possibility of moving partitions physically on the hard disk, if they border with unallocated space, resizing them (both positively and negatively), formatting them, changing the drive letter, labeling, exploring its content (without the possibility of running anything), hiding it from the Windows environment, or checking it for errors.
The main application window shows a clear view of all the drives and disks available on the system, each accompanied with details on total size, amount of used/unused space, or file system. A right click on any drive (either in the partition list or in the disk map) is all you need to access the functions available for the respective selection. At a first glance it is not much, but you will get more under the Advanced section (drive letter changing, conversion from FAT to NTFS, hiding, setting it as active, or assessing it for errors).
Partition operations are pretty hard to miss, considering that they are available at right-clicking in the disk map, partition list, left-hand panel, toolbar and the menu bar. However, the side panel brings some more info on the number of operations already added for execution. The list shows them in the exact order that has been done, and you can remove any of them whenever you want, but not without a downside. The app lets you undo only the last pending operation. This issue hits hard in the flexibility of the software.
Even if it is intended for servers, the program does not give up the wizards that guide you through successful carrying the job to the finish. These pop up at copying a partition or disk. Every other operation is automatic and does not require more than one step to complete.
Adjusting the sizes of the drives is as easy as dragging by the ends of the partition in order to shrink or expand it. Of course, a finer management over the size and position on the hard disk is available and the user can input the values for the partition size, amount of unallocated space before and after him/her. Testing the application raised absolutely no problem and everything worked just fine. Although the application accomplished all tasks without affecting the stored data, it is recommended to take the precautions and back up the files before proceeding.
A very useful feature embedded in the program is the creation of a bootable disk that allows you to partition a storage device offline. You will not benefit from the full functionality of the software, but most of the options are present. In order to keep the boot unaffected, it is not recommended to resize or move the system partition or create/delete drives in front of it. Operations on RAID are not supported.
EASEUS Partition Master Server Edition works with all Windows flavors, starting with Windows 2000 Server and ending with Windows Server 2008 and Vista, both 32-bit and 64-bit. The supported file systems agreed are FAT12, FAT16, FAT32 and NTFS. As for the maximum limit for hard disks, it can work with disks of up to 1.5TB in size and a top number of 32 of them. One limitation for Partition Master is that it cannot handle dynamic disks, only basic ones.
Password protection to prevent tampering with the settings can be enforced from the general menu. Unfortunately, there is no character limit imposed and the only additional option present is setting a password hint.
The Server version of Partition Master follows the exact same lines as the Professional Edition and, save for the extended OS support, brings nothing new to the user. It preserves the ease of use and the same options and features, making its employment a cinch for any type of user.
The Good
Resizing/moving the partitions is one of the easiest operations in the application, as it offers both drag support and manually inputting the necessary values.
The disk checking verifies partition properties, initiates CHDSK in online use, and performs a bad sector test.
The Bad
Considering that it is not intended for home use and not even a workstation, but a server, it would be a great relief if there was a guarantee that partition operations would not affect the data at all.
The Truth
It has not given any hard times during our testing and everything performed as advertised.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
