 R2R NotPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-18
Long Beach, CA
kudos:1 | [WIN7] Extending a Disk Volume (Partition) I have a disk volume (partition) that I need to extend - it is too small and is getting too full. I have tried to move things off of it, but unfortunately I have done the best I can without running into more problems trying to do this. That will work for awhile, but I keep running into space problems. The simplest answer, on the surface, is just to extend the volume... sort of.
Allow me to elaborate - to pre-answer any questions. I have a hard drive that came from Dell with a C: "OS" drive partition of about 60 GB and D: "Secondary" drive partition of over 400 GB. Unfortuantely all Program Files, Program Data, and User directories were also stuck in the C: partition. I have tried to more the User directories and been only partially successful. I can move the Documents, but not the entire directory without 'issues' arising. I could try to move all Programs to the D: drive, but that would be labor intensive, and I suspect more issues would simply arise.
The C: drive is nearly full (again) and the D: drive has less than 100 GB in it - with more that 300 GB free. So I decided to just shift some of the free space to the C: drive. Sounds easy, since everyone claims Win 7 is easy to partition. I opened Disk Management and Shrunk the D: drive down to about 300 GB. That gave me plenty of free space for what I needed - about 100 GB. Only I could not Extend the C: drive into that space (that option was grayed out) because it existed at the end -- and space must be contiguous (I was told). So... I created a third volume at the end and called it Z:. I moved everything in the D: drive to Z:, then renamed the original D: drive "X:" and the new Z: drive "D:" (so the OS would still be able to find the files). I rebooted and everything functioned fine - in terms of the OS and file systems. The new D: drive functioned exactly like the old one. Whew!
Next I reopened Disk Management and deleted the X: volume - after making triple sure it was empty. Now I have what is pictured above. I have about 300 GB of free space existing between both the C: and D: drives. At this point one might think it should be easy. I should be able to Extend either volume into that free space. The problem:
The Extend Volume option is grayed out on both C: and D: volumes! Neither can be exended into that free space!
What am I missing or doing wrong??? Thanks for reading this long diatribe..  |
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R2R NotPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-18
Long Beach, CA
kudos:1 | Add: I tried to use the Command line partitioning and this is what I get:
DISKPART> extend size=60000
Virtual Disk Service error:
There is not enough usable space for this operation.
DISKPART> extend
There is not enough usable free space on specified disk(s) to extend the volume.
So it appears that the free space is NOT contiguous with the volume, even though the image shows that it is, and it should be given how I created it.... What is up?? Thanks. |
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R2R NotPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-18
Long Beach, CA
kudos:1
2 edits | reply to R2
I was given one piece of advice - that I had to "delete the partition" not just the volume. However, if I tried to delete the partition, that option is also grayed out. So I don't seem to have an easy way to do that...
I even tried recreating a new volume there, deleting that volume again, and then again tried to delete the partition - but it remained grayed out!
How can I delete the partition - or is that not possible with is in the middle?? .
(Add - NO, it should be possible: »www.addictivetips.com/windows-ti···n-vista/)
____________________
Do I need to move the D: stuff BACK into the empty space, rename that D: and delete the new volume and partition?
(Add - NO, everything points to the fact that the empty space MUST be contiguous with the volume you want to expand into...
This should work, it just doesn't... Urrggh |
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R2R NotPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-18
Long Beach, CA
kudos:1
1 edit | reply to R2
I am ready to move to a third party program and give up on Win 7's Disk Management tool. What do you all think about:
Aomei Partition Assistant Home Edition (free)
Gnome Partition Editor - Gparted (free)
Partition Assistant seems to be easy to use and is only 3 MB vs 117 MB for Gparted! |
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| gparted (specifically gparted-livecd) is the only tool I use for partition resizing. I have used it on dozens of different systems and it has worked perfectly every time.
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Scott Brown Consulting |
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 randavis74 Challenger 440 4bbl
join:2000-01-19
Blue Springs, MO | +1
Just be careful. You could really mess things up!
--
IUOE Local 101
Edit: BACKUP BEFORE YOU START |
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R2R NotPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-18
Long Beach, CA
kudos:1 | said by randavis:+1
Just be careful. You could really mess things up!
Exactly my fear! I am backing up - but I am out of town and don't have my usual external drives. So I made new partitions to back up C: and D: - and left the empty space - in theory - next to or 'after' the main C: drive.
I am fairly well backed up at home, but I won't be there for a few days!
I could try Gparted, but it appears I would need a blank CDR to burn the iso - and I am on a ski trip!
Thanks for the input. |
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tcgPremium
join:2003-09-12
Lubbock, TX | The space you're trying to use is part of an extended partition. At the least, you will need third party tools that can change it to a primary partition. Better (and safer) practice would be to backup d:, delete it and then the extended partition, resize c: and then recreate d: (assuming you don't want to use the entire space for c:). |
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R2R NotPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-18
Long Beach, CA
kudos:1 | And that cannot be done with Win 7's Disk Management? Do you have a 3rd party tool you recommend? Thanks. |
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tcgPremium
join:2003-09-12
Lubbock, TX
2 edits | You can't change the partition type with Windows 7 disk management without deleting the partition as described in my last post. Which is the way I would do it myself.
I've had good luck with Paragon's products: »www.paragon-software.com/downloads/home/. I would still recommend having a backup of d: first if it has anything you value.
Edit: you can delete the partition as described in my first post using only Windows disk management. I reread what I had written and saw where that might not be clear. You would only need third party tools if you want to change the partition type without dealing with d: (which is still risky). |
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ShootistPremium
join:2003-02-10
Decatur, GA
kudos:3 Reviews:
 ·AT&T Southeast
| reply to R2
I think it can be done with Win 7 Disk management, once you delete the D partition and combine the free spaces together.
But my choice is to use Acronis Disk Director 11. Second choice is Easus Partition Master, which is free for home use.
I have both DD 10 and 11 and EPM, the Pro versions, 8 and 9.
DD has never failed me in all the years I have used those 2 versions.
EPM I have cause I got a special deal on the Pro version of 8.01 and then another great deal on the upgrade to Pro V9. I have used that program mainly Inside of Windows. DD I use from a Boot USB stick that has all kinds of programs on it including a universal install of Win 7.
Never liked the Command line type of partitioning programs, since I got DD 10, to much typing. Although in years gone by I used them a lot.
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Shooter Ready--Stand By BEEP ******** |
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R2R NotPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-18
Long Beach, CA
kudos:1 | reply to R2
Don't ask me how I choose what to use - there were several good choices here. I have been too scared to tackle this until tonight. I used: EaseUS Partition Master - and it worked flawlessly. My C: drive is now happy.
Oh, it did give me several warnings about how this might screw up your computer - I assume added by the legal department - but it went off without a hitch. Thank you for all the input. |
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