Solved Drive partition no longer has delete option available - it WAS there

CatchUp · Mar 17, 2012

Hi there

I really need some help.
My laptop hard drive arrived with it's disk partitioned left to right as per below :

1) no name - primary
16GB

2) C: drive - system,boot, active, crash dump,primary
approx 80GB and now has 3.16 GB free

3) D: drive - page file, logical
approx 207GB and now has 172 GB free

The other day I was able to see that the "delete partition" option for the D: drive was available.

The C: drive then got VERY low on disk space (down to 100's of MBs) after an auto update so I ran the Windows disk cleanup which came up and regained 3GB. Since then - in preparation for deleting the D: drive partition and expanding the C: drive partition - I have backed up the D: drive, made a Windows image of the C: drive and created a repair disk.

Now the "delete partition" is not available on the D: drive . :cry:

I only have "shrink volume" available.

Does anyone know why this has happened ? Has the page file got anything to do with it, and if so, how do I fix ?

Thanks in advance.

wanchoo · Mar 17, 2012

Welcome to Seven Forums, Catchup.

Presumably you are seeing the Drives in Disk Management. Could you please post a screenshot of the Hard Disk.

To my mind there are several issues. The No Name Primary Partition is way too large for System Reserved Partition. Looks more like a partition to restore Windows. The C drive has filled up to 77 gigabytes with what. 80 gigabytes should be adequate for system volume with all the other programs when you have the D drive to store your data. Why do you want to delete the D partition? Normally resizing it to a smaller size and merging the resultant space in C Drive should serve the purpose.

At present please don't tinker with the partitions in a hurry unless you are very sure of what you are doing.

CatchUp · Mar 17, 2012

Hi Wanchoo
I'll post a screenshot when I find out how - and I have partly solved my problem but come up with another.
The fact that the pagefile.sys was on the D: drive partition was the reason the "delete partition" option was greyed out when I tried to delete the D: drive partition. I have since moved the pagefile.sys back to the C: drive partition and I was then able to delete the D: drive partition. I didn't reboot (should I have ?).

Then I find out that I cannot extend the C: drive partition - that option is greyed out.

The D: drive partition had another "Delete Partition" available but when I selected it, the message I got was that that area of disk would become UNavailable so I have simply recreated the D: drive partition again using the wizrd until I get some better information about what to do.

FYI - I checked some of the other discussions and it seemed like "merging" was not an option ? My understanding was that you had to delete the partition to the right and then extend into it from the left.

I'm back to square one I think.

Cheers

lehnerus2000 · Mar 17, 2012

Create a HDD image BEFORE proceeding. :eek:

Some tutorial links:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

If you have backed up everything, you should be able to:

Delete D:
Expand C:
Recreate D:

wanchoo · Mar 17, 2012

Hello Catchup,

From the screenshot it is seen that the No Name Partition is totally empty. You should be able to delete it and then merge it with the C Drive. C Drive shall then become 74.52+16.60=91.12 gigabytes. This should tide you over the difficulty of having very little free space in C drive. Once you have done this we shall have a look at D Drive for more space.

But before you do this please use a third party partitioning tool like Partition Wizard (free) or Acronis Disk Director Suite (shareware) and get out of Windows Disk Management Tool. You can read all about the Partition Wizard in this Forums' Tutorials at http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html.

Best of luck,

Amarnath Wanchoo

lehnerus2000 · Mar 17, 2012

Wait a minute ...

wanchoo said:
Hello Catchup,

From the screenshot it is seen that the No Name Partition is totally empty.

I think that it might be saying "empty", because it doesn't recognise the file system. :eek:

It doesn't recognise Ubuntu on my PC and reports the partition as "empty".

whs · Mar 17, 2012

3) D: drive - page file, logical
approx 207GB and now has 172 GB free

How did that page file get there. My guess is that this is the impediment.

wanchoo · Mar 17, 2012

I think OP would have mentioned in the original message if there was something there. Anyway the OP should know what is there. Apparently he is not using whatever that is there.

whs · Mar 17, 2012

wanchoo said:
I think OP would have mentioned in the original message if there was something there. Anyway the OP should know what is there. Apparently he is not using whatever that is there.

