Extending partition in Windows 7

[thewanderingbeard]

Hello, I have a roughly 477gb drive, 449gb of it is an NTFS partition, the rest is unallocated space. I just want to extend the NTFS partition to use the unallocated space, but when I do that using any size as an option it tells me the only way is to make the basic disk become a dynamic disk, which I do not want to do. I've read several tutorials where people do exactly what I'm trying to do without being forced to make it a dynamic disk. Any ideas?

 

[scout_03]

use easeus partition master home http://www.partition-tool.com/?gclid=COXQ9ICBm6sCFQw65QodpXHegg

 

[COLGeek]

What are the specs for this system? If a brand name system, what make/model? This difference in size could be the reserved portion for recovery files. It could also be the result of the difference between how Windows counts disk space and how the HDD vendor counts disk space (1024 vs. 1000). Be sure to include the make/model of your HDD as well.

 

[thewanderingbeard]

What are the specs for this system? If a brand name system, what make/model? This difference in size could be the reserved portion for recovery files. It could also be the result of the difference between how Windows counts disk space and how the HDD vendor counts disk space (1024 vs. 1000). Be sure to include the make/model of your HDD as well.

The system is custom built, and the drive was bought bare (no pre-formatting or partitioning) - I have 3, they are all identical WD hard drives (I'm searching for the model number...) and were all sold as "500GB" however all show up as 465GB, meaning the vendor was counting a GB as 1000 (though, at a difference of .9765625 I should have 488GB in that case, so I don't know what they were counting!)

The drive I'm trying to use up the unallocated space for was once used as an MBR drive with Linux installed. I suppose it may be possible that, even though Linux has been removed and the ext4 partition has been deleted, Windows doesn't want to use that partition? It seems unlikely though since it's recognized as "unallocated"

 

[howardp6]

Select to Administrative Tools in the control panel and select computer management. Click and select Disk Management. You should see the disk and the unallocated space if any. Right click the disk and click extend volume and you should be able to expand the volume so there is no more unallocated space.

 

[thewanderingbeard]

Select to Administrative Tools in the control panel and select computer management. Click and select Disk Management. You should see the disk and the unallocated space if any. Right click the disk and click extend volume and you should be able to expand the volume so there is no more unallocated space.

When I do this, it tells me I must convert the disk from basic to dynamic in order to use the unallocated space, which I don't want to do. In Disk Part, I get the error "The size of the extent is less than the minimum" when telling it to "extend" the correct volume.

 

[michaeljj]

hI， the unalloaced space you want to add into your NTFS partition is on the same hard disk with the NTFS partition or they are not in the same hard disk? If they are in the same hard disk, you need to first offline your other hard disk then extend it. If they were on different hard disk, you can not add this space into your NTFS partition without convert to dynamic disk.

The meassage you get that your hard disk will convert to dynamic disk is casued by the Windows System detect that you are trying to use an unalloaced space whihc is from a different hard disk, therefore after you click ok, your hard disk will convert to dynamic disk, and your partition will become spanned volume.

 

[thewanderingbeard]

Select to Administrative Tools in the control panel and select computer management. Click and select Disk Management. You should see the disk and the unallocated space if any. Right click the disk and click extend volume and you should be able to expand the volume so there is no more unallocated space.

If you read the question fully you would understand that I already tried this.

 

[thewanderingbeard]

You'd better attach the screenshot of Windows Disk Management.
and you need input "extend +exact size". I think you got the error "The size of the extent is less than the minimum" because you did not input the exact size. here, http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766465(WS.10).aspx
learn more about DiskPart and i hope it is helpful for your understanding. 🙂

Any size used creates the same error. Thank you though.

 

[thewanderingbeard]

hI， the unalloaced space you want to add into your NTFS partition is on the same hard disk with the NTFS partition or they are not in the same hard disk? If they are in the same hard disk, you need to first offline your other hard disk then extend it. If they were on different hard disk, you can not add this space into your NTFS partition without convert to dynamic disk.

The meassage you get that your hard disk will convert to dynamic disk is casued by the Windows System detect that you are trying to use an unalloaced space whihc is from a different hard disk, therefore after you click ok, your hard disk will convert to dynamic disk, and your partition will become spanned volume.

They are on the same disk. By "offline your other hard disk" do you mean unplug it or disable it?

 

[thewanderingbeard]

Best answer selected by thewanderingbeard.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

This topic has been closed by Area51reopened