Fixing Partitions after Data Migration

[MechPilot524]

So I recently refreshed my system with a Ryzen 5, X470, and a Samsung 970 Evo 500GB SSD ("Disk 1").

 

Prior to this, I was operating my installation of Windows 10 Home 64-Bit on an i5-2500k and a chipset from that time period. I had only a Seagate Barracuda 1TB hard drive ("Disk 0"), which I will continue using until replacing that drive in the future.

I gave the drive two partitions. I had a (C:) partition for the OS, and an (D:) partition for mass storage (games, large files/programs, etc). (C:) was sized about 147.55GB because it itself was migrated from a weird 160GB HDD, then (D:) took up the rest. I guess Windows made its own partitions or something, they are pretty small and had no label.

Fast forward to today: I installed the new platform and used Samsung software to clone partition C onto the 970. I went into the UEFI and disabled every boot source aside from Windows Boot Manager on the 970 Evo, to ensure the system wouldn't boot off the HDD.

I opened up Disk Management after loading the OS, to find the HDD was offline. Okay, I said, it's just because the other disk also has a C. I figured I could fix it, right clicked the disk and set it online. It proceeded to reassign my drive letters. I wiped the original C partition off the HDD, then it asked me some question about making the disk dynamic, with the caveat that I wouldn't be able to boot off anything except the boot disk. I said yes, now the mass storage partition turned green, it had become partition F after I activated the HDD. I manually reassigned it to E, but could not reassign it to D.

 

The real issue, though, is that it won't let me extend E partition to occupy the unallocated space that the original OS copy took up. It keeps saying there isn't enough space. Screenshot of current state is attached - the only thing different is that "Non-System Storage" has been reassigned to letter (E:) since taking that screenshot.

What do I do next?

[homeap5]

That is easy.

Download MiniTool Partition Wizard.

Then remove all partitions except "E:" on that drive.

Then resize "E:" partition using the same MiniTool Partition Wizard.

 

But BEFORE you do this, boot from your SSD while HDD is disconnected, just to be sure everything works (this is what you should do right after migration, settings in BIOS is not enough to check from where Windows loading files).

 

[MechPilot524]

Yes, the system boots from the SSD with the HDD disconnected. That is not the problem.

 

The problem is, now I have 147GB unallocated data that refuses to be added to the existing partition on the hard drive.

 

MiniTool does not want to do anything with the partition now that it is dynamic, will not recognize the 4 misc partitions on the HDD, and will not convert the partition to basic without me paying $60 for the professional version.

 

Windows Disk Management is acting similarly, except it's not trying to sell me more software and it won't even try to convert the partition back to basic. Per an article on Microsoft's website, doing so via Disk Management will be like reformatting the drive and will erase the 400GB data I already have there.

 

Another problem: The "Non-System Storage" partition actually used to be drive D. It is not letting me reassign that partition back to drive D.

 

It's starting to look like I need to wait until I buy a 1TB SSD and try and transfer everything over to a clean piece of hardware, unless anybody has any other bright ideas...

[homeap5]

@MechPilot524: Hey, if minitool want cash, then there is lot of other partition managers. Like GParted, Easeus, Paragon etc. Some of them convert your drive for free.

 

https://www.easeus.com/partition-manager-guide/convert-dynamic-disk-to-basic-disk.html

[Yvette222]

Hello, you failed to take the unallocated space to extend volume F because your disk layout is special (one disk contains both dynamic volume and basic partition), 

Here are 2 options: 1, Backup data on volume F and use Diskpart to clean this disk. Then, the drive will become a basic disk, you can use all the space and clone data back to it. 2, Upgrade partition wizard to Full version, convert the disk from dynamic to basic without data loss and then retry extending.

Good luck!

[homeap5]

1 hour ago, Yvette222 said:

Hello, you failed to take the unallocated space to extend volume F because your disk layout is special (one disk contains both dynamic volume and basic partition), 

Here are 2 options: 1, Backup data on volume F and use Diskpart to clean this disk. Then, the drive will become a basic disk, you can use all the space and clone data back to it. 2, Upgrade partition wizard to Full version, convert the disk from dynamic to basic without data loss and then retry extending.

Good luck!

And what is wrong to do it for free using EaseUS Partition Manager? Just asking, because your answer brings nothing new to the discussion.

[Yvette222]

Hello, i just said what i thought. If easeus free tool can convert the disk from dynamic to basic, then it's better. As far as i know, many partition tools can convert dynamic disks, but many of them (including easeus partition tool) need the paid version. For your reference: https://www.easeus.com/partition-manager/epm-free.html

[homeap5]

Damn that "free" software. Thx.

So maybe GParted is last possibility.