Extending C

[Keln]

I have been messing around with partitions for a while now, but have never tried to extend or change a C: partition before. Now I find that I need more space on my C: partition, but, unfortunately, the partition is to the right of the space I want to extend into.

So, I tried method 2 of the tutorial provided on this site, and it didn't work saying that I didn't have enough space. I've downloaded MiniTool Partition Wizard, but I am a bit nervous here.

First, is it safe to do anything with the C: partition? I mean...it is in use while the OS is in use. It is the active/boot/system partition on that drive.

Second, is there a way to physically move the C: partition to the left/ first spot on the drive?

I guess I just don't quite understand how partitioning operations work, even though I understand what a partition is. Since I have a new, 2TB drive, and will be getting another one soon, I'd like to make the whole HD that my C: partition is on, into one big C: drive, since I no longer need to share it for other things.

Anyone have advice on this?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Keln.



Have a look at these tutorials at the links below for some ideas and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.



Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD

Partition : Recover Space Used by an Older OS

 

[gregrocker]

Please post back a screenshot of your full Disk management drive map and listings, using Snipping Tool in Start menu. We can give you the steps to extend C to the whole HDD if this is what you want.,

 

[Keln]

Hello Keln.



Have a look at these tutorials at the links below for some ideas and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.



Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD

Partition : Recover Space Used by an Older OS

Thanks. So, are you saying I cannot use this partition program while running windows? Or is it just not safe to do it that way?

 

[gregrocker]

It is not as stable and you want complete stability when Resizing OS.

PW CD is the most stable Disk Manager we know of. It gives accurate readings even when Disk Mgmt or PW run from Win7 is inaccurate.

Unlike all other Partition managers except Disk Mgmt, PW will not fail as long as Data Protection mode is selected. If it fails to resize (virtually) it will simply restart and try again until you bail out at startup countdown.

 

[Keln]

Please post back a screenshot of your full Disk management drive map and listings, using Snipping Tool in Start menu. We can give you the steps to extend C to the whole HDD if this is what you want.,

Never knew about that snipping tool...that's awful handy, thanks.


Ok, so I have not wiped the two other partitions on this drive yet because I am still moving files around, but I had wanted to go ahead and add unallocated space to C: now, and the rest later. I am not averse to using the methods described by BF Kid, but I am trying to understand more about partitioning operations involving the C partition, and mostly what NOT to do.

And I am assuming that I can use a flash drive instead of a CD or DVD for the bootable disc (like for windows recovery)?

 

[gregrocker]

PW has a new feature to write to USB flash stick from Win7, but I think it's in a paid version.

Try writing the PW CD ISO to flash stick using Win2Flash: YouTube - How to install Windows 7 from USB (WinToFlash) then boot under USB flash on BIOS Boot Menu.

I'd start by booting PW to rightclick delete G (after backing up its files),

then rightclick Resize C, drag its left grey border all the way to the left to take up the unallocated space, OK, Apply.

Have your Installation DVD or Repair CD standing by in case you need to run Startup Repair to repair the System MBR since resizing will occur on the boot sector: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105541-startup-repair-run-3-separate-times.html

 

[Keln]

Thanks greg. I'll give this stuff a go.

 

[whs]

1. Whatever you do to your C partition, make sure you take an image first to be on the safe side.
2. If you still have your user data folders on C, it may be easier to move those to another partition/drive rather than extending C

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

I have a question on another subject; are there bootable Operating System(s) on the other Disk #s 1 & 3 as I see from the snip they are marked "Active" and that may cause other issues if they are just data drives.

 

[Keln]

I have a question on another subject; are there bootable Operating System(s) on the other Disk #s 1 & 3 as I see from the snip they are marked "Active" and that may cause other issues if they are just data drives.

Disk 1 is the drive that is used to run programs like games. The only OS (now) is on disk 0. Disk 1 is games and large programs. Disk 3 is storage for a lot of data like movies. I do not know why they are both marked active. I do not remember ever marking them that. Perhaps because they had paging files on them at one point? I have shifted paging files around several times.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again, thanks for the update.



It would be a good idea to mark them " Inactive " from an elevated command prompt so they don't cause future issues; have a look at this snip below for the steps, obviously you would substitute your specific disk/partition info.

​

 

[Keln]

Hello again, thanks for the update.



It would be a good idea to mark them " Inactive " from an elevated command prompt so they don't cause future issues; have a look at this snip below for the steps, obviously you would substitute your specific disk/partition info.

​

Thanks. I actually finished freeing up all of the data on the harddrive with my OS on it and did everything with the partition program as you guys had suggested. While I was in that CD-ROM screen extending my C: drive, I went ahead and marked every disk inactive except C:. After I did all of this, I rebooted with the Windows repair disc in that I had made. It said no errors were found, so I rebooted without it and everything is working perfectly now, thanks to all of you guys' advice.

Now I have another question. After shuffling all of this data around and deleting partitions, my drive letters are out of whack. When I try to rename a drive letter it warns me that "some programs may not function after renaming a drive letter....etc". My question is, is there an easy way to reassign the drive number to programs on my harddrives? Really, only one HD is at issue here, and that is the one that I have most of my games on. I would like to rename it D: instead of E:, but I am afraid most of the games on it will not work if I do. Is this a concern, or does this only apply to much older programs and games?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Windows will not allow the "System" OS partition drive letter to be changed and if you did find a way it would cause untold issues/errors with the installed programs/apps that were installed to look for the 'old' drive letter.


Partitions/drives HDDs that have no data on them will have no issue changing the drive letter.


Anything that was installed will have issues changing the drive letter.

 

[Keln]

Windows will not allow the "System" OS partition drive letter to be changed and if you did find a way it would cause untold issues/errors with the installed programs/apps that were installed to look for the 'old' drive letter.


Partitions/drives HDDs that have no data on them will have no issue changing the drive letter.


Anything that was installed will have issues changing the drive letter.

Yeah, that is what I was afraid of. I have no reason to change the drive letter for the system partition (which is the whole drive now), but the other drives I would like to change. Is there a way, or a program, that will update the paths in all installed programs/games/etc?

 

[gregrocker]

Best to find the download link to post that rather than upload.

Is it this? How To Create Bootable USB Stick For Windows Vista,Windows 7 and Windows 2008 | TECH YARD

Google has it tagged eZe but it has another name.