Partition or Volume - Create New

How to Create a New Partition or Volume in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to create a new primary partition using Disk Management or Diskpart in Windows 7 from a empty unallocated partition or volume.

   Note

A primary partition is a type of partition created on a hard drive that can have a operating system installed on it. A primary partition functions as though it were a physically separate hard drive.

By default on a basic MBR disk, you can create a maximum of 4 Primary partitions, or 3 Primary partitions and 1 Extended partition with up to 128 logical volumes in the extended partition on a single hard disk.

*You must be logged on in an administrator account to be able to do this tutorial.

   Warning

If you disable the Disk Defragmenter service, then you will get the error below when you try to do anything in Disk Management. If you get this error, then make sure that the Disk Defragmenter service is set to only Manual.

OPTION ONE

Create Primary Partition using Disk Management

1. You will first need to shrink a partition or volume from the free space on a disk to create unallocated space on that disk to use to create the new partition or volume with on the same disk.

   Note

If this is a disk that is unallocated, then skip this step and go straight to step 2.

2. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click on the Administrative Tools icon. then close the Control Panel window.

3. Click on Computer Management in Administrative Tools, then close the Administrative Tools window.

4. In the left pane under Storage, click on Disk Management. (See screenshot below)
5. In the middle pane, right click on the empty unallocated partition or volume and click on New Simple Volume. (See screenshot above)

6. Click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
7. Type in how many MB (1 GB = 1024 MB) you want to use from the unallocated partition to create the new partition with, then click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you want to use all of the unallocated partition to create the new partition with, then type all of the maximum disk space shown for the unallocated partition. If you do not use all of the maximum disk space, then you can use the left over space from the unallocted partition to create another new partition with.
8. Select an available drive letter that you want to be assigned to the new partition in Computer, then click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
9. Type in a volume label name that you want for the new partition, check the Perform a quick format box, and click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
10. Click on the Finish button. (See screenshot below)

   Warning

If you get a pop-up with the message below, then click on No. You DO NOT want to convert the disk to dynamic. Doing so could render Windows 7 unbootable. A clean install of Windows 7 would be the only way to fix this afterwards if you were to click on Yes.

The operation selected will convert the disk to dynamic... are you sure you want to continue?

11. The new primary partition or volume has now been created with the assigned unallocted partition space (step 7). (See screenshot below)
12. Close the Computer Management window. (See screenshot above)

OPTION TWO

Create Primary Partition using Diskpart in Elevated Command Prompt

1. You will first need to shrink a partition or volume to create a unallocated partition to use to create the new partition or volume with.

2. Open an elevated command prompt, or a command prompt at boot.

3. In the elevated command prompt, type diskpart and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
4. In the elevated command prompt, type list disk and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This is to help you ID the disk number that has Free unallocated space that you want to create a new partition with. For example, Disk 1 with 80 GB of free space.
5. In the elevated command prompt, type select disk # and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You would substitute # for the disk number listed that you want to create a new partition with the free unallocated space there. For example, I want to create a new partition with the 80 GB of free space, so I would type select disk 2 and press Enter.
6. In the elevated command prompt, type create partition primary and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This will create a new blank RAW partition with selected disk (step 5) that contains the unallocated partition free space.
7. In the elevated command prompt, type list volume and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Look for the volume number that has the same Size as from the Free space in step 4. For example, Volume 3.
8. To Format the Partition or Disk as a NTFS File System
NOTE: This would be good for using with a HDD as an example. A) In the elevated command prompt, type format fs=ntfs quick and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Having quick added at the end of the command will do a quick format instead of a full format on the new blank RAW partition (step 6) to make it a new partition.
B) Go to step 10.
9. To Format the Partition or Disk as a FAT32 File System
NOTE: This would be good for using with a USB key drive as an example. The FAT32 file system has size limitations. You cannot create a FAT32 partition greater than 32 GB. In addition, you cannot store a file larger than 4 GB on a FAT32 partition. For more information, see Comparing NTFS and FAT file systems. A) In the elevated command prompt, type format fs=fat32 quick and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Having quick added at the end of the command will do a quick format instead of a full format on the new blank RAW partition (step 6) to make it a new partition.
10. When it is finished formatting, type exit in the elevated command prompt and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
11. Close the elevated command prompt.

12. The new primary partition has now been created. You can now see the new partition in Computer with a drive letter.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Create Extended Partition / Logical Drives Where Needed
• Data Partition
• How to Shrink a Partition or Volume in Windows 7
• How to Extend a Partition or Volume in Windows 7
• How to Delete a Partition or Volume in Windows 7
• How to Create and Attach a Virtual Hard Disk in Windows 7
• How to Unattach and Delete a Virtual Hard Disk in Windows 7
• How to Setup Windows 7 to Boot from a VHD (Virtual Hard Disk)
• How to Do a Clean Installation with Windows 7
• How to Fix Missing Vista Hard Disk Partition Letter in Windows 7
• How to Convert a FAT or FAT32 Volume to NTFS in Windows 7
• How to Convert a MBR Disk to a GPT Disk
• How to Convert a GPT Disk to a MBR Disk
• How to Convert a Basic Disk to a Dynamic Disk
• How to Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk
• How to Clean or Clean All a Disk with the Diskpart Command
• How to Quick Format a HDD or USB Drive
• How to Mark a Partition as Active in Windows 7
• How to Mark a Partition as Inactive in Windows 7 and Vista

 

[eldinv]

What are you looking to do?

