Move/Merge Non-adjacent Unallocated Space

by Jacob, Updated on: February 27, 2020

This article introduces how to move nonadjacent Unallocated space without losing data, merge and add non-adjacent Unallocated space to system C drive.

Applies to: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 (R2), Small Business Server 2011, Windows Server 2008 (R2) and Windows Server 2003 (R2).

When system C: drive runs out of space, some people try to shrink D and expand C drive in Disk Management, but after shrinking D, Unallocated space can't be moved and added to C drive. This article introduces how to solve this problem easily with free partition software.

Disk Management cannot move non-adjacent Unallocated space

The size of a physical hard disk is fixed, so before extending a partition, you have to delete or shrink another one to get Unallocated space. By shrinking partition, part of free unused space will be changed to Unallocated, and you won't lose files in it, so it is better choice.

The problem is, Shrink Volume function can only generate Unallocated space on the right side, Extend Volume function can only merge Unallocated space to the left contiguous partition.

That means, Unallocated space shrunk from a partition (such as D:) can only be combined back to D, it cannot be added to the nonadjacent C drive or the right contiguous E drive.

If you want to extend C drive, you should move nonadjacent Unallocated space to be contiguous. Disk Management cannot make Unallocated space on the left while shrinking partition, it cannot move Unallocated space or any partition. To accomplish this task, 3rd-party software is required.

Extend Volume greyed out

How to move nonadjacent Unallocated space with free partition editor

There are many similar disk partition software that is able to move and combine nonadjacent Unallocated space. Among them all, NIUBI Partition Editor is much safer and faster because of the advanced technologies such as:

To Windows 10/8/7/Vista/XP home computer users, it has free edition which is 100% clean without any bundles.

Download NIUBI Partition Editor, you'll see all disk partitions with structure and detailed information on the right, available operations to selected disk or partition are listed on the left and by right clicking.

NIUBI Partition Editor

How to move non-adjacent Unallocated space next to C drive:

Right click drive D and select "Resize/Move Volume", drag middle position rightwards in the pop-up window.

Move drive D

Then Unallocated space is moved to the left side.

Move Unallocated

How to add/merge nonadjacent Unallocated space to system C drive

After the step above, the non-adjacent Unallocated space has been moved next to C drive.

Right click drive C and select "Resize/Move Volume", drag right border towards right in the pop-up window.

Extend C drive

Then Unallocated space is merged to C drive.

Extend volume C

This software works in virtual mode to avoid mistake, real disk partitions won't be modified until click Apply to confirm.

Besides moving and merging Unallocated space, NIUBI Partition Editor helps do many other operations such as shrink, extend, merge, convert, defrag, hide, wipe, scan bad sectors.

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