Increase the size of my C:/ Drive?

Hey,

So once again thanks to majorgeeks and co!! For helping me remove all the malware on my computer. However my computer is still running really slowly and i figured it could be due to the fact that my C:/ is so packed . I am left with less than 2Gb of 48 Gb .
I have did some research on how to increase the size of but what i really need some expert advice you people! (Trusted and reliable) and instructinos on how to do it!

Thanks in advance:wave

 

Your version of Windows? How large is that hard drive? Is it partitioned?

 

Hi =),
Thanks for replying.Windows Vista, Partitioned??? I have a D drive and C Drive !

 

How large is the hard drive, in total? What make and model computer is this? Is D a recovery partition?

 

C: = 43.9 GB with 519 free
D: = 414 GB with 271 free.

I dont think it is when i bought it.It was already like this!

It's MSI GX400
Laptop.
Intel Core 2 Duo, P8600
2.40Ghz
NIVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT
4GB RAM

Thanks so much!

 

Hey,
Just to add on there's like easeus this program should i use it?

 

EASEUS FREE Partition Manager is a fine program and, yes, it can do what you want. You can download it from http://majorgeeks.com/download5967.html?2011-03-01

Windows Vista also has some enhanced disk management capabilities, compared to Windows XP. Some info on that: http://www.winvistaclub.com/t11.html

 

Hey thanks so much, just another question how do i back up before i actually do anything! If in any case some things gets screwed up! What software should i use to ensure that if even though anything gets screwed my com wouldn't get screwed???? Considering my disc space remaining how do i even get it backed up!!!

 

I gather you only have 519MB free on C but did you mean to say 271GB free on D?

Well, an ideal approach would be to install Macrium Reflect and create a full hard drive image to an external hard drive.

If you don't have an external hard drive, you could create the hard drive image on D, assuming you have 271GB free, not 271MB. Putting the drive image on the same hard drive does not, of course, provide as much safety in this situation since the image would still be on the hard drive on which you are about to resize partitions. So, honestly, I'm not sure how useful that would be.

To just back up user files (documents, photos, etc.) instead of a full hard drive image, you could use CD, DVD, or flash drive.

 

Yeah so sorry 271GB free.Yea i have a 500GB External disk!! SO i should dled that program??What im afraid is that things gets screwed up the whole drive isn't gonna work.! And is Easeus quite easy to use for noobs like me?? THanks for you rreplies man!!!!!

 

Look at Case 3 on this tutorial. This would be part one of the process. Run defrag on you D: partition. Then your would shrink the size of the D: partition by creating unallocated space next to the C: partition. (You want to create unallocated space between C: and D

So you would look to change from C:= 44gb and D: = 414gb to
C: = 44gb then unallocated space = say 50gb and D: =364 gb

****
After you successfully create unallocated space to the right of the C: partiton by the above then I, personally, would use the Windows built in partition program to extend the C: drive. (The Windows partition program requires unallocated space exist to expand C: so it is necessary to use Easeus first but I think it is safest to let Windows resize the System partition)

 

Yes, download Macrium Reflect and use to create a drive image. Also, when using Macrium Reflect, you can create a Rescue disk (burned to CD/DVD) which is a bootable disk. If needed, i.e. Windows won't start, you boot from the Rescue disk and it will let you choose the source disk, such an external drive, from which to find the drive image and then restore it.

To reiterate, do two things when using Macrium Reflect. Create the hard drive image, with an external hard drive as the destination. And, create a Rescue disk on CD or DVD. The Rescue disk is not a full drive image; it's just a bootable disk which facilitates a full restore from the larger hard drive image file.

Edit: I did not see sach2's post before I posted. I agree with his advise on how to proceed with the partition resizing AFTER you've done the backup with Macrium Reflect.

 

Thank you so much i will go take a look and get back to you! =)))

 

Alright i will go do it as soon as possible thank you so much.! Will get back to you soon! =)))

 

Hey erm sach??? Is the defrag program in the EASEUS or should i run the normal defrag program from windows??? And how do i let windows resize the system partition as it is safer???

 

Yes, just use Windows defragmenter. Here is Easeus recommendation for preparation.

I think defrag actually runs chkdsk before starting so I'm not sure if that step is necessary but it can't hurt.

