[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":289},["ShallowReactive",2],{"en-post-47":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":12,"extension":282,"meta":283,"navigation":284,"path":285,"seo":286,"stem":287,"__hash__":288},"content/post/47.md","47",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":266},"minimark",[9,13,18,34,37,41,44,49,70,74,93,97,100,103,114,128,132,143,146,150,153,157,182,186,189,203,210,214],[10,11,12],"p",{},"You bought a laptop with a 100 GB C drive and a 900 GB D drive, and within half a year C is red. Or you want to merge D into C, or partition a new hard drive. This guide covers Windows' built-in Disk Management, how to safely grow C, the right way to merge or resize partitions, and the mistakes you must never make.",[14,15,17],"h2",{"id":16},"basic-terms-first","Basic terms first",[19,20,21,25,28,31],"ul",{},[22,23,24],"li",{},"Disk. One physical drive, such as Disk 0.",[22,26,27],{},"Partition. A logical region on the disk, what you see as C or D.",[22,29,30],{},"Unallocated space. Blank area not yet given to any partition; the source of any expansion.",[22,32,33],{},"The key limit. Windows' built-in Disk Management can only shrink to the right and extend to the left. To give D's space to C, D must sit immediately to the right of C, and its left side (the side near C) must first free up unallocated space. If a recovery partition sits between C and D, the built-in tool cannot extend; you need a third-party tool or must move the recovery partition first.",[10,35,36],{},"Partitioning carries data risk. Back up important files before you start. Deleted partitions can sometimes be recovered, but do not count on it. If this leaves the PC unable to boot, read the boot-recovery guide first.",[14,38,40],{"id":39},"method-1-built-in-disk-management-safest","Method 1: built-in Disk Management (safest)",[10,42,43],{},"Best when moving D's spare space into C (if the layout allows).",[45,46,48],"h3",{"id":47},"shrink-space-from-d","Shrink space from D",[50,51,52,64,67],"ol",{},[22,53,54,55,59,60,63],{},"Right-click the Start menu > Disk Management (or ",[56,57,58],"code",{},"Win + R",", type ",[56,61,62],{},"diskmgmt.msc",").",[22,65,66],{},"Right-click D > Shrink Volume, and enter the size to free (MB; 1 GB equals 1024 MB).",[22,68,69],{},"A block of unallocated space appears to the right of D.",[45,71,73],{"id":72},"add-the-unallocated-space-to-c","Add the unallocated space to C",[19,75,76,79],{},[22,77,78],{},"Case A. The unallocated space sits right next to C. Right-click C > Extend Volume and follow the wizard.",[22,80,81,82],{},"Case B. The unallocated space is to the right of D and not adjacent to C; the built-in tool cannot extend C directly. Three options.\n",[19,83,84,87,90],{},[22,85,86],{},"Option 1. Use a third-party tool (Method 2) to move or merge.",[22,88,89],{},"Option 2. Empty D, delete the D volume so the space joins C's right side, then extend (this wipes D).",[22,91,92],{},"Option 3. Leave C alone; install software and store documents on D, and move WeChat files and the Downloads folder to D.",[14,94,96],{"id":95},"method-2-third-party-partition-tools-flexible-riskier","Method 2: third-party partition tools (flexible, riskier)",[10,98,99],{},"When the built-in tool fails because partitions are not adjacent or a recovery partition blocks the way, tools such as AOMEI Partition Assistant, MiniTool Partition Wizard, or DiskGenius can shift any partition's free space into C (handling the middle partition), merge adjacent partitions, and move recovery or EFI partitions.",[10,101,102],{},"Steps (AOMEI example).",[50,104,105,108,111],{},[22,106,107],{},"Download and install from the official site only.",[22,109,110],{},"Select D > Allocate Free Space > assign to C > submit.",[22,112,113],{},"Click Proceed; it finishes in a PreOS environment after reboot (do not force a shutdown).",[10,115,116,117,122,123,127],{},"Third-party tools are still \"moving partitions,\" so back up first. If it hangs or fails badly, see ",[118,119,121],"a",{"href":120},"/post/27/","Reset This PC or System Restore in Windows 11"," to reinstall, or ",[118,124,126],{"href":125},"/post/36/","File Explorer Not Responding or Frozen in Windows 