This 16.6GB partition is the recovery partition. It can be deleted once the recovery DVDs have been burnt. But I would anyhow make images as backup.

wanchoo · Mar 17, 2012

Just wondering why this partition is No Name because in all the computers that I have come across so far, Recovery Partitions have carried a drive letter and Windows is able to see how much the partition is occupied and the files contained therein. To me there seems to be more than meets the eye.

whs said:
This 16.6GB partition is the recovery partition. It can be deleted once the recovery DVDs have been burnt. But I would anyhow make images as backup.

CatchUp · Mar 17, 2012

Pagefile.sys was sus

whs said:
3) D: drive - page file, logical
approx 207GB and now has 172 GB free

Click to expand...

How did that page file get there. My guess is that this is the impediment.

-----------------------------
Correct - the location pagefile prevented D: partition delete. Once I relocated it back to the C: drive (after I got some space back) - I could get to the D: drive "delete partition" option. I suspect W7 did the "right" thing and moved the pagefile when the C: drive partition ran out of space. "automatically manage paging file size for all drives" was orginally checked.

CatchUp · Mar 17, 2012

No partition name

wanchoo said:
Just wondering why this partition is No Name because in all the computers that I have come across so far, Recovery Partitions have carried a drive letter and Windows is able to see how much the partition is occupied and the files contained therein. To me there seems to be more than meets the eye.

whs said:

This 16.6GB partition is the recovery partition. It can be deleted once the recovery DVDs have been burnt. But I would anyhow make images as backup.

Click to expand...

-----------------------------
I'm not sure - it was some time ago now - but I wonder if the "No Name" partition was created way back when I first got the pc and had to create my own W7 recovery files. It's possible I was asked to name it and didn't ?

CatchUp · Mar 17, 2012

Can't expand C

lehnerus2000 said:
Create a HDD image BEFORE proceeding.

Some tutorial links:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

If you have backed up everything, you should be able to:

Delete D:

Expand C:

Recreate D:

----------------------
Hmmm .... that is the problem I can't expand C - the option is greyed out.

I'll check the tutorials out when I get some time - thanks !

CatchUp · Mar 17, 2012

third party software ?

wanchoo said:
Hello Catchup,

From the screenshot it is seen that the No Name Partition is totally empty. You should be able to delete it and then merge it with the C Drive. C Drive shall then become 74.52+16.60=91.12 gigabytes. This should tide you over the difficulty of having very little free space in C drive. Once you have done this we shall have a look at D Drive for more space.

But before you do this please use a third party partitioning tool like Partition Wizard (free) or Acronis Disk Director Suite (shareware) and get out of Windows Disk Management Tool. You can read all about the Partition Wizard in this Forums' Tutorials at http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html.

Best of luck,

Amarnath Wanchoo

---------------------

Thanks for the tips. Why are you suggesting I get out of Disk Mgmt Tool ? I thought this was what is was designed for ?

For the moment I am going to have to put everything back the way it was so I can work with the laptop for a bit longer. Hopefully I can find a few extra GB on the C: drive.

I'm not keen on trying to merge "no name" with the C: drive. Some of the reading I've been doing suggests this is not a good thing to do and I could lose my C: drive ?

lehnerus2000 · Mar 17, 2012

I think ...

CatchUp said:
lehnerus2000 said:

Create a HDD image BEFORE proceeding.

Some tutorial links:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

If you have backed up everything, you should be able to:

Delete D:

Expand C:

Recreate D:

Click to expand...

----------------------
Hmmm .... that is the problem I can't expand C - the option is greyed out.