Resizing D: will take the most time because you have so many files to move. The steps are pretty clear--you will see under the graph in screenshot #3 that it lists "Unallocated Space Before" this is where you want to see your 50gb(or whatever amount of space you are taking away from D

Resizing C: will be much faster--I will find exact steps but basically go to Disk Management and right-click C: and choose Expand. [The problem with third-party software resizing the C: partition was most evident when Vista/Win7 were new, so I'm sure Easeus can do it but I figure why take a chance when Windows will do it fine.]

 

Sorry so i should run defrag before doing anything??? erm so i would be using easeus instead of windows? Sorry for beeing such a noob

 

Yes, you want to defragment drive D: which consolidates your files and makes them faster to move. Then use Easeus as in case 3 to move your files on D: to the far end of the HD creating some unallocated space between C: and D:.

None of this will effect Windows so when completed you can check the integrity of your files on D: make sure everything was moved and works correctly. Then if no problems there (which there should not be Easeus is very good) we can go ahead and resize the Windows partition.

 

OK so erm i will get to you when i defragged it and use the easeus!

Thank you ! Sorry been busy with school!

 

Omg so sorry how do i check the intergrity?? sorry sorry!

 

By checking integrity, I just mean spot checking that your files work as before the resizing of D:. So play a few videos or songs and make sure important documents open as before.

You should make a backup copy, by copying them to C: or a thumb drive, of any critical documents (like school work) before resizing D: to be extra safe.

 

You can also increase the space on disk 1 by using space on disk 2. This is known as disk spanning. Which is built into vista, 7, 2008 and 2008 r2.

For example from the command line:

diskpart
list partition
select partition 1
extend size=100000 disk=2
exit

In this example, you are increasing partition 1 by 100GB but using the space on partition 2.

Which is why dealing with partitions is a very large pain, as the OP is finding out. I personally never use partitions anymore, for this reason. Though, I'd create folders then map to them, if I wanted to quickly get somewhere.

 

Is that so simple? Just by typing those stuff in ?? Sorry quite a noob here ! :yum

 

Hey sach thank you =))) , erm currently i kept trying to back up my C drive into my hard disk with the macrium reflect? But it keeps hanging and it's not working .Should i trying Easeus todo backup? Or Acronis True Image home?? Thanks so much for sharing !

 

This all looks so complex - I'd have suggested moving the My Documents folder to the D: partition.

 

I wanted to but wouldn't it screw everything up?? And like it would clear much space too..

 

It's a built-in Windows function, it shouldn't screw anything up I use and recommend this method regularly.

You can also move individual folders from within the My Documents folder - just right-click a folder and choose Properties, if it has a Location tab, it's a 'special' folder and you can move it the same way.

 

I think you are making this harder than it has to be. (I'm not familiar with disk spanning so I can't comment on that)

The first part-resizing D:--will not effect your Windows partition. What I said there was that you want to copy your most important documents/pictures from D: to C: (you could alternatively copy these most important files to a flash/thumb drive or CD). This is just making an extra copy so that if something gets damaged during the resizing you will not lose your most important documents or pictures. It is unlikely anything will be damaged but it can't hurt to make a copy of the most important files.

Then you are defragmenting D: drive to consolidate all the files. Then you resize the D: drive. Easeus just copies all the files to a blank area of the D: drive and frees up space at the beginning of the D: drive. Then it assigns some of that free space to the end of the C: drive making it bigger. During all of this no files on the C: drive are being moved or copied. They stay the same. The only files that could be in any danger are the files on the D: drive. Because there is always a tiny risk with partitioning you should copy the most important files (baby pictures, homework, taxes whatever). You will probably never need the copies it is just a precaution.

 

I totally get you i think i will go with the original plan so erm if macrium reflect is failing on me what should i use? acronis? or easeus todo backup?

 

Hi,

What I'm trying to figure out is what are you backing up and where are you backing it up to?

If I understand correctly you are backing up C: which I guess you are backing up to the D: drive? Point me to the version of Acronis you will be using and I can look at it to see what your options are. I think ToDo will work similarly to Acronis but I would have to look at that as well.

In reality, all you need to do before resizing D: is drag and drop some of your most important files from D: to C: (or drop them on a USB flash drive or CD). You don't need to make a backup image of C: before resizing D:.

 

hey ok Acronis True Image Home from cnet.! =). As earlier i had mentioned that i wanted to increase my C:\ im backing it up to my harddisk? As the resizing using easeus might corrupt my data.?
Am i wrong should i back up D:\ instead?
Sorry ! Just ask me if there's anything unclear!

 

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