Partition or Volume - Extend

How to Extend a Partition or Volume in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to extend a hard disk partition or volume into a empty unallocated space on the same hard disk to make it larger using Disk Management or Diskpart in Windows 7.

   Warning

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

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

Using Disk Management

1. If you have not already, you will first need to delete the partition or volume that you want to extend into to make it unallocated space.

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 partition or volume directly adjacent (left) of the unallocated space that you want to extend into, and click on Extend 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 space to extend the selected partition (step 5) into, then click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you want to use all of the unallocated space to extend into, then type in the maximum available space shown for the unallocated space.

8. Click on the Finish button. (See screenshot below)

9. The partition or volume has now been extended into the assigned unallocted space (step 7). (See screenshot below)

10. Close the Computer Management window. (See screenshot above)

OPTION TWO

Using Diskpart in a Elevated Command Prompt

1. If you have not already, you will first need to delete the partition or volume that you want to extend into to make it unallocated space.

2. Open a 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 that has Free space that you want to extend into, and to see the disk size to make it easier to ID it's volume number in step 5. For example, Disk 1.

5. 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 size in step 4 minus the Free space. For example, Volume 2.

6. In the elevated command prompt, type select volume # and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You would substitute # for the volume number listed that you want to extend. For example, I want to extend the listed volume 2 since, so I would type select volume 2 and press Enter.

7. To Extend into All of the Unallocated Space
A) In the elevated command prompt, type extend and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: The unallocated space will be removed and added completely to the selected partiton or volume (step 6).

B) Go to step 9.
8. To Extend into the Unallocated Space by a Specified Size
A) In the elevated command prompt, type extend size=(# in MB) and press Enter.
NOTE: You would substitute (# in MB) for how many MB (1 GB = 1024 MB) you want to use of the unallocated space (free space shown in step 4) to be extended into. For example, if I only wanted to extend into 5 GB of the unallocated space, then I would type extend size=5120 and press Enter.
9. In the elevated command prompt, type exit and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

10. Close the elevated command prompt.

11. The selected partition or volume (step 6) has now been extended into the unallocated space to make it larger.
NOTE: If you did step 8 instead of 7, then you can use the rest of the unallocated space to create a new partition with if you like.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• Data Partition
• How to Delete a Partition or Volume in Windows 7
• How to Shrink a Partition or Volume in Windows 7
• How to Create a New 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 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

 

[weller09]

My old emachine is a ancient pice of history! How ever, due to years of upgrades (mother boards, case, processor, memory, fans, yada yada yada) I LOVE 7 ULTIMATE! It actually got me off of Linux (for the most part). The disk management tool in 7, it just Rocks! Simple, fast, EASY! What more could you ask for? so far to date for me, no data loss (at all), super fast and in a few clicks, DONE!

Peice I meant - must be time for a new keyboard?!?

 

[weller09]

So smaller is better for the OS only?

I think you worry too much. I have 6 systems and none are over 30GB. If you want to reduce the size of the OS and data in C, you can do 3 easy steps:

1. You can delete the hiberfile because you most likely do not use hibernation. The command is

powercfg -h off

This will save you as much disk space as you have RAM.

2. You can reduce the pagefile to 1 or 2GB

3. Move all your user data to the big drive.

As far as updates are concerned, there is hardly any growth in the system because the updates usually only replace existing code.

Some growth can come if you often install and uninstall programs. Each program comes with a certain amount of .dlls and they stay in the system even after you uninstalled the program. That makes your winsxs folder grow. But it rarely goes over 10GB.

Before you move your OS, take the above points into consideration. Moving the OS is not a big deal but the 45GB of space on your C partition should be ample. Problem is that it will run slower from the big disk. If I were you I would leave things as they are and make the adjustments I suggested above.

So a smaller drive for the OS only is better? Thats GREAT INfo! I have my smallest drive with my OS on it, all othe drives carry files and external drives hold my software packs, pics, music, movies etc - and she runs like a top! Re - for the OS doesnt need to search a, lets say, 300 G drive just to run?

