Aomei Partition Assistant Review

What Is AOMEI Partition Assistant 

This is a Windows partition manager, which allows you full control over the operating systems and partitions installed on all your hard disks. 

First, the good news - you can get AOMEI Partition Assistant for free. This does most of the key tasks for home PCs.

Secondly, there’s a professional and server edition with extra features.

AOMEI Partition Assistant Server Edition lets individuals and businesses manage partitions across businesses and Windows Servers. You can also get Unlimited and Technician plans if you require no restrictions on the number of systems you need to manage.

The free version allows you to format, delete, resize, and clone partitions.

AOMEI Partition Assistant Features

Firstly, we’ll cover all the standard features:

Wide Compatibility

This is a partition manager for Windows 10 and 8 users. It also supports Windows 7, Vista, and even XP. It draws the line at Windows 2000, though. 

The Pro version supports Windows Server. 

Create New Partition

A partition is a walled-off section of your hard drive that is usually used to install an operating system or separate data. For example, you might want two versions of an operating system on one disk. Even the free disk partition software can create new partitions. 

It’s as easy as right-clicking the disk in the main window of the software and hitting ‘Create Partition’. Meanwhile, you can use advanced settings to change the drive letter, choose a file system (NTFS or FAT), and the partition type – logical or primary. 

Resize and Move

If space is tight on your hard drive or you wish to add an extra partition, you can easily resize an existing partition (reallocation). In addition, sometimes Windows 10 experiences a ‘couldn’t update system reserved partition’ error. This is because the partition is too small.

The answer?

Make it bigger with the AOMEI disk partition resize tool. Many use the term ‘extended partition’.

Of course, there must be enough space on the disk itself to allocate additional partition space. Moreover, because of the way partitions are arranged, the free space you want to be used must be within the next closest partition. 

If not, you can rearrange partitions and then resize. A wizard will guide you through this process if it sounds complicated. According to AOMEI Partition Assistant user reviews, it’s a joy to use.

Merge Partitions

If you no longer need two partitions to be separate, you can just as easily merge them into one with this hard drive partition tool. On the other hand, you cannot merge two partitions that hold an operating system. One will have to go, but you can keep some data. 

Data partitions are the easiest to merge, though one will lose its drive location, so you may need to update programs looking for files on X drive, which became Y drive after the merge. 

You can merge unallocated space from existing partitions into their own partition. This will obviously cause those original partitions to have a smaller capacity, though. 

Clone Disk and Partition

Cloning a whole hard drive or partition is helpful for migration when you still want to keep the original copy. For example, backups. 

It copies the entirety of one disk/partition to another if there is enough space. 

It protects the entire integrity of the system, as well as your files. A major malware attack could cause a lot of damage. With partition manager software, you get the exact partition as it was and an easy way to delete the infected version.

Delete Partition

If you’re reorganizing your partitions, it may be time to say goodbye to one or more of them. But if you need the files, ensure they’re backed up. A ‘quick delete’ lets you recover some files if you don’t overwrite them. Meanwhile, a full deletion purposefully makes it difficult for files to be recovered for security reasons.

AOMEI Partition Assistant - migrate OS to SSD 

Solid State Drives (SSD) are becoming the norm, while old hard drives are kicking the bucket. For the fastest and most efficient Windows experience, you can migrate the OS from a traditional hard drive to a new SSD using the free version.  

Meanwhile, you can migrate between regular hard drives as well.

Bootable Media

Having a bootable disc or USB drive is invaluable when an operating system won’t load. You can use the bootable media wizard to create the type of media you want.

Simply insert the disc or USB drive into the damaged system and upon boot, you can run ‘partition assistance’. This gives access to all your drives, partitions, and files. Above all, you get access to the corrupted OS where the files you need can be salvaged.  

Windows To Go

The AOMEI Partition Assistant portable Windows toolsets it apart from most disk management software. The ‘Windows To Go’ lets you use a bootable version of Windows 10, 8.1, or 8 Enterprise Edition on any compatible machine.

Just use secondary storage like a USB flash drive (the most portable) or an external hard drive.

This isn’t your typical bootable installation media, however. This is a complete ready-to-go Windows environment. You can move it between the home or office or use it to easily set up multiple computers as a technician.

