Option to extend partition is grayed out

[Zaixionito]

I have a 5GB unallocated space I want to add to my main partition. However, any tool I've tried doesn't let me...

Screenshot here:
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6650/22009813.png

Window's tool is just grayed out...

Anyone able to help? I'll give you a cookie if you do! *looks for cookies*

 

[Wishmaster]

You can only extend the volume adding adjacent unallocated space.

The easiest way, if the partitions have nothing on them would be simply delete them, expand the one you want and remake the partitions.
Or if possible & they have some DATA, move that DATA to another drive temporarily then delete resize,remake.

Otherwise maybe try extending and shrinking the volumes next to the unallocated after the target partition, choosing to leave the Unallocated space BEFORE the partiton.


Now about these cookies?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Zaixionito, welcome to Seven Forums!



As Wishmaster has said you can only expand a partition to unallocated space to the right; have a look through the tutorials at the links below to get some ideas of how that works; be sure to keep us informed.
You could use a 3rd party program but there's always the chance of losing your data.

See "Method Two" in the first tutorial below

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2670-partition-volume-extend.html?ltr=P

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2668-partition-volume-delete.html?ltr=P

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2672-partition-volume-shrink.html?ltr=P

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2674-partition-volume-create-new.html?ltr=P

 

[Zaixionito]

Nvermind

Thanks, I've figured out how to do it now.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again Zaixionito.



We're glad you have found a solution that works for you; thanks for the update.

 

[ZingFreelancer]

Hi guys, since its only 18 hours since last post. I would like to ask a question related to what this user is asking.

I have a friend who uses 40gb hard drive and its really short on sapce. Specially when windows vista takes about 50% of that hard drive and demand more every day.
Right now that old disk is separated into two partitions, one for windows on 30gb and one for other stuff on 7gb.

So we agreed to buy a new hard drive and copy over the data from his old disk to new disk. That is how ever, not very difficult.

But the problem is the partitions remains the same and we are left with a bunch of unused/unallocated space.
What can be done to expand this partitions without data loss?

 

[whs]

If the unallocated space shows to the right of the partition in Disk Management, you can just right click on the partition and "Extend". If it is to the left, it is more complicated. Entend does not corrupt any data.

 

[ZingFreelancer]

I see what you are up to.

But as I said, there is 2 partitions on disk I wish to clone over. In that case, if I close over first partition, then expand it and clone over second partition and expand it with the remaining space. Will that work?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Let's use my drive map below using my "Disk 1"



If I wanted to recover the space on the "Storage" partition then I would move the data allready there to another partition then I could use #1

1. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2668-partition-volume-delete.html?ltr=P on the "Storage" partition then I would use
2. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2670-partition-volume-extend.html?ltr=P on the "XP partition to make one partition out of the 2, XP and Storage.

I hope this is clear enough?

Click this image to enlarge.

 

[whs]

I see what you are up to.

But as I said, there is 2 partitions on disk I wish to clone over. In that case, if I close over first partition, then expand it and clone over second partition and expand it with the remaining space. Will that work?

I guess that would work. As long as you have unallocated space to the right of a partition (as explained by Bare Foot Kid), you can always expand a partition. In your case just make sure you leave enough room to bring in the second partition (which you should predefine in the rest of the space once the first partition is cloned in).

 

[ZingFreelancer]

I see, that is reassuring.
Any suggestion for what tool I should use in order to complete this task fastest possible with least chance to screw it up?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Zaixionito, welcome to Seven Forums!



As Wishmaster has said you can only expand a partition to unallocated space to the right; have a look through the tutorials at the links below to get some ideas of how that works; be sure to keep us informed.
You could use a 3rd party program but there's always the chance of losing your data.

See "Method Two" in the first tutorial below

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2670-partition-volume-extend.html?ltr=P

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2668-partition-volume-delete.html?ltr=P

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2672-partition-volume-shrink.html?ltr=P

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2674-partition-volume-create-new.html?ltr=P

I see, that is reassuring.
Any suggestion for what tool I should use in order to complete this task fastest possible with least chance to screw it up?

Hello again.



Use the methods in the tutorials I linked to, they are the "safest" to use on Windows 7 as that's what they were designed for.

 

[ZingFreelancer]

Well, thanks for assistance. Worked great and solved my problem.

Used a program called DiskCopy or something to copy over C partition first, boot from old hard drive and extend windows partition that was newly copied, then create a new partition and copy over files to that partition from partition D on old disk.
Had to use Vista DVD to repair the boot configuration, after that it worked like a charm.

Thanks again.
Z.F.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again Z.F.



We're glad you found a solution that worked for you, thanks for keeping us informed.

 

[gaz]

I have a 5GB unallocated space I want to add to my main partition. However, any tool I've tried doesn't let me...

Screenshot here:
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6650/22009813.png

Window's tool is just grayed out...

Anyone able to help? I'll give you a cookie if you do! *looks for cookies*

You would have to delete the 886MB partition,then extend c:

 

[Maco88]

If the unallocated space shows to the right of the partition in Disk Management, you can just right click on the partition and "Extend". If it is to the left, it is more complicated. Entend does not corrupt any data.

Hi Guys,

I know this is a very old thread but it relates exactly to my problem, and I assume this would adffect many others - so as qouted by here by 'whs' - "If it is to the left, it is more complicated"

I have 15GB of unallocated space that I want to merge, however it is on the left, [far left, 1st partition]. Is there a way i can get it across the the right. I want to merge it with my DATA partition [D:]

Cheers

 

[jumanji]

It is always better to start a new thread stating your problem ab-initio putting out a screenshot of your drive.

 

[Maco88]

ok, sure.. just thought this thread was totally related to my issue, that all the info combined, it would make sense to keep it together in one thread.

Anyway, quick update, as it may help someone else.

I used Partition Wizard to move the System Recovery Partition to the right of the actual Partition I wanted to merge it with. In this case it was my Data drive [D:]
Simply use the "Move/Resize" option on the drive right next to the "Unallocated Partition". Keep repeating the process till you have the "Unallocated Partition" adjacent to the Partition you want to merge it with.

 

[jumanji]

Unless we had a pictorial view of the drive we couldn't have given any suggestions. ( None will go through the number of posts here. Just by seeing the number of posts and views it had, people will simply turn away. And also our experience shows that while the OP may think it is a similar problem, it could well be different in many cases.)

Glad you got things sorted out yourself. Good going.

 

[Maco88]

cheers, thanks for the feedback