Extending volume: C drive

[stuckling1]

Hello all again, it's been a while since I've visited the Lounge!

My laptop's C: drive is full.
Too many big programs (Solidworks, AutoCad, etc) (none of which I really want to uninstall just to free up space)

I've staved off the problem temporarily by C-Cleanering lots of temporary files away, but ideally I'd like to expand the partiton of the C drive, by say, 5GB or so.

All my personal files & data live on D, which is another partition on the same physical disk, and I have approx 23GB of spare space on that.
As it was, both C and D drives were the same size, 70.7 GB each.

So using Vista's built in Disk Management I have shrunk the D volume by 5 GB (new size = 65.4GB) leaving me with 5GB of unallocated space on my hard drive. This was dead easy peasy. However, when I come to extend the C volume into the unallocated space, the option to extend is greyed out.
Reading various articles on the web makes me think I can't extend C into the space I freed up using Disk Manager, since it is not continuous with (not next to) where the C volume is.
It seems that the way to get the free space where it needs to be would be to back up all the data on D, delete the D volume completely, extend the C volume , reinstate D, and put all my data back again.
Now I could do this - I have an external HDD big enough to accommodate the entire of my D drive's data - but it seems like a massive amount of effort, and probably pretty time-consuming too!

I have also read about diskpart.exe , which is a comandline tool that extends the functionality of Disk Management, but I'm not 100% on how to use it, or if indeed it can do what I want it to do.
I would appreciate some advise from the Lounge : this kind of thing must be bread & butter to you guys!

I've attached screenshot of Disk Management for your perusal.

stuckling1

[HansV]

I'd install a third-party partition manager, e.g.
MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 7.6 or
Free EaseUS® Partition Master 9.1.1 Home Edition
Both are free for personal use, and should be able to use non-adjacent unallocated space to extend a partition.
(It won't hurt to backup your data before extending C:, of course)

[stuckling1]

Thanks Hans :)
OK cool. Will look into each of those tools, decide which I like the look of best.
And yes, I agree: a full backup is definitely in order before going any further!

[Bigaldoc]

OK cool. Will look into each of those tools, decide which I like the look of best.

I switched from Partition Magic to the Easeus product some time ago, but haven't done what you're trying to do since I made the switch.

I seem to remember that with Partition Magic, if the empty space was not "adjacent" to the volume you want to increase, you first had to MOVE the empty space so it IS next to, then you could resize.

I know I'm down level on this, but something for you to check on.

[viking33]

I use Easeus Partition Manager which is one that Hans suggested. Works on Vista and Win 7 and on non contiguous partitions.

Another is Partition Wizard at : http://www.partitionwizard.com/help/ext ... ition.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

The built in Disk Manager in Vista and Win 7 is, as you have found, only for contiguous partitions to the right of the drive you want to extend.

[HansV]

Hi Bob, the first one I mentioned is the free-for-home-use version of Partition Wizard. So we ended up mentioning the same products...

[viking33]

Hi Bob, the first one I mentioned is the free-for-home-use version of Partition Wizard. So we ended up mentioning the same products...

Great minds think alike!

[Bigaldoc]

OK cool. Will look into each of those tools, decide which I like the look of best.

Prompted by your question and the fact that I've not done this since I started using Easeus, I went off on a little "training exercise." I have Vista and Win7 on a second physical drive on my system and haven't used Vista for so long, it's pretty dormant.

I decided to take a little space away from Vista and give it to Win7 and it seems that the Easeus product WILL let you increase a partition to the LEFT without moving the unallocated space, as I hope you can see in these two clips.

Be prepared for a little Easeus "rebooting" exercise afterward, but my test has been successful.

2012-11-19_172508.png

[HansV]

Thanks for testing, Al. According to the information I found, it should be possible; it's good to have it confirmed.

[PaulB]

That's very interesting results, Al. I had a problem of this nature a while back where I could not extend a partition "to the right" with the Win 7 tools I had. I resolved it with other methods but it's good to know that there is a relatively easy solution.

However, I would be most interested to know if there is a solution to stuckling1's original problem: extending a partition using multiple extents (to use old mainframe jargon). In other words, having the original C followed by D followed by the new extended C.

[John Gray]

However, I would be most interested to know if there is a solution to stuckling1's original problem: extending a partition using multiple extents (to use old mainframe jargon). In other words, having the original C followed by D followed by the new extended C.

If I understand you right, the answer is no! A partition consists of a single extent, with a single drive letter. Applies all the way from FAT to NTFS (or perhaps exFAT!)...

Oh, BTW, +1 for Easeus Partition Manager. Used it several times, always with successful results.

[PaulB]

John, thanks for confirming what I have always thought was true. The way I read Hans' statement

Both are free for personal use, and should be able to use non-adjacent unallocated space to extend a partition.

made me think that perhaps I was wrong.

[HansV]

Software such as Easeus Partition Master of Minitool Partition Wizard will move the free space around to create a (contiguous) partition.

[PaulB]

Hans, I see now what you meant. I originally misread your reply. All is now right with the world!

[Bigaldoc]

And it's been so long since I did much with "disk management" that I had forgotten one thing when I did my little test yesterday.

Changing the size of those two partitions on my secondary drive caused my overnight Shadow Protect incremental backup to fail with an unidentified partition message.

Not a problem. Just reset the backup job and all will be right with the world.

[BobH]

You know, it seems a bit strange to me that we could have multiple extents in the old mainframe world (which is reputedly inflexible and harder to use) but that the brave new world of PC OS doesn't allow it.

I wonder if there is a why?

[John Gray]

History and tradition, my dear Bob.
We also had files which would extend themselves seamlessly when they had filled up one extent. And that's with less CPU power than you have in your mobile phone, now! (Unverified assertion!)

[stuck]

Another, belated, to Easeus. I've got a copy of the pro version, that Easeus gave away for free several years ago. I suppose it might be an XP only / pre Vista version, which is why they were giving it away but I'll check.

As you've learnt though the free version will do what you want, i.e. move your D drive to the end so that the free space is in front of it and contiguous with your C drive. Once you've made that move you can extend C into the space. As you make these changes on screen Easeus is busy writing a script that runs when you click the 'Apply' option.

The whole process could be quite lengthy so make sure the laptop is plugged into a reliable power supply. A power outage in the middle of this would make an awful mess and you'd end up rebuilding from bare metal.

The need for a full back up has already be stated many times but it's worth saying again. Don't do this without making a full back up before you start.

Your ever loving Father

[stuckling1]

Ok cool.

Thanks all for the advice: I shall be using Easus this weekend (following a full backup of course!