For example, if you sometimes work from home but want the full work environment, you can set up your own plug-and-play OS. It runs and saves independently of the underlying machine.

A USB 3.0 port is necessary else the experience will be too slow.

Format Partition Type

Formatting a partition (commonly called a volume) is a way of wiping it clean and creating the environment needed to install an operating system or a drive. For example, game consoles. File systems include NTFS, FAT 32, and FAT.

You’ll need NTFS for Windows, whereas XBOX and PlayStation consoles require FAT 23. 

If there are any files you want to save, then be sure to back them up first. Formatting clears the partition, at least functionally. One can actually recover files if the sectors aren’t overwritten. So, if privacy concerns you, first use the ‘wipe’ feature on AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard.

File Shredder

The file shredder deletes files for good by overwriting the space they’ve used several times. This prevents data recovery tools from finding data. While ideal for private information, you also must be certain you want to permanently delete your files with the shredder because you can’t get them back. 

Other Tools

• Partition Check: Scan your partition for errors or overall drive for failings. If there are errors, you may end up with damaged files. It’s a sign to replace your hard drive.
• Hide Partition: Temporarily hide a partition so it cannot be viewed in Windows. Ideal for protecting sensitive data. 
• Activate Partition: Making a partition active is an option for an operating system partition. This will then become the OS that boots when you turn the system on, i.e. active.
• Initialize Disk: If you have installed a new disk it’s not always recognized by the OS right away. You should now see it available in Windows. 

Professional Features

Quick Partition Creator

This streamlined manager is designed for brand-new hard drives and disks with existing partitions. You can edit them quickly, while all in one place. Furthermore, you apply changes to multiple partitions via fields, dropdowns, and checkboxes, forming a queue of tasks.

Migrate SSD back to HDD

While AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard supports HDD to SSD migration, the pro version allows you to do the same in reverse. To clarify - SSD to regular hard drive.

Align Partition

The tool aligned partitions on a single hard disk in a certain way and this dictates the order in which they communicate. Most importantly, the Assistant suggests the best order for speed and stability.

AOMEI dynamic disk manager 

This feature brings all the same partition and disk management to dynamic disks. You’ll commonly find these in servers. You can create, resize, and delete dynamic volumes, as well as set up RAID volumes.

Other supported volumes include Simple, Spanned, Striped, and Mirrored.

Dynamic/Basic Disk Converter

As well as full dynamic volume management you can convert dynamic disks to regular disks and vice versa. This is especially useful since conversion is not native to Windows. Certain versions of the OS don’t support dynamic disks at all. This includes the Windows:

• 7 Home and Starter
• XP Home
• Vista Home
• Older systems

What’s more, you won’t lose any data during conversion. You can go back and forth between basic and dynamic, and the systems that support them.

Command Line Partitioning

If your system is corrupted or you are particularly tech-savvy, you can carry out most tasks by command prompt. This is similar to Diskpart but with more features. 

First, open the start menu and enter CMD. Then, "CD + the installation directory", for example, ‘cd C:\Program Files (x86)\AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional Edition 9.2’.

MBR/GPT Disk Convertor

A partition type can be GPT or MBR. The main difference is that MBR is limited to 2TB and restricts you to four primary partitions. On the other hand, GPT supports over 2TB and unlimited partitions. 

You can easily convert one to the other using this feature.

NTFS/FAT32 Converter

Formatting disks in NTFS and FAT32 is also easy. Unlike the native Windows feature, AOMEI allows you to convert disks both ways without losing the data stored on them. 

This isn’t foolproof, though. FAT32 limits individual file sizes to 4GB and the drive itself cannot exceed 8TB. So, if you’re converting larger files from NTFS to FAT32 they will be split into parts, which might not be convenient.

For example, you might use this to convert an old games console drive into an NTFS drive for your laptop. On the other hand, you might have an NTFS drive that fits a console and just needs it in FAT32. 

Primary/Logical Partition Converter

Because a primary partition can support an operating system but a logical partition cannot, there may be times you’d like to convert them. Logical partitions are great for file storage and have no MBR limits. Primary partitions limit MBR to four.

This hard drive partition tool lets you go both ways.

