Cant extend C disk with unallocated memory

[bd555]

Hello guys,

 

I replaced my HDD with a new bigger HDD. I cloned the old one to the new and it worked. Only now I have 1,5TB unallocated space and in the Disk Manager I cant extend the volume of my C disk. How can I add this unallocated space to my C storage?

 

Also I have a repair-partition that is 1,5TB while it only contains 500MB of data. Can I just remove this whole partition or do I have to make it smaller and why in the first place do I have such a partition?

 

I included a printscreen of my Disk Manager.

 

Thanks in advance for your replies!

[ProjectBox153]

That's probably something because you cloned Windows instead of doing a clean install (as is recommended). 

[Dujith]

Windows Disk manager is limited how it can handle the partitions. You are better of using EaseUs or something like that. 

Those will reboot in their own UI to do the more advanced stuff.

 

As for the restore partition. Did you upgrade from an older OS? And was this already present on the HDD?

[bd555]

2 minutes ago, Dujith said:

Windows Disk manager is limited how it can handle the partitions. You are better of using EaseUs or something like that. 

Those will reboot in their own UI to do the more advanced stuff.

 

As for the restore partition. Did you upgrade from an older OS? And was this already present on the HDD?

I just cloned my current OS (Windows 10) to a brand new HDD woth nothing on it. I upgraded Windows 7 to Windows 10 on my old HDD though. Maybe that why there is a repair-partition on the new HDD, I cloned all partitions from the old one to the new one. Im wondering if I can just remove this partition or not.

[rip]

is it formated as gpt or mbr

[bd555]

Just now, rip said:

is it formated as gpt or mbr

as mbr

[rip]

1 minute ago, bd555 said:

as mbr

mbr can only allow up to 4 partitions, reformat as GPT

[Dujith]

3 minutes ago, bd555 said:

I just cloned my current OS (Windows 10) to a brand new HDD woth nothing on it. I upgraded Windows 7 to Windows 10 on my old HDD though. Maybe that why there is a repair-partition on the new HDD, I cloned all partitions from the old one to the new one. Im wondering if I can just remove this partition or not.

1,5TB is a tad big for a recovery partition. The 450MB one make sense.

Use a partition manager to assign a letter to it and view the files on it.

[rip]

oh and each partition up to 2tb in size too so yeah reformat as GPT

[bd555]

1 minute ago, rip said:

oh and each partition up to 2tb in size too so yeah reformat as GPT

Before I already had my new HDD as GPT, but I reformatted it to MBR because Windows wouldnt boot from it. A bootdisk needs to be MBR right?

[rip]

1 minute ago, bd555 said:

Before I already had my new HDD as GPT, but I reformatted it to MBR because Windows wouldnt boot from it. A bootdisk needs to be MBR right?

No it doesn't 

[Tabs]

The reason you can't extend your C: partition is because it's partition 2 on the disk and you have two other partitions after it. Disk management only allows you to extend into space if it's directly contiguous, ie. after, the partition you're looking to extend.

 

The only way you can extend it now is by using dedicated disk imaging software, which will physically move partitions 3 and 4 on your disk to the end of the drive, leaving space for partition 2 to expand into.

 

As has been mentioned, MBR formatted drives can only have 4 primary partitions - you can still have more partitions than this, but further partitions would need to be extended or logical partitions. You cannot add more partitions to your current setup due to this limitation, and the partition arrangement means you can't extend your partition 2 (C:) to include space after partition 4 (your recovery drive).

 

Best course of action would be to use something like Macrium Reflect to image your current drive, store it on an external or a network share, and reimage using it. It allows you to convert the disk into GPT at the point of imaging, and enables you to resize partitions at will, including your oddly-sized recovery partition.

[Anghammarad]

It is nothing so dramatic... you all miss the obvious.

 

The Windows Partition Manager can resize partitions, but it needs empty space directly at the partition. But there are 2 partitions next to C: so you can't resize C: due to the partitions behind it.

 

2 Options:

 

1. delete the "herstellerpartitions" then resize C:

2. use a tool to resize like mentioned above from Easus for example.

 

Nothing to do with GPT or MBR... 

 

Else... try to get a little work with your file cleanup... C: is only for the system and tools... For the data create another partition, as well as for games or Datadump... Having only C: gets you into a lot of headache later when a fresh install is needed and there is no clean data structure but all dumped into C: ... very bad behavior. 

[Tabs]

2 minutes ago, Anghammarad said:

It is nothing so dramatic... you all miss the obvious.