 

[Brink]

Mjsalehi,

You will be able to use this tutorial to shrink your C: drive by how much you want to use for the other partitions as unallocated space. Afterwards, you can create a logical (light blue) partition from the unallocated space, then repeat the process on each logical partition to shrink and create a new one for how many logical partitions you want. If you get asked to convert the drive to a dynamic disk, then DO NOT DO SO. It will make your Windows 7 unbootable.

However, considering that you only have 451GB on your C drive, you might consider getting a new hard drive and split that up into how many partitions you want on it instead. This way it can be a good backup drive as well.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks...
But could you tell me the solutions step by step that how can i do that?
How can i do everything that you told me to achieve my goal?

It depends on which option you want to go with.

If you wanted to go with the second option by adding a new 2nd hard drive, then you can just use the steps in OPTION ONE in the tutorial on the first page on the new hard drive to shrink and create your partitions on it.

 

[mjsalehi]

for example i want to have more than drive:c. means i want to have drive :d,e and f to divide my empty space on c drive.

 

[Brink]

Mjsalehi,

From your Disk Management screenshot, you should be able to shrink your C: dirve by how how much space you want to be used by the other partitons as unallocated space. From this unallocated space, you can create logical partitions like you wanted using this tutorial.

 

[mjsalehi]

thanks alot,
i'll do this. might be helpfull.
thanks

 

[need4steer]

Thanks a lot for another great tutorial.

 

[cowman1208]

Hi there, I recently just installed Win7 x64 and I want to create a partition from my main C:/ drive. It's a RAID 0 configuration with 2x 320gb hard drives. When I open up disk management to shrink the volume it only allows me to shrink up about 49% of it. I want to partition my Windows into a 60 or 80gb partition and organize my drives the way I had them in XP. I was able to do that and split the remainder into 2 partitions with XP. I have 2 other slower drives as well that I use for storage and other stuff that I don't want to install Win7 on.
Thanks for the help!

update: since i was fresh install after fresh install... I formatted and used the cmd during install to format my OS drive and just make partitions with diskpart

all set! thanks for the nice guide!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Cowman. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[OEM]

Hi All, I'm redoing a desktop and wish to create an even 800 gigabyte partition, however it seems when you try to make these larger partitions the 1000x24 rule doesn't work for them, ...they're always smaller by few 100 megs.

Is there a different multiple value (x24) that can be used or is a guessing game with the larger partitions?

Thnx,
-OEM

 

[Brink]

Hello Tim,

Did you mean 1024 MB x 800 GB = 819200 MB?

 

[OEM]

Thanks Brink,

Long hours on DT recovery........

..........Problem, A $24.00 Stick of Ram, ......... A nickle holding up a dollar .

And Jonathan_King called it, ...said run memtest86 yesterday, I gotta around to doing it today and sure enough ...1 pos cheap stick. It's a first for a stick to go bad for me, and its just a month old.

Memtest86\Latest Ver. wouldn't even run, and after hardware raid config, OS DVD- error CD_Boot File "Not Found" so couldn't even boot into 7 DVD!

Started pulling sticks out, labeled them, and walla Bad Ram. Everything going like Clockwork Now!

Thanks to both Brink....Your Number Provided was Dead On ...

...& Jon , For Getting it Right with the Ram and running:

(Home Page)_http://www.memtest86.com/.


(Download Page)http://www.memtest86.com/download.html

-OEM

 

[Brink]

That's great news OEM.

 

[RJL24]

Is there a good article that explains "why" one would need to create a new partition in windows 7?


I have discussed this with some folks and no one can make a good argument as to why, rather than simply creating a folder.

 

[Brink]

Hello RJL24,

It's really just a matter of if someone needs or just wants a new partition.

A partition is treated as a separate drive letter. This allows you to have multiple drive letters on the same physical HDD.

One could have one partiton for Windows 7, then another partition or so for their data. This way if they had to reinstall Windows 7, they wouldn't lose the data partition since it is treated like a separate drive.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[RJL24]

Now I fully understand. Thanks for your quick and clear response.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

 

[ajith]

Hi..Iam not clear about "shrink a partition or volume" mentioned in the 1st post. my system is new and Iam using a 500gb HD. I have only 2 drives now. C drive having ~450GB, and a recovery D drive with a small space. I want to have 2 more drives E, F. To do partition do i need to do "shrink a partition or volume" or straight away go to step 2.

Thanks in advance

For C drive i need to have lesser space..and E, F with more space..

 

[Brink]

Hello Ajith, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Could you post a screenshot of your Disk Management window showing all of your drives layout?

Afterwards, we'll take a look and see what we can do to help.

 

[ajith]

Thanks Brink for ur quick response. I am at office now. Its morning here, after i reach home i shall post the screenshot..
i went through 'shrinking' thread and i got a better understanding. Can i shrink the C drive just like the drive in the eg: provided? i.e shrink 400gb, and later allocate this to 2 new drives?

 

[Brink]

Ok. I'll just wait until later then whan I can see the screenshot before giving a suggestion. It would just be a guess without the screenshot, and you do not want to guess about this.