How do I increase size of C:Drive by partitioning D:Drive

Fishfingers · 01 Nov 2012

Hi I'm not very familiar with HDDs and partition software so if there is an explanation, doing it in plain English or step by step would be appreciated.

Windows 7 32 bit

My boot drive and the one with most off my stuff is C but it only has around 25GBs out of 97GB left. My D drive currently has around 360GB/368GB free and I'd like to resize it and merge the unallocated space with C drive. I tried using the built in Windows disk manager and after no success I downloaded 'EaseUS partition manager' but it runs into the exact same problem as windows:

I can resize D drive and make some unallocated space, for example decreasing D by 10GB and getting the same amount as unallocated space but on both the downloaded and windows partition manager I cannot merge the unallocated space with C drive. It doesn't give me an error it just doesn't appear as an option. I can merge the unallocated space back with D drive and restore it to original size but I can't add it to C. Curiously I can merge C with the whole of D drive as an option (but I'm not going to do that). Here's a screenie of the downloaded software I'll put more info on if requested. Any help would be awesome as my C drive free space is shrinking rapidly due to game patches etc...

E: is just a partition from D: I made. It can remerge with D but it cannot do so with C. As you can see, when I tick the box of E: to merge the C: box instantly greys out. Last image is a screenshot from Windows disk management, here I've gotten rid of E: by merging it back with D:.

LuzTeTT · 01 Nov 2012

There used to be a time where you couldn't merge, extend or remove individual partitions at all without the use of often expensive third party software or some very in-depth technical know how.

I believe I have done something similar to what you are trying to achieve with software called partition merger or something along those lines, but I recommend you avoid this type of thing altogether in the future.

vishUltra · 01 Nov 2012

YA LuzTeTT said it correct, the 3rd party software can damage your system and its a great risk to use them.
But if u still want to try, then,use PartitionWizard tool to do this.
Your c drive is boot partition so u cant do things on it easily.. So ,with the help of above software modify the disk to logical first then u will be able to merge it with unallocated partition from D: ..
Hope this help..:)
Again i say, u are gonaa use 3rd party app,so U may be at risk.. !!

Kaktussoft · 01 Nov 2012

just resize D by making some unallocated space to the LEFT (not to right) side of D. after that you can extend C in win7 disk management

Kaktussoft · 01 Nov 2012

BTW you can only add space to a partition that is adjacent to that partition! C and E can't be merged... they are not adjacent to each other. So what I told you in my last post... resize D by shrinking it on the LEFT side, so creating unallocated space in front of D (so just after C). Then resize C so it uses the unallocated space (last step can be done in win7 disk management)

ignatzatsonic · 01 Nov 2012

Fishfingers said:

I tried using the built in Windows disk manager and after no success I downloaded 'EaseUS partition manager' but it runs into the exact same problem as windows:

Use Partition Wizard bootable disk; the last item listed on this page. Boot from it. Shrink D and add the space to C. You can't do that with the Windows tool.

Free download Magic Partition Manager Software, partition magic alternative, free partition magic, partition magic Windows 7 and server partition software - Partition Wizard Online

Fishfingers · 01 Nov 2012

Thanks I tried the partition manager again but I created the unallocated space to the left instead of the right (which was what I was doing wrong) and I could subsequently merge it with C. I chose just 5GB and it worked but would there be any detrimental effects (other than possible file corruption) to adding a larger amount (say 70GB) from D to C?

Edit: Can performance decrease happen because of this?

Britton30 · 01 Nov 2012

No problem, I would load the C partition with maybe 200GB from the D since it's largely unused.