 

The Windows Partition Manager can resize partitions, but it needs empty space directly at the partition. But there are 2 partitions next to C: so you can't resize C: due to the partitions behind it.

 

2 Options:

 

1. delete the "herstellerpartitions" then resize C:

2. use a tool to resize like mentioned above from Easus for example.

 

Nothing to do with GPT or MBR... 

 

Else... try to get a little work with your file cleanup... C: is only for the system and tools... For the data create another partition, as well as for games or Datadump... Having only C: gets you into a lot of headache later when a fresh install is needed and there is no clean data structure but all dumped into C: ... very bad behavior. 

 

He can do this yes, but due to the disk being MBR, his C: partition would be limited to ~2TB. It's a 4TB drive, which would force him to have another partition if he wants to make use of the remaining space. It doesn't seem like that's what he wants.

[Anghammarad]

Just now, Tabs said:

 

He can do this yes, but due to the disk being MBR, his C: partition would be limited to ~2TB. It's a 4TB drive, which would force him to have another partition if he wants to make use of the remaining space. It doesn't seem like that's what he wants.

I hope the part where I say "It's bad to use C: as the only DATADUMP" gets acknowledged.

[Tabs]

4 minutes ago, Anghammarad said:

I hope the part where I say "It's bad to use C: as the only DATADUMP" gets acknowledged.

If the OP wishes to split his partitions, reinstall all his software on the new partition to keep his data separate, and go from there, possibly. I'm only trying to help him with his original question, rather than pushing an opinion of what he should do with *his* data. 

Edited October 27, 2017 by Tabs
Clarity

[Anghammarad]

Just now, Tabs said:

If the OP wishes to split his partitions, reinstall all his software on the new partition to keep his data separate, and go from there, possibly. I'm only trying to help him with his original question, rather than pushing an opinion of what he should do with *his* machine. 

I don't want to push opinions... I just want to avoid later coming "why is windows startup taking ages" due to a messy C: drive in 2 weeks from now

 

For example even with only one HDD I usually create 3 Partions, 1st C: max 100 GB (even with windows 10, ms office, and lots of tools, more isn't needed), then a D: Data Partition (space as big as fits in between C: and S:), S: (around 20-30 gb) for the swap file... 

 

With this kind of disk partitioning you are always sure your swap file doesn't get fragmented and has enough room to breathe for its own, without other files in the way. 

 

Oh btw. I didn't say reinstall all his software onto another partition, if then only games. 

 

 

[Tabs]

1 minute ago, Anghammarad said:

I don't want to push opinions... I just want to avoid later coming "why is windows startup taking ages" due to a messy C: drive in 2 weeks from now

 

For example even with only one HDD I usually create 3 Partions, 1st C: max 100 GB (even with windows 10, ms office, and lots of tools, more isn't needed), then a D: Data Partition (space as big as fits in between C: and S:), S: (around 20-30 gb) for the swap file... 

 

With this kind of disk partitioning you are always sure your swap file doesn't get fragmented and has enough room to breathe for its own, without other files in the way. 

 

Oh btw. I didn't say reinstall all his software onto another partition, if then only games. 

 

 

 

This is all really off-topic and entirely based on your opinion. Having multiple partitions on the same drive is only useful for keeping data separate. If your pc starts up slowly, it's because you have lots of software running at startup - it doesn't matter where the software is on a drive. Putting swap on it's own partition - especially at the end of the drive (inner disk location) is going to have a zero to negative impact on performance, since partitions start from the outside area of the disk and move inwards. Having swap at the end (S: in your case) means your access to swap is going to be slower than access to a regular swapfile located on an earlier partition.

 

In addition, this adds latency, since the read heads will have to move all the way from the outside area of the disk (where Windows and data on C is stored) all the way to the innermost section of the platter in order to read/write to swap, instead of simply being able to maintain their area on the disk to read/write to swap.

 

But like I said, if you choose to arrange your disk like this, that's great. But this isn't what the OP asked, and isn't useful for the question that was posited originally.

[bd555]

54 minutes ago, Anghammarad said:

It is nothing so dramatic... you all miss the obvious.

 

The Windows Partition Manager can resize partitions, but it needs empty space directly at the partition. But there are 2 partitions next to C: so you can't resize C: due to the partitions behind it.

 

2 Options:

 

1. delete the "herstellerpartitions" then resize C:

2. use a tool to resize like mentioned above from Easus for example.