 

[uscholdm]

Allocating space vs. deleting a volume or partition

It is inaccurate or misleading to say you must delete a volume or partition as the first step in extending a volume. The point is you need to ensure that there is space allocated to extend into. It might be there already, in which case you don't have to do anything, you can get it by shrinking a volume, or you can get it by deleting a partition or volume (the most extreme case). To state that the most extreme case is an absolute requirement was very confusing to me and initially I thought I was going to have to do something very convoluted.

Please change the wording to make it more clear to others.

Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello uscholdm, and welcome to Seven Forums.

How's it look now?

 

[amanhacker]

volume extend

can anyone tell how the space of my Windows C disk can be increased because only 1 gb is left and then it will make problem . pleaase help

 

[Brink]

Hello amanhacker, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Please go ahead and post a screenshot showing the full layout of your Disk Management window. This way we will be able to see what we're working with.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

 

[RudeBoySes]

not sure if anyone asked..
but i spent hours in Disk Management trying to extend my C Drive.
It was impossible because i have a D Drive right next to it.
The empty partition is next to D Drive.
Thus, C Drive could not use the empty partition.

I had to use Partition Manager.
- free
- easy
- got it done w/in 20 minutes
- no dos prompts

My OS is Windows 7 Ultimate x64.
it works for both architecture.

Visit their website here
- simply burn the ISO to CD
- then boot with it
- once inside.. you can use your mouse and extend regardless of where the empty partition is.
- click "Apply"
- w/in a few minutes.. you're done.

 

[whs]

Good tip. Same can be done with Partition Wizard. But for manipulating the C partition, you also have to use the bootable CD version.

 

[Layback Bear]

Okay I have been goofing around and ended up with this.
I have been using various tutorial with and without cmd prompt. Not having any luck. I need the C partition to extend to the left. Nothing seems to be working.

 

[Brink]

Hey Jack,

Since the unallocated space is not immediately to the right of the C: partition, you won't be able to extend C: into it using Disk Management or command prompt.

Instead, you'll need to use a 3rd party disk management program like the free MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition.

Instructions: How to Move/Resize Partition | MiniTool Partition Wizard Tutorial

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I need the C partition to extend to the left. Nothing seems to be working.

Have you failed with Partition Wizard?

Offhand, I can't recall it failing for that task.

 

[whs]

Jack, Make an image of C and the System partition before you extend C. Partition Wizard will shove the whole content of the C partition around and you never know what can happen. The extend operation will take a little while, so be patient.

I once lost a whole disk because I made a little mistake with PW - but, of course, I had my images so it was no big deal.

 

[Layback Bear]

I have been trying Option Two and all I get is.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2670-partition-volume-extend.html

This size of the extend is less than minimum

 

[whs]

I have been trying Option Two and all I get is.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2670-partition-volume-extend.html

This size of the extend is less than minimum

That does not work at all because the unallocated space is to the left of the partition. You have to use the Partition Wizard bootable CD and follow the tutorial in Shawn's post above.

Bootable Partition Manger | MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable Edition

 

[Layback Bear]

I just used Partition Wizard now I got this.

 

[whs]

That looks like what you wanted, LOL

 

[Layback Bear]

My understanding of Option Two is it allows you to extend a partition to the left into unallocated space.

I have tried several times for a couple of hours and can't make it do such a thing.
I started out just making the reserve partition larger because it was showing RED, running low on space.

If all possible I try to use Windows to do Windows things but it don't always work out that way.

Thank you both for coming to my rescue so quickly. I forgot all about PW.

 

[Brink]

Glad we could help.

http://www.sevenforums.com/2975197-post209.html

 

[Layback Bear]

What I was trying to make work. From the tutorial.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2670-partition-volume-extend.html

5. In the middle pane, right click on the partition or volume directly adjacent (left) of the unallocated space that you want to extend into, and click on Extend Volume. (See screenshot above)
NOTE: If the partition that you want to extend is to the right of the unallocated space, then you will need to use METHOD TWO below to extend it instead.

I'm obviously not understanding what that means.

I didn't notice a Method Two so I went for Option Two.

 

[Brink]

Hmm, not sure why that was there. It'll only work if the unallocated space you want to extend into is directly right of the partition you want to extend.