11"," for a frozen system.",[14,129,131],{"id":130},"method-3-create-a-new-partition-new-drive-or-spare-space","Method 3: create a new partition (new drive or spare space)",[50,133,134,137,140],{},[22,135,136],{},"In Disk Management, right-click the unallocated space > New Simple Volume.",[22,138,139],{},"Follow the wizard for size, a letter (E, for example), NTFS, and default allocation unit size.",[22,141,142],{},"Done.",[10,144,145],{},"If you plan to leave room for a Linux dual boot, keep the unallocated space for the installer; do not format it as NTFS in Windows first.",[14,147,149],{"id":148},"check-the-disk-style-before-you-start","Check the disk style before you start",[10,151,152],{},"In Disk Management, right-click Disk 0 and open Properties > Volumes to see the partition style as GUID (GPT) or MBR. Windows 11 installs on GPT, but an old disk carried over from Windows 7 may still be MBR, which caps primary partitions. Knowing the style ahead of time explains why the Extend Volume step sometimes refuses, and tells you whether the MBR limit in the mistakes list even applies to your machine.",[14,154,156],{"id":155},"mistakes-you-must-never-make","Mistakes you must never make",[50,158,159,167,170,173,176,179],{},[22,160,161,162,166],{},"Do not delete the EFI system partition or recovery partition. Deleting can stop the PC from booting; see ",[118,163,165],{"href":164},"/post/11/","Windows Won't Boot, Blue Screen, or Black Screen?",".",[22,168,169],{},"Extend Volume is greyed out. That means no adjacent unallocated space on the right; go back to Method 2.",[22,171,172],{},"C is a primary partition other than System Reserved but shows as a logical drive. MBR disks cap primary partitions (at most 4 primary, or 3 primary plus 1 extended); watch this on old machines. GPT disks have no such cap (Windows 11 defaults to GPT).",[22,174,175],{},"4K alignment. When using a third-party tool, keep alignment to 4096 sectors (or 2048). A misaligned SSD loses speed and life.",[22,177,178],{},"The laptop's one-key recovery partition. Leave the vendor recovery partition alone or you lose factory reset.",[22,180,181],{},"Power loss mid-operation. It can corrupt the partition table. Stay on AC power.",[14,183,185],{"id":184},"c-is-always-full-growing-it-is-not-the-only-fix","C is always full? Growing it is not the only fix",[10,187,188],{},"Many people keep growing C without fixing the root cause. A steadier approach.",[19,190,191,194,197,200],{},[22,192,193],{},"Move Documents, Downloads, Desktop, and WeChat files to D.",[22,195,196],{},"Install software on D by default.",[22,198,199],{},"Turn off hibernation and clear Windows.old.",[22,201,202],{},"Use startup management to cut background disk writes.",[10,204,205,206,166],{},"To check the drive model and whether it is an SSD, see ",[118,207,209],{"href":208},"/post/16/","How to Check Your PC's Specs, Model and Serial Number",[14,211,213],{"id":212},"partition-layout-suggestions","Partition layout suggestions",[215,216,217,230],"table",{},[218,219,220],"thead",{},[221,222,223,227],"tr",{},[224,225,226],"th",{},"Scenario",[224,228,229],{},"Suggestion",[231,232,233,242,250,258],"tbody",{},[221,234,235,239],{},[236,237,238],"td",{},"512 GB laptop, single disk",[236,240,241],{},"C 150 to 200 GB for OS and apps, rest of D for data",[221,243,244,247],{},[236,245,246],{},"1 TB desktop",[236,248,249],{},"C 200 GB, D for games, E for media",[221,251,252,255],{},[236,253,254],{},"Two drives (SSD + HDD)",[236,256,257],{},"OS and common apps on SSD (C), media on HDD (D/E)",[221,259,260,263],{},[236,261,262],{},"New extra drive",[236,264,265],{},"One partition is enough; no need to over-split",{"title":267,"searchDepth":268,"depth":268,"links":269},"",2,[270,271,276,277,278,279,280,281],{"id":16,"depth":268,"text":17},{"id":39,"depth":268,"text":40,"children":272},[273,275],{"id":47,"depth":274,"text":48},3,{"id":72,"depth":274,"text":73},{"id":95,"depth":268,"text":96},{"id":130,"depth":268,"text":131},{"id":148,"depth":268,"text":149},{"id":155,"depth":268,"text":156},{"id":184,"depth":268,"text":185},{"id":212,"depth":268,"text":213},"md",{},true,"/post/47",{"description":12},"post/47","08sbHqVIUqBCnUEAxUsDTHnn1Mf6wiPqnCGvVGtkhLQ",1794378304030]