Partition merging on same drive. Slightly special circumstances.

[HMBLM]

I want to merge my C and D drive. My drives look like this

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I've read several threads on merging/extending threads. But my issue doesnt seem to come up that often. I want to merge C and D which are two partions on the same drive. Both drives are Logical drives, and they are both surrounded by that green rectangle. Neither of them allow me to delete or expand/extend (Whichever windows in english uses).

Are there any solutions?
How can I merge/extend these two partitions who are on the same disk, and surrounded by this green box?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

What's on D??

Just data??

I assume you want to end up with just C, no D, with C a lot larger than it is now?

My first idea would be to move whatever is on D to somewhere else temporarily.

Then delete D, generating unallocated space.

Then expand C into the unallocated space.

Then move the stuff that you temporarily moved off D back to C.

Rather than merge, per se.

 

[HMBLM]

Yes you are absolutely right, I want just want to end up with C.

Should have mentioned. The D drive has the definition "sidefile, logical drive". Unless one of those things would advise me not to, I would have no problem formating the D drive, or as you mentioned moving the files else where.

The thing is, as I mentioned, I can't delete the D drive in the manager. It is simply grayed out. But I do seem to have read that if I format the D drive i should be able to delete it, any confirmation?

But otherwise the idea does sound great!

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I have never seen that "sidefile" term before and have no idea what it means.

Again: what is on D? Why was it created? Does it contain only personal data? Do you knowingly need anything on it?

I can't read that language, so it might help if you translate what it says for each of those 5 partitions.

The best tool to fiddle with partitions is Partition Wizard bootable disk, the last item at this link. Download it, burn it to a disc, boot from it, and post another picture of what it sees. You will likely have more control in Partition Wizard.

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

 

[HMBLM]

The D drive was created at install to serve as the drive for files ect... Only personal files as far as i can tell. May be deleted. Does "paging file" make sense, instead of "sidefile"?

And the drive descriptions are as follows:

1. Active, recovery partition.
2. Recovery partition.
3. Recovery partition.
C: Boot, crashdump, logical drive.
D: Paging file, logical drive.

Is it really nescessary to use that tool, first of i don't really have anything to boot from, second is the tool used to merge, expand ect.. Or just look? If it's used to expand can i not just use Disk management?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You can move the page file to another drive. No good reason for it to be on D.

Move or delete the page file and see if you can then delete D.

You need a page file over the long run, but you could delete it temporarily.

Partition Wizard is the best tool for any partitioning task in Windows. It is NOT just to look.

But see if you can move or delete that page file and then delete D in Disk Management.

Deleting D will probably result in "free space", which must also be deleted. After you delete the free space, you should be able to extend C---although you MAY have to use Partition Wizard.

I think PW can be run from a USB drive.

If you need anything on D, you must of course move it to some other location before deleting D.

Page file:

control panel/system/advanced system settings/performance settings button/advanced tab/change button.

 

[HMBLM]

Not exactly sure i can move the page file since it seems to be part of the partition of D, D is as previously mentioned on the same drive as C. How would i move the page file?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

To move page file, go to location I listed in last post--control panel.........

You can set the location there. Make a small page file on C if you want. Maybe 500 MB or like that.

I suspect you could delete page file outright, but if not, just move it.

 

[HMBLM]

It's getting late, but i'll look further into it tommorow and possibly ask some more questions. Thank you for your help.

 

[bobafetthotmail]

EaseUS partition master does allow you to merge partitions without all this fuss. Follow this tutorial. It will probably ask for a reboot to perform the task as it will be working with system partition, say OK and let it work.

Be warned that it's a fully-fledged tool, so don't take wild guesses, if you have questions after reading that tutorial ask before trying (and risking to lose your data).

Just a curiosity, what's the point of so much recovery partitions on the same drive? They gobble up 3 of the disk's available primary partition slots (the third is an extended partition slot, the thing you see as green rectangle, it allows you to make more partitions, albeit "logical", not "primary".

 

[gregrocker]

There's only 3gb on D so I concur with Ignatz that it's easiest to move that data to C, delete D then extend C which can be done safest in Disk Mgmt. Partition or Volume - Delete
Partition or Volume - Extend

To turn off paging file on D first, navigate the path that Ignatz provided (control panel/system/advanced system settings/performance settings button/advanced tab/change button),

Uncheck Automatically Managed then highlight D and check No Paging file, click Set button.

Then highlight C and check Automatically Manage box again.

Now you can delete D and extend C into the space.