Windows 7: Shrink C drive Expand D & ad extra partition A

My operating system is Windows 7 Ultimate.
Currently I have two WD 500 GB drives on my PC.
One has 2x 250 GB NTFS partitions.

The other drive (F: ) is not partitioned and I have no need to partition (F: )
(F: ) is used for archiving photos and some videos.

This inquiry is about the one hard drive with two partitions (C: and D: )
Currently it stores the following.

Partition C: Operating System, Applications, My Documents (approx 250 GB)
Partition D: Data, photos and a few videos (250 GB)

To create more space on D: and make it easy to create a back up image of
the operating system I would like to shrink C: and re partition the drive to be three primary partitions like this:

C: Operating system (approx 50 GB)
A: Applications (approx 30 GB)
D: Data (My Documents and other files 420 GB).

Can anyone advise the procedure for achieving my goal
without losing data or having to reinstall applications?

Also as I will be moving MyDocuments, I understand I would I need to change
the default location of "Users".



Any advice would be much appreciated.

Please post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk Management drive map and listings:

1. Type Disk Management in Start Search box.
2. Open Disk Mgmt. window and maximize it.
3. Type Snipping Tool in Start Search box.
4. Open Snipping Tool, choose Rectangular Snip, click New, draw a box around full drive map and all listings.
5, Save Snip, attach using paper clip in Reply Box.

Tell us what is on each partition.

Hi Gregrocker,

Thanks for the speedy reply. Sorry about the smilies can't turn them off.
New Volume (F: ) is photos and videos.
(C: ) Operating System, Applications (Program Files), My Documents, Sites (Dreamweaver html files)
(D: ) Photos and some home made videos, Scanned docs, Clip art.

(F: ) Archived photos and some videos.

FreeAgent GoFlex Drive (G: ) Is an external back up drive for all the important data on (C, (D and (F Entire D and F drives are backed up to G and selected folders from C (Sites, My Documents) are backed up to G. I do backups manually using Sync toy.

G also has a WindowsImageBackup folder.

In case it is relevant to the final required outcome I have connected a very old external drive with 3 partitions M, L and O that I sometimes use. This contains files that I rearly use but
are handy to have "just in case".

I will soon purchase a Seagate 3T external hard drive to replace the FreeAgent GoFlex Drive (G that is running low on head room.

I will then use the the FreeAgent GoFlex Drive to store photos and videos that I create
myself in the future. This drive can be backed up to the spare 1T that will be available on the new Seagate 3T.

You state your goal is to wisely want C smaller for imaging purposes, however I would not move the programs off of C because they integrate themselves into the OS and should remain a part of the image.

However it is justifiably popular to have a separate data partition with your data separated from the image so that if Windows 7 becomes irreparable you can re-image its partition in 20 minutes and your data is safe and current in its own partition vault. Remember however you should keep the data as well as image backed up externally.

In your case I would shrink C by the amount you wish in Disk Mgmt which is safest: Partition or Volume - Shrink.

Then either: 1) move your data off of D to F to delete D and create new partition(s) as you wish in Disk Mgmt, Partition or Volume - Create New

or 2) boot free Partition Wizard CD, rightclick D to Resize/Move, grab D with mouse and slide it to left into the space you shrunk, click OK. Then Create New parition(s) as you wish in the unallocated space, OK, then Apply all steps. Partition Wizard Move/Resize Partition Video Help.
Partition Wizard Create Partition Video Help

If Disk Mgmt won't shrink enough, use PW boot disk to Resize C.

Instead of moving MyDocuments, you might find it easier and less troublesome to create new folders on D: and include them in your Libraries. Then move your files to the new folders.

Thanks Bumpkin. I was only referring to moving the data temporarily off of D to F as one option to more easily create new data partition(s) in the space after shrinking C.

I forgot to add the important step that when you have a separate data partition it is best to link from Windows 7 by rightclicking each User folder to add it to the related Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums.

This method works best when you sort your data into the User folders, however other data folders can also be similarly linked to a library which suits them.

Hey Greg!

I was just giving a tip for the OP about moving MyDocuments.

Spot on. We saw issues with moving the shell User folders so it's easier all around to link them to Libraries.

Hi Greg and Bumpkin,

Thanks for your advice.
I am dillignetly reading through everything you have presented.

I have began moving files (MyDocuments, Sites etc) to D and will attempt the more serious partitioning tomorrow. I have noticed a lot of space occupied by files in the C "Users" folder (107 GB) and have checked the folders.

There are two users, Admin, which I use all the time and one other "Spare" which I created a long time ago and must have used for a month or so but is not required. I will search the forum for advice about how to remove it. It would be more convenient at boot up not to have to click "Admin" to continue each time the computer boots up.

For the "My Videos" , "My Pics" folders in each user I assume I can create a new folder on D and move the contents of those user folders to the new folders on D without causing any issues.
There is a lot of data (around 50GB) in the App Data folders of both users which I will not touch.

I'll let you know how I go with the partitioning.
Thanks for your help.

Thanks