How to shrink partition in Windows Server 2019?
All disk partitions are allocated while installing Operating System, but sometimes you need to shrink the partitioned drive. The typical example is that some people forget to create and edit partition while installing Windows, so all disk space are used by C drive except some small system reserved partitions. What to do in this situation? You can shrink partition in Windows Server 2019 without reinstalling.
If you want to create more drives to preserve different types of files. You can shrink large disk drive to release Unallocated space, and then you can create new volumes with this space. This article shows to 2 methods to shrink volume on Windows Server 2019.
Shrink partition with Disk Management
Server 2019 Disk Management has built-in Shrink Volume functionality, but because of some limitations, you still need third party server partition software.
It is very easy to shrink volume in Windows Server 2019 Disk Management, follow the steps:
- Right click Windows flag on bottom left corner of the screen, and then select Disk Management.
- Right click the disk drive that you want to shrink and select Shrink Volume.
- Enter the amount of space to shrink.
In a short while, this drive (D) is shrank and 20GB Unallocated space is generated on the right side.
Limitations of Shrink Volume functionality
Windows Server 2019 native Disk Management has the ability to shrink a partitioned drive, but it has limitations including:
1. Only NTFS partition is supported
Shrink Volume can only shrink NTFS partition, FAT32 and other types of partitions are not supported. When you right click a FAT32 partition, Shrink Volume is greyed out.
2. Only support shrinking towards left
When you shrinking volume with Disk Management, you can only shrink this drive towards left and generate Unallocated space on the right side.
3. Cannot shrink volume beyond limit
Have you noticed the tips in the shrinking window? “You cannot shrink a volume beyond the point where any unmovable files are located.”
For example: C drive is made up of 4 blocks A, B, C and D. If the unmovable files are located in block C, you cannot shrink volume to block B or A even though there is free space.
This is the reason why many people feedback that they cannot shrink volume beyond half limit. They can only shrink little space even though there is plenty of free space in this drive.
Then what are the “unmovable” file included? Page file and very large file such as hibernation, system backup files.
Shrink drive with server partition software
Comparing with Server 2019 built-in Disk Management, NIUBI Partition Editor supports both NTFS and FAT32 partitions. It can generate Unallocated space on either side. Furthermore, it can move the “unmovable” files, so it can shrink disk drive to minimum size.
How to shrink Server 2019 partition with NIUBI Partition Editor:
Download NIUBI Partition Editor and you’ll see the main window. The right side is similar with Disk Management, on the left side it lists the available operations to the selected disk and partition.Right click the drive that you want to shrink (here is D) and select Resize/Move Volume.
In the pop-up window, if you drag the right border towards the left
Unallocated space will be generated on the right side.
If you drag the left border towards the right
Unallocated space will be generated on the left side.
If you want to extend C drive with the adjacent Unallocated space, right click C and select Resize/Move Volume again. In the pop-up window, drag the right border rightwards.
Unallocated space will be combined into C drive.
Conclusion
Windows Server 2019 Disk Management can only shrink NTFS partition and generate Unallocated space on the right side. Sometimes you can only shrink little space if there are unmovable files located in this drive. NIUBI Partition Editor has no such limitations. To shrink volume on Windows Server 2019, you just need to drag either border in the pop-up window. Besides shrinking and extending disk partition, it can do many other operations.