Help with Extending Volume in Windows 7

[yellowjacket03]

Please see the attached screenshot that shows the partitions of my disk. I have just installed Windows 7 on the partition labeled C:. I would like to extend this volume by merging the 99.74GB C: partition with the 10.0GB "unallocated" partition that is the left. I have just learned that the Disk Management doesn't allow me to do this :banghead:. How would be the best way to do this without having to reinstall the OS and applications?

OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit

 

[essenbe]

Disk management will not extend a partition to the left, only to the right. To do what you want, you will need to use free Partition Wizard. The Partition Wizard tutorial will explain.

 

[whs]

Good practice would suggest that you image the partitions before you manipulate them with Partition Wizard. I got bit once and lost all my partitions using PW which I am familiar with (just a small little mistake did it) - but I had images. So it was no big deal.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Agreed

Good practice would suggest that you image the partitions before you manipulate them with Partition Wizard. I got bit once and lost all my partitions using PW which I am familiar with (just a small little mistake did it) - but I had images. So it was no big deal.

You should probably image the whole HDD.

When I tried to resize and move my W7 partition (in 2010) I managed to screw it up and I ended up having to reinstall it (XP and Ubuntu too).

 

[AddRAM]

Are you all POSITIVE the FREE partition wizard will do this ? I thought only diskpart would merge space from the left of C:
If you just installed 7, in my opinion it would be much easier and faster just to reinstall and make your partition the size you want this time.

I know you need Pro to merge partitions, correct ?

 

[whs]

Are you all POSITIVE the FREE partition wizard will do this ? I thought only diskpart would merge space from the left of C:
If you just installed 7, in my opinion it would be much easier and faster just to reinstall and make your partition the size you want this time.

Yes, Partition Wizard does the job quite nicely - if you make no mistake. I have just used it a couple of days ago for the same purpose.

But a reinstall is the worst option. The better alternative would be to image C, delete the C partition and redefine a bigger partition in the merged unallocated space. Then dump the image back in.

 

[wanchoo]

Could be quite easily done without losing any data with a good partitioning software using it's boot disk. You could use Acronis Disk Director Suite Boot Disk which is my favourite or Free Partition Wizard Boot Disk that almost all in this Forum prefer.

 

[AddRAM]

Please see the attached screenshot that shows the partitions of my disk. I have just installed Windows 7 on the partition labeled C:. I would like to extend this volume by merging the 99.74GB C: partition with the 10.0GB "unallocated" partition that is the left. I have just learned that the Disk Management doesn't allow me to do this :banghead:. How would be the best way to do this without having to reinstall the OS and applications?

OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit

1st question, where are you going to store your disc image ?

 

[wanchoo]

That may depend on the imaging software used. Acronis TrueImage permits you to store the disk image on another partition/drive if one exists as a .tib file, or if you like it would create an Acronis Safe Zone special partition for you in which to store the image.

I have not used any other partitioning software.

Please see the attached screenshot that shows the partitions of my disk. I have just installed Windows 7 on the partition labeled C:. I would like to extend this volume by merging the 99.74GB C: partition with the 10.0GB "unallocated" partition that is the left. I have just learned that the Disk Management doesn't allow me to do this :banghead:. How would be the best way to do this without having to reinstall the OS and applications?

OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit

1st question, where are you going to store your disc image ?

 

[AddRAM]

I was asking Yellowjacket specificly, where he was going to put an image.

 

[yellowjacket03]

Disk management will not extend a partition to the left, only to the right. To do what you want, you will need to use free Partition Wizard. The Partition Wizard tutorial will explain.

I have created a system image, and backed up my files (using Windows 7 Backup and Restore tools) to an external hard drive. I have also created the free Partition Wizard boot disk. I've looked at the Partition Wizard tutorial, but not sure which of the options (1,2 or 3) in the tutorial apply to what I am trying to do.

I want to make the partition C: larger, by merging the C: partition with the 10.0 GB of unallocated space shown to the left of C:. Do I need to "Merge" these two partitions or do I want to "Move/Resize" one of these partitions? If I need to "Move/Resize", which one should I resize? Can I simply make C: larger or do I need to shrink the 10 GB of unallocated space first?

Option 3 in the tutorial looked like they were shrinking a partition that was to the right of the Primary partition labeled W_7_Ultimate to make room to the right so that they could extend the W_7_Ultimate towards the right. I'm trying to expand towards the left.

 

[gregrocker]

Boot PW CD, rightclick C to Resize, drag left border to the left to take up the Unallocated space, click OK, then Apply.

The 2gb partition is too small to be a Recovery partition. Rightclick on it in Disk Mgmt to post back a screenshot of its contents if you want. Same with the OEM partition which is likely the Dell Diagnostics.

 

[yellowjacket03]

Thank you all for your help. The partition wizard worked great. That 2GB partition to the right is a partition for Dell's Media Direct OS. I haven't used it so I'll probably get rid of it.

 

[BarryBGB]

I use Easeus partition manager. There is a free version called home edition.
I used that before buying the pro version but the free will merge andshould move the partions as well without losing data.

 

[wanchoo]

QED (Quite Easily Done). Congratulations. Now please mark the thread as solved.

Thank you all for your help. The partition wizard worked great. That 2GB partition to the right is a partition for Dell's Media Direct OS. I haven't used it so I'll probably get rid of it.