How Do I Resize my C Drive

fortytwo · October 7, 2018

I have my hard drive partitioned with C (106GB) as the OS drive and over 500GB distributed over 5 logical drives. Lots of space in the logical drives, but only 10GB left on C drive, and I keep getting low memory messages. I've been able to resize the logical drives and move 32GB empty space in front of them but can't determine how to move that space to the C drive. Downloaded "MiniTool Partition Wizard" but haven't figured how to do it with that either. There is a pesky 128mb partition named "other" as the 1st logical partition, and the move/resize option is greyed out for that partition. I suspect it is the file allocation table.

Who'd a thunk that Microsquish would consume over 100GB for it's playground? Many years ago IBM took almost half the space on their 360 mainframes for their use. In past years I used Partition Magic enabled me to manipulate partitions at will but haven't seen it for a long time.

Is there a process, or magic software tool to expand my C drive by reallocating space from the logical partitiions? BTW, all my data and download files go to logical drives. My C drive "Users" folder is virtually empty. The space I had on the C drive has been consumed by files created by installs of hardware and software.

docj · October 7, 2018

You ought to find this link useful. Resizing Windows 10 Partitions I own the program EaseUS Partition Master and I used it to do exactly what you want to do. In my case I had purchased a larger SSD and needed to increase the partition size so I could use the extra space!

RV_ · October 7, 2018

I usually use just one partition for Windows computers since before Windows going back to DOS. I have two computers with just 64GB storage total internally, and both have USB 64GB thumb drives attached configured for "Readyboost." I don't understand how your OS partition is almost twice the size of my entire inteenal storage, yet I have Office Home and biz 2010, Brother all in one printer software, Libre Office full install CCleaner, 6GB photos, and 3GB Docs, some videos and still have 19.9 GB remaining to use.

Today 64GB USB drives are under $15. Perhaps save your partitions to an external drive/s. Do you know why your Windows partition is taking so much space?

I'd move everything off your hard drive temporarily, then use Windows to refresh the computer with a new install of Windows saving no files programs. Then use tools if it kept your partitions, to make it one. I've never had but one partition all these years so honestly can't say if the Windows restore refresh will change the partitions to one. But I'm sure you have a reason for the partitions in which case you need to find out what's going on with Windows.

Joel's idea should work. But the real problem is what's causing Windows to take up more than the noemal max of 16-20GB max?

fortytwo · October 8, 2018

Docj, I downloaded the Trial version of EaseUS but it didn't give me any useful options (that I could recognize).

RV, 40 years ago, as the organization PC support guy, had a help call to find files "lost" on a PC that belonged to the University's Fire Alarm manager. An advanced user (for that day), he had leaned forward in the foxhole and employed a student to document the entire system in Dbase II. His whopping 20mb drive had over 5k of individual files and not a single subdirectory!. I became a fan of logical disks after that experience and have always used 5 or more partitions on all my hard drives.

Alas, I no longer have the software toolbox I once depended on, nor the kept the skills required to use it. Remaining life is too short so will have to employ a local guru. I too have no idea why my OS partition has consumed so much space. I store nothing there, and install large programs like Office on a different volume. Hopefully the guru will have a tool to figure that out, and may even be able to recover enough space that I won't have to add more.

docj · October 8, 2018

56 minutes ago, fortytwo said:

Docj, I downloaded the Trial version of EaseUS but it didn't give me any useful options (that I could recognize)

In order to do what I wanted I had to purchase the full version of the program

RV_ · October 8, 2018

Forty,

You might be building up "Kludge" the old DOS term. Go here, read the article on using Windows free tools and see if they don't get you back where you want to be. https://www.howtogeek.com/348635/use-windows-10s-new-free-up-space-tool-to-clean-up-your-hard-drive/

I use directories and folders/sub folders on a single drive partition. Windows makes a couple others and a restore drive.

Do you use CCleaner free?