This article introduces how to repartition hard drive in Windows 7 32/64 bit without losing data. 3 ways to re-partition hard drive with step by step guide.
Partitions are created and disk space are allocated while installing Operating System, is it possible to repartition hard drive for Windows 7 computer without reinstalling OS and programs? Of course it is possible. Actually, it is very easy to do this if you use right partitioning tool. However, note that there is potential data loss risk when resizing disk partition, so remember to back up first and run safe tool.
Repartition hard drive with Disk Management
Some people like to use Windows native tools, to repartition hard drive in Windows 7, there's indeed a tool - Disk Management. However, it can only help you shrink NTFS partition or extend a NTFS partition by deleting the contiguous drive on its right side. If you want to extend a drive by shrinking other one, it is impossible.
As the screen shot shows, Extend Volume is disabled for both C: and E: drive after shrinking D.
This is because:
- Shrink Volume function can only make Unallocated space on the right side while shrinking any partition.
- Extend Volume function can only combine Unallocated space to the contiguous partition on the left.
If you want to expand a FAT32 partition, Disk Management cannot help you even if you can delete the right contiguous partition.
If the partition that you want to expand is Primary, you cannot extend it by deleting any Logical drive.
Comparing with Disk Management, NIUBI Partition Editor is much more powerful.
- It is able to shrink and extend both NTFS and FAT32 partitions.
- It is able to make Unallocated space on either left or right while shrinking a partition.
- It is able to combine Unallocated space to either contiguous partition by 1 step, no matter it is NTFS or FAT32, Primary or Logical partition.
- It is able to move Unallocated space and combined to any non-adjacent partitions on the same disk.
- It is able to merge, copy, convert, defrag, hide, wipe partition and much more.
As I said above, there's potential data loss risk while repartitioning hard drive with unreliable software, you may suffer from system boot failure, partition damage or data loss if you have no backup. It also costs a long time to restore if disaster happens.
Better than other 3rd-party software, NIUBI Partition Editor has unique technologies to protect your system and data.
- Virtual Mode - avoid incorrect operations by listing all as pending for preview, real disk partitions won't be changed until click Apply to confirm.
- Cancel-at-will - if you applied any incorrect options, you can cancel the ongoing operations without losing data.
- 1 Second Rollback - automatically reverts computer to original status in a flash if encounter any error while repartitioning hard drive.
How to repartition hard drive inside a disk
Before repartitioning hard drive, there are several tips you should know:
- The size of a physical disk is fixed, so if you want to create new or extend a partition, you must firstly shrink or delete other one to get Unallocated space.
- Free unused space can only be transferred to other partition that is on the same disk.
- When there's free space in any partition on the same disk, there's no difference to repartition physical disk, RAID array or VMware/Hyper-V virtual disk.
- If the hard disk drive is small and there is no available free space, you need to repartition with other disk (in next section).
Follow the steps to repartition hard drive in Windows 7 32/64 bit:
Step 1: Download NIUBI Partition Editor and you'll see the main window with disk partition structure and other information.
Step 2: Right click the right contiguous partition D and select "Resize/Move Volume", drag left border towards right in the pop-up window or enter an amount in the box of Unallocated space before.
Then drive D is shrunk and Unallocated space is made on the left.
If you drag right border towards left, Unallocated space will be made on the right side.
Step 3: Right click drive C and select "Resize/Move Volume" again, drag right border towards right to combine this Unallocated space.
Then C drive size is increased from 40GB to 60GB.
Member to click Apply on top left to execute.
How to repartition drive C: with other volume:
How to repartition drive D: with other volume:
How to repartition hard drive with other disk
If there's no available free space in a disk, no software can extend a volume by adding free space from other separated disk. In that case, you need to clone to a larger disk and repartition with additional disk space, follow the steps in the video:
Besides re-sizing partitions, NIUBI Partition Editor helps merge, convert, move, defrag, hide, wipe, format, scan partition and much more.
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