Recover unallocated space on data disk


  1. Posts : 19
    Windows 10 Home 64bit
       #1

    Recover unallocated space on data disk


    I installed Windows 10 on a new PC, with OS on Samsung 950 PRO. For data disk, at this stage, I use a Samsung 840 PRO which I transferred from my old 8.1 PC.

    The data disk now shows in diskmanagment 351MB unallocated space, and 119 GB NTFS Healthy (Primary Partition).
    How can I reclaim the 351MB unallocated to get maximum capacity of the data disk?
    Maybe this a standard case of repartitioning, but I am not familiar with that and do not know how to do it.
    Thanks for the help.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 2,799
    Linux Mint 20.1 Win10Prox64
       #2

    Case 1:
    If the 351 GB unallocated partition is on the right of the 119GB primary partition then:
    right click on the 119GB partition->extend volume.
    Case 2:
    If the 351GB is on the left of the 119GB primary partition then:
    1. Create a primary partition for 351GB by right click on it->Create Simple and follow the screen to create a primary partition, format, assign a letter..
    2. Move all data from the 119GB partition to the newly created 351GB Partition
    3. Right click on 119GB -> Delete Volume
    4. Right click on the 351GB -> Extend Volume.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #3

    Install MiniTool Partition Wizard Free:
    Best Free Partition Manager for Windows | MiniTool Partition Free

    Click on the 119GB partition, click on move/resize, expand the partition to fill the unallocated space. Does not matter if the empty space is to the right or left of the partition with this program. Click apply, let the computer restart for partition wizard to change the size of the system partition.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 3,505
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 21H1 (May 2021 build 19043.1083)
       #4

    topgundcp said:
    Case 1:
    If the 351 GB unallocated partition is on the right of the 119GB primary partition then:
    right click on the 119GB partition->extend volume.
    Case 2:
    If the 351GB is on the left of the 119GB primary partition then:
    1. Create a primary partition for 351GB by right click on it->Create Simple and follow the screen to create a primary partition, format, assign a letter..
    2. Move all data from the 119GB partition to the newly created 351GB Partition
    3. Right click on 119GB -> Delete Volume
    4. Right click on the 351GB -> Extend Volume.

    Woa! Doing as you say in Case 2 would delete the Windows partition and make system unbootable! Thankfully Windows won't let you do anything on the system partition from Disk Management.

    Case 2: If the empty space is on the left (unlikely), then use a partitioning utility such as MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition to move the large partition at the start of the disk and then extend it to take all disk.

    But if we are talking about 350MB (MEGAbytes, not GIGAbytes), then this is too small by today's standards to bother. Moving all data to the start of the disk involves copying all data and as you can imagine it will take all day! Too trouble for nothing... I would just ignore it. On the other hand, if you are at case 1 (unallocated space on the right), then it will take a few seconds to extend the large partition to take all disk, as there is no need to move any data.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #5

    spapakons said:
    Case 2: If the empty space is on the left (unlikely), then use a partitioning utility such as MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition to move the large partition at the start of the disk and then extend it to take all disk.
    Just noticed it was 350mb and not GB . But, still, why are you talking about moving any partitions? As long as the 350mb empty is next to the 119GB partition, on either side, there is no need to move the 119GB partition anywhere. It just gets expanded into the free space. If the 350mb empty space is before (in front of) the 119GB partition then partition wizard will only update move the Master File Table. If the 350mb empty space is after (behind) the 119GB partition, then partition wizard will just update the MFT to make the free space available for file storage.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 3,505
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 21H1 (May 2021 build 19043.1083)
       #6

    I haven't tried that recently with modern tools, but old utilities such as Partition Magic had to copy all data to the start of the disk when you "moved" (extended) the partition to take unallocated space on the left. This would take more than an hour to complete and it is certainly not worth it for just 350MB. Probably modern apps can extend the partition without moving the data (haven't done, so I don't know). I just gave a warning not to waste his time for just 350MB.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1,579
    Windows 10 Pro
       #7

    NavyLCDR said:
    Just noticed it was 350mb and not GB . ....
    LOL, nice catch. Things were going astray for a moment there! Definitely agree with your advice in any event,
      My Computer


 

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