Solved can't turn second unallocated partition into a simple volume

[mikabomb]

i just bought a 3TB external hard drive. i noticed it reads kind of slowly, especially when i first open it in explorer, so i decided to try to partition it.

i saw the tutorial on shrinking and partitioning hard drives on this forum and used the windows 7 disk manager to shrink and partition the hard drive. it partitioned it into 3 parts; one 1.3 TB, and two 700 GB partitions. the 1.3 TB one is the primary volume so i didn't mess with it. i successfully partitioned and formatted the first 700 GB partition into a simple, but for the second one the option for 'new simple volume' is greyed out.

 

[Corazon]

Could you provide a screenshot of your Disk Management window? Need to see how your HD is partitioned so far before we can address the problem.

 

[mikabomb]

here you go.

FYI, i undid the successful partition of the second one.

 

[Corazon]

From the looks of that screenshot, you ended up with an extended partition ( the one in the middle, after G: ) which is then followed by just plain unallocated space. I think - not quite sure on this - Windows won't let you create a primary partition following an extended one and that's what's happening.

The extended partition is still showing up as 'unallocated' because its purpose is to let you create one or more logical volumes within it - but right now there are none.

Just remove the extended partition to gain all the "plain" unallocated space back as a single block, and then you should be able to create a 2nd and 3rd primary partition without any problem. Hope this helps!

 

[mikabomb]

i can't delete it or extend the unallocated partition.

what exactly are my options? i tried MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition, but it doesn't even list that particular hard drive for some odd reason. furthermore, i can't figure out how to run the .iso file Gnome Partition Editor comes in.

 

[Corazon]

I see now you have two primary partitions plus unallocated space.

You shouldn't need any third-party partition editors or .iso images to boot from. Right now, you should be able to turn the unallocated space into a third primary partition in Disk Management without any problem.

Can you do this? Please let us know. If not, tell us exactly what the error message is Windows gives you.

 

[mikabomb]

when i right click the unallocated partition the option to create a simple volume is greyed out. the only selectable options are 'help' and 'properties.' also, windows doesn't give an error.

 

[Corazon]

I'm not sure what the problem is then... I would recommend trying EASEUS Partition Master Home Edition.
It's a quick and simple install and runs right inside Windows, and it should let you do what Disk Management apparently won't. (Maybe DM can't deal with drives larger than 2TB?)

Free Download Magic Partition Manager freeware: EaseUS Partition Manager, Disk & Partition Copy and Partition Recovery Software.

 

[gregrocker]

Corazon is correct - it should allow you to create the partition, no problem. Only on the fourth would it force you to accept a Logical extended so you can create as many sub-partitions as needed later.

I'd use free Partition Wizard bootable CD as you may have run up a limitation of Windows here on huge HD's. PW Cd is the most reliable manager we use here and will remove Windows from the equation for this purpose.

 

[mikabomb]

i downloaded EASEUS Partition Master Home Edition and got it to create a new partition out of the one unallocated one.

thanks much guys!!

 

[Corazon]

Glad to help, very welcome.

Partition Wizard is a great recommendation, but I like EASEUS a lot personally since it's stable and works without having to boot off a CD (unless you need to manage the system partition of course).

 

[SamuelParent]

similar problem

Hi I've read everything here as I have a similar problem.
New 4tb HDD (WD) which I initially shrunk to make a 2nd partition of 1677GB (weird number I know). That's turned into unallocated space.
As with the other person's problem, New Simple Volume (spanned and stripped) are all greyed out.
I created as a test another by shrinking 100GB - that I could create a "new simple volume"

However, I cannot extent either one to include the 1.6tb that's unallocated

I've downloaded EaseUS but it says "unsupported disk"

I have nothing on this drive, just bought it - is there any way I can return it to original state? In Properties, what would "disable" or "uninstall" do?

 

[gregrocker]

Let us see a screenshot of http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html.

Tell us exactly what you want to do.

You can always delete and create new partitions. Why extend if there's no data?

 

[SamuelParent]

here you are
I might not be using the right terminology. I wanted 2 partitions on this drive, one for my picture archive and the other for movies.

 

[gregrocker]

Is the first partition the correct size you want? If not delete and create it again.

Then create partition in Unallocated space.

 

[SamuelParent]

Yes it is

that's just it, in the unallocated space, the "new simple volume" is greyed out. All I have is properties and help

 

[gregrocker]

Try creating smaller partitions.

Try using Partition Wizard CD.

 

[SamuelParent]

I can with the "F" but that's not what I want to do
I want to turn the unallocated space into a drive

 

[gregrocker]

Try PArtition Wizard Boot CD. Burn ISO with Windows Image Burner.

 

[SamuelParent]

ok will try, thanks