How do I partition an existing Windows 7 OS?

[Phroneo]

I have an existing Windows 7 64-bit installation on a 1TB HDD. I made no partitions when I installed Windows 7 as a clean install on this HDD. I would like to make a partition for my Windows 7 OS, one for my programs, and one for data storage. I was thinking about 100GB for Windows 7, 200GB for programs, and the rest for data storage. Can I do this even though I've already installed Windows 7?

Thank you,

 

[Thorsen]

I dont have as much experience as others on Partitioning on this site, but we have some Tutorials on how to do this. You would first Shrink your current partition: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2672-partition-volume-shrink.html

And then Create a new Partition in the Unallocated Space for Each of the Drives you want to create: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2674-partition-volume-create-new.html

 

[Phroneo]

Thanks for your super fast reply to my question.

I've scanned both tutorials and they certainly do give me methods for partitioning my drive. I'm still fuzzy on one point that I didn't make clear in my original post. I would like to create a partition that will permit me to isolate the Win 7 OS in it's own partition on my drive. Maybe I missed that when I was reading through the tutorials you suggested. Is there a way to do this?

Thank you,

 

[dnorris]

If you now have one partition, you will have to shrink it to get enough space to create the 2 additional partitions.
You may be able to do it with Disk Manager, if there are no unmovable files in the region you wish to make available.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2672-partition-volume-shrink.html

 

[SIW2]

Many of us do exactly that.

O/S and installed apps on one partition. Data on another , music on another, etc.

Just use disk management to shrink the win 7 partition down to whatever size you want.

The remaining unallocated space can be made into several more separate volumes as described in the tutorial.

Thanks for your super fast reply to my question.

I've scanned both tutorials and they certainly do give me methods for partitioning my drive. I'm still fuzzy on one point that I didn't make clear in my original post. I would like to create a partition that will permit me to isolate the Win 7 OS in it's own partition on my drive. Maybe I missed that when I was reading through the tutorials you suggested. Is there a way to do this?

Thank you,

 

[whs]

With Disk Management, you will not be able to shrink your OS partition down to 100GBs - you will find that the OS partition can be only shrunk by about 50%. I suggest you try with Partition Wizard Home Edition. For the creation of a data partition and moving he user folders correctly, I recommend you follow my video tutorial (except for the use of Partition Wizard in lieu of Disk Management). The rest is easy.

 

[gregrocker]

Suggest you Do not place Programs on a separate partition from OS, just data files, videos, photos, etc.

 

[Phone Man]

Here is a guide from Partition Wizard on Move/Rezise partition.
Resize Partition for Windows Server 2000/2003/2008 – Move/Resize Partition safely

They also have a bootable CD version.



Jim

 

[Phroneo]

RE: How do I partition an existing Windows 7 OS

Greetings All,

Thank you all for your response to my post. I appreciate how rapidly this community addresses new comers issues.

I now understand how to shrink and partition my hard drive using Windows 7 Disk Management. (I also learn visually so I appreciated the video.) Partition Wizard Home Edition looks to be a great program, but I'm not quite certain I need it for this application. However, I am very interested in it. I agree with gregrocker about keeping program files and OS together. That has been a concern of mine. It seems to me that the programs get so intertwined with the OS that unless they were all installed separately, it's best to keep them together.

When I go into Disk Management, I get 2 "partitions" on my disk. One is a 100MB NTFS System Reserved with no drive letter (what is this?), and the other is a 931GB NTFS 'C' drive that I can shrink to ~430GB. If I want to isolate my Win 7 and installed programs, does it make sense for me to shrink my 'C' drive, create a new drive, and move all my Libraries and documents to the new drive? Then can I turn around an shrink the 'C' drive again (to a size that will permit me to add future programs and updates) and merge that remaining unallocated space with the Libraries and Documents drive?

Is this doable and will that isolate my OS and programs?

Thanks again,

 

[whs]

1. Leave the 100MB partition alone. That is your boot partition. It should be called "active". Just don't touch it.
2.All you can shrink with Disk Management will be the 430GBs. Later it will not let you shrink any more - that's why I suggested Partition Wizard. The reason is the MFT that Disk Management will not move, but PW will. Another problem would be that the freespace you want to add to a partition has to be to the right of that partition (with Disk Management). No way to extend a partition to the left - except with Partition Wizard.

 

[gregrocker]

Your plan is fine, and you can indeed use Partition Wizard bootable CD if in the second shrink operation Disk Mgmt will not shrink C: enough. Always back up your files any time you use a 3rd party DIsk Manager.

However you might also need to use the best tool which will move System files if they are blocking shrinkage: Perfect Disk 11's trial version Offline/Boot time defragger for System files.

After downloading PD, set Defrag drop-down menu to Consolidate Files. When this completes, attempt shrinking again. If that is not enough, then rightclick C: drive and do Offline or Boot time defrag selecting "System" files.

 

[Greg S]

1. Leave the 100MB partition alone. That is your boot partition. It should be called "active". Just don't touch it.
2.All you can shrink with Disk Management will be the 430GBs. Later it will not let you shrink any more - that's why I suggested Partition Wizard. The reason is the MFT that Disk Management will not move, but PW will. Another problem would be that the freespace you want to add to a partition has to be to the right of that partition (with Disk Management). No way to extend a partition to the left - except with Partition Wizard.

I have a question. As of right now, I'm dual booting XP and Seven. I have one disk, two partitions. C: has XP which was installed first, E: has Win 7. Before installing Win 7, I shrunk C: of course to create E: to install Win 7. At the time I really didn't think I would use Win 7 all that much and used little more than the minimum space for the installation of Win 7. As it turns out, Win 7 appears to be great and now I regret not having more space on E: for it. Here comes the question, can I shrink C: and add the space to E: Win 7? I've always assumed I couldn't but honestly don't know for sure.

 

[whs]

This is of course possible. With Disk Management it is a little awkward because your free space will be to the .left of E after you shrunk C. But with Partition Wizard you can extend a partition to the left. To be on the safe side, I would image the 2 partitions with e.g. Macrium. Normally the shrink/extend should not impact the data in those partitions, but one never knows.

 

[Dave76]

Great advice given here already.

Try to use the Windows Disk Management, it will likely not give you the size you want, Partition Wizard is a very good program.

As whs mentioned use an image backup program first, alway make a backup before doing something like this. Best safety insurance is to always keep a backup, soon after installation. Macrium is free and very good.

Greg S, Disk Management won't let you move a partition to the left. Use Partition Wizard, it will do it without a problem.
Let us know if you have any questions.

 

[Phroneo]

Thanks, everyone, for your response and help to my post.

You all raised very good points and concerns. I have read all the associated information and links and now feel comfortable to partition my disk the way I want it to be. I've purchased Acronis for backup and got Partition Wizard for Home Edition to help me better move and create partitions.

Now to work.

 

[gregrocker]

Greg S, do you want to delete XP before you resize Win7 into its space?

If so you'll also need to use free Partition Wizard bootable CD: mark Win7 Active using Partition Wizard, do the delete/resize, then apply all steps.

Now boot into Win7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD, click through to Recovery tools list to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots until Win7 will start.

 

[Greg S]

Greg S, do you want to delete XP before you resize Win7 into its space?

Negative, I'm just looking(if possible) to add space from C: partition to E: partition which has Win 7. Before installing Win 7 I had only the one disk/partition which has XP. I used Gparted to shrink it by 17+ gigs which was used for E: to install Win 7. I'm fully backed up going back as far as the day before installing Win 7(10/23/09) to the most recent about 3 weeks ago.