PTEDIT is a legacy free partition table editor that was originally developed by PowerQuest and later maintained by Symantec. Though officially discontinued, this lightweight utility remains useful for advanced users who need to quickly and directly modify partition tables on Windows systems.

PTEDIT | Free Portable Partition Table Editor

Symantec Partition Table Editor — The Symantec branded version of this classic Partition Table Editor

PTEDIT Partition Table Editor by PowerQuest — Using the original PowerQuest version to modify partition tables.One of the key features is its ability to toggle the active partition flag (changing the boot indicator from 00 to 80) without requiring a reboot or using third-party boot tools. While it does not support modern GPT partitions, it can still be handy for editing legacy MBR partition tables. Even better, it can be stored and run directly from a USB flash drive, making it a truly portable partition editing tool.

What Can PTEDIT Be Used For?

Mark partitions as active (bootable) from within Windows
Toggle partition type IDs for different operating systems
Modify MBR partition tables without rebooting
Edit hidden partition flags for recovery partitions
Fix boot errors caused by inactive partitions

Key Features:

Lightweight: Under 500KB when extracted
Truly Portable: Can run from USB flash drives or external storage
Graphical Interface: Simple interface for visual editing
Windows Compatible: Works on Windows XP and earlier (limited support for Vista/7)
Direct Disk Access: Offers low-level editing of MBR partition entries

Specifications and Downloading:

Extracted Size: 493KB
Author Website: symantec.com (discontinued)
License: Freeware (legacy tool)
Supported Operating Systems: Windows XP and earlier (may require compatibility mode on Windows 7+)
Rating: 4 Star
Download: Last known version available here:
Download PTEDIT (ZIP)

Is PTEDIT Still Safe to Use?

Yes — as long as you understand what you're doing. PTEDIT modifies the Master Boot Record (MBR) directly. Misuse can lead to an unbootable system. Use only if you're experienced with partition structures or working in a test environment.

Modern Alternatives

While this partition editing tool is useful for MBR systems, newer tools support GPT partition tables and modern UEFI environments. Consider these alternatives:

GParted Live – A free Linux-based partition editor
MiniTool Partition Wizard – A full-featured Windows partition manager
EaseUS Partition Master – Another popular GUI-based partition tool
DiskPart – Built-in Windows CLI partition utility

Conclusion

If you're working on legacy systems, PTEDIT remains a powerful and lightweight tool for directly editing partition table entries from within Windows. Though discontinued, it still finds use among tech savvy users and IT professionals. Just be sure to use it with caution, and always make a backup before making any changes to your disk structure.