 

Nothing to do with GPT or MBR... 

 

Else... try to get a little work with your file cleanup... C: is only for the system and tools... For the data create another partition, as well as for games or Datadump... Having only C: gets you into a lot of headache later when a fresh install is needed and there is no clean data structure but all dumped into C: ... very bad behavior. 

Isnt Windows (system) on the system reserved partition (the one left to the C:)? 

 

BTW: This is my game pc, so most data is games from steam. It is not a big problem if these are removed due to a clean install. 

[Tabs]

2 minutes ago, bd555 said:

Isnt Windows (system) on the system reserved partition (the one left to the C:)? 

 

BTW: This is my game pc, so most data is games from steam. It is not a big problem if these are removed due to a clean install. 

No, system reserved contains the files required to boot Windows, including the efi binaries used to enable the "recovery mode" startup. Windows itself is in C:\Windows. 

 

I think, if you can, a clean install would be the best thing for the health of your system. Windows will automatically format the disk as GPT due to its size during setup; simply delete all partitions during setup and install to the "unallocated space". Windows would do the rest. Make sure you have a backup of all your important files - you can move your games to another disk if you want to, and copy them back over after you've reinstalled steam.

 

If you need the iso's, you can either use the Media Creation Tool, or download the iso's from the "Insider Preview Advanced" site.

[Anghammarad]

No, the reserved left form C: is where the boot header is stored and some filesystem infos... it is just 100 mb in size.

 

C: is your system disk with the full windows install. 

 

the two behind C: (Herstelpartitie) are the ones that could get removed... I did that on my new laptop form Acer... removed them and redistributed the space, because I don't use those repair files but do a clean install if, using a thumbdrive with a fresh OS installation version, then put the newest drivers onto that thumbdrive as well for the setup... 

 

you could assign drive letters to those 2 partitions and take a look inside what is in there... and if you think you won't need them, just remove them, then you can expand C: with the MS Diskmanagement console. 

 

As for "It is all steam" yeah nice, but even those games are coming from somewhere and aren't put onto the drive due to a wave form Harry Potter and the Elder Wand... they get downloaded and that takes time.

[bd555]

15 minutes ago, Anghammarad said:

No, the reserved left form C: is where the boot header is stored and some filesystem infos... it is just 100 mb in size.

 

C: is your system disk with the full windows install. 

 

the two behind C: (Herstelpartitie) are the ones that could get removed... I did that on my new laptop form Acer... removed them and redistributed the space, because I don't use those repair files but do a clean install if, using a thumbdrive with a fresh OS installation version, then put the newest drivers onto that thumbdrive as well for the setup... 

 

you could assign drive letters to those 2 partitions and take a look inside what is in there... and if you think you won't need them, just remove them, then you can expand C: with the MS Diskmanagement console. 

 

As for "It is all steam" yeah nice, but even those games are coming from somewhere and aren't put onto the drive due to a wave form Harry Potter and the Elder Wand... they get downloaded and that takes time.

I assigned letters to the partitions, only I cant see the files in the partition. My plan is to remove these partitions and make two new partitions with the space left on the hard drive. Then i'm going to use these as data storages for games etc and the C: partition for Windows.

 

How can I see the folders/ files in the "Herstelpartities" and how do I know if its safe to remove them?

[Tabs]

2 minutes ago, bd555 said:

I assigned letters to the partitions, only I cant see the files in the partition. My plan is to remove these partitions and make two new partitions with the space left on the hard drive. Then i'm going to use these as data storages for games etc and the C: partition for Windows.

 

How can I see the folders/ files in the "Herstelpartities" and how do I know if its safe to remove them?

After you assign a letter, the drives should appear in Explorer like any other drive. If you can't see any files/folders on there, make sure you are showing hidden and system files, in folder options.

[Ingrid_W]

Find a feature-richer disk manager like AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard (free), you'll find that you can do more operations to meet your requirements. 

[bcguru9384]

On ‎10‎/‎27‎/‎2017 at 12:48 PM, bd555 said:

Before I already had my new HDD as GPT, but I reformatted it to MBR because Windows wouldnt boot from it. A bootdisk needs to be MBR right?

during your cloning the gpt boot was not transfered

that would have been fixed with the windows recovery fix boot

is old hdd still usable(you have not deleted or formatted?)

if yes then boot to it keeping other hdd in pc

now format new hdd over again in gpt 

then use windows drive migration tool(not where its located)

this should do a clone for you