SSD Secure Eraser

While SSD drives are faster and more efficient out of the box, in some scenarios they do not last as long as traditional hard drives. It’s because they cannot stand intense writing and rewriting. Therefore, the SSD eraser aims to wipe the drive more carefully and return it as close to factory performance as possible.

AMOEi’s ability to do this might be slightly overstated, but it’s still the best way to wipe an SSD.

App Mover

Moving software between partitions, especially with different operating systems is not the same as moving regular files like videos and images. Bits of hidden data and settings are stored deep within the OS and most software will simply not work if you move it between partitions. But AMOEi solves this by using an ‘App Move Wizard’ that can move programs just as easily as regular files.

AOMEI Partition Assistant Server

The server edition is partition manager software designed to manage multiple drives, disks, and underlying security on Windows Server machines.

System Migration and App Move

Upgrading servers is a cinch, whether you have a new disk and need to migrate the OS and all the applications and settings over, or completely reconfigure the partitions. There’s no reinstalling Windows Server, you can move everything around without data loss.

Server Data Eraser

Servers are usually associated with businesses and can contain a lot of sensitive data. Most importantly, the ‘Data Eraser’ tool ensures deleted files are irretrievable by recovery tools.  

Unlimited and Technician Features

The Unlimited and Technician versions of AOMEI disk partition are a combination of the Pro and Server editions. This time you get unlimited licenses to use on computers throughout a single business site or multiple locations.

Data Security

Technicians also get the full data erasure toolkit, which includes an individual file shredder, partition wiper, driver wiper, and separate secure SSD erasure. All these methods remove data permanently. 

Billable Tech Support

As a technician you can bill clients for your services when using the software.

Interface and Ease of Use

So,  how is one to use AOMEI Partition Assistant?

No need to worry. It has an incredibly straightforward interface, suitable for beginners and advanced users alike. In the top left, you’ll see ‘Wizards’. Those are also known as step-by-step processes that help you accomplish a task. For example, making bootable media or migrating your OS to an SSD.

Below are more disk operations that are just as easy to accomplish. Similarly, at the top is a handful of icons that repeat some of the features from the left. 

The Wrench tools icon provides 15 more options, including the new portable version. It lets you run the program on a computer without a bootable system. In other words, bootable media.

A big central window displays all your disks and partitions. This includes their capacity, free space, and format (e.g. NTFS). Right-clicking these opens all the main partition editor options. 

The tutorials icon is useful, but it’s worth noting that you will be taken to the website in your browser. Therefore, you cannot get any extra help in-app.

In conclusion, the layout is clean and simple despite housing so many features. There are enough wizards and explanatory steps.

We went through some AOMEI Partition Assistant user reviews, just to make sure there aren’t any complaints. We found none.

AOMEI Partition Assistant Pricing

Pricing is based on server support, lifetime upgrades, and the number of systems you can use it on. Yet, be sure to read our AOMEI Partition Assistant review in full to look at the different features of each. Here’s how the plans are priced:

Free Standard Edition

Home Pro Edition

• $39.95 – Two PCs
• $49.95 – Two PCs + Lifetime Upgrades

Server Edition

• $159 – Two PCs
• $179 – Two PCs + Lifetime Upgrades

Unlimited

• $399 – Unlimited PCs and Servers
• $439 – Unlimited PCs and Servers + Lifetime Upgrades

Technician

• $699 – Unlimited PCs and Servers for companies and individuals

All plans come with a 90-day no-questions-asked money-back guarantee. The software is delivered digitally, and your order is encrypted by 256-Bit SSL.

Clearly, you’ll want lifetime upgrades. Who wants outdated software after a few months? 

For this, we knock off half a star for its pricing strategy. 

AOMEI Partition Assistant Review  – Verdict

Whether you need a Windows 10 partition manager, a tool for Windows 8, or even servers, AOMEI offers a lot. You can do everything from assign a unique drive letter and disk formatting, to taking Windows on the move with a bootable flash drive.

For our AOMEI Partition Assistant review, we looked at all versions.

The free version should be applauded for its comprehensive features, while the paid plans cater well to businesses and technicians. 

If there’s one negative it's that the ‘Demo’ of the pro version is completely useless. It only shows you its features rather than allowing you to use them, during what it calls a ‘simulation’. 

That aside, this software easily deserves a 4.5 out of 5 if you pay for going Pro.