I'll check the tutorials out when I get some time - thanks !

I think that you have to delete D: first.
Windows Disk Manager is awful.

I use GParted (Linux Live CD) for my partitioning operations.

jumanji · Mar 17, 2012

Please refer to the support page for ASUS K52F. ( I presume you got the replacement HDD from ASUS for that K52F.) ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- Troubleshooting K52F

It shows the first 'No Name" Recovery partition, the C system Partition and D a logical partition.

The ASUS Recovery procedure enables you to create two partitions the C (25%) and D (75%)

If what I have stated above is correct,

1. Stop meddling with any of the partitions further. (In particular do not delete the first Recovery partition )

2. If you want to keep your ASUS K52F in its original state, contact ASUS support and confirm from them whether you can carryout the Recovery procedure to recreate the C and D partitions. Just tell them that you want to make sure the Recovery works and you are not left in the lurch on a later date trying Recovery. Let them walk you through and in case of any problems it will be their responsibilty. ( I think you have already meddled with those partitions but do not tell ASUS anything about it as such meddling may void warranty service and may not be taken kindly by ASUS. )

Get back to the original state and then come back if you want to modify the C and D partitions.

CatchUp · Mar 17, 2012

jumanji said:
Please refer to the support page for ASUS K52F. ( I presume you got the replacement HDD from ASUS for that K52F.) ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- Troubleshooting K52F

It shows the first 'No Name" Recovery partition, the C system Partition and D a logical partition.

The ASUS Recovery procedure enables you to create two partitions the C (25%) and D (75%)

If what I have stated above is correct,

1. Stop meddling with any of the partitions further. (In particular do not delete the first Recovery partition )

2. If you want to keep your ASUS K52F in its original state, contact ASUS support and confirm from them whether you can carryout the Recovery procedure to recreate the C and D partitions. Just tell them that you want to make sure the Recovery works and you are not left in the lurch on a later date trying Recovery. Let them walk you through and in case of any problems it will be their responsibilty. ( I think you have already meddled with those partitions but do not tell ASUS anything about it as such meddling may void warranty service and may not be taken kindly by ASUS. )

Get back to the original state and then come back if you want to modify the C and D partitions.

---------------------

The laptop was bought new - and there has been no "replacement HDD".
This IS the original state as far as I know. I certainly didn't create the 2/3 logical drives.

Not sure what you mean by "meddling" - why would there be disk managament Thanks for the comments though.

lehnerus2000 · Mar 17, 2012

Partitions - WDM vs Macrium

This picture shows you that Windows "Disk Management" won't tell you any information about other file systems.

As you can see, WDM claims that there is nothing on several partitions (i.e. 100% of capacity is available).
Macrium Reflect shows you that there are actually Linux file systems present (and most of the total capacity is used).

I don't know what file system Recovery partitions use.

jumanji · Mar 17, 2012

OK,

your first post read "My laptop hard drive arrived with it's disk partitioned left to right as per below :" Had it been "My laptop arrived with it's hard disk partitioned left to right as per below :" there would have been no misunderstanding.

If without knowing what is what you want to use Disk Management or any other feature just because it is there it is upto you.

whs rightly pointed out and queried how come the page file came on D drive/partition.

Wanchoo thought the first partition is empty and recommended that it be annexed.

If only you had stated that you received a brand new ASUS/HP/Dell /any other laptop with the model no. you would have perhaps put all others on the right track to help you better.

Atleast I gave you the possibilty that by using the recovery option you can get back to the original condition undoing all the ............ - sorry, all the right operations you did just because these are and were there.

Good luck.

AddRAM · Mar 17, 2012

Your absolutely right, It read like you got a new hard drive for his laptop. But I`m sure everyone knew what you meant.

If you just make the Partition Wizard Bootable CD you can do whatever you want with your partitions. And I would never erase a recovery partition.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html

Solved Drive partition no longer has delete option available - it WAS there

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