Help: Extend Volume blocked by Recovery Partition, how to move partitions around

[Kwkevinlin]

I recently copied all files from my old SSD (128gb) to my new SSD (512gb) using CloneZilla. After copying, I noticed that the C drive and the new unallocated 380GB extra partition is blocked by a 'Recovery partition' in between, so I cannot extend the C drive since the two partitions are not side-by-side.

Is there a way to move the recovery partition or the C drive partition so that the C Drive and unallocated partition can be combined to become one?

I noticed some solutions online saying you can just delete the Recovery Partition, but I'm not sure if that is the best way to do it or not (I don't think so, right?). I also saw online that there are disk utility softwares that can "Resize/move partitions, merge/split partitions". Is that the way to go?

 

[Boogieman_WD]

Hi Kwkevinlin.

Having in mind this is you OS drive, you can't do that natively with Windows. You have to have your unallocated space right next to the partition you wish to extend, on the right side. You would've been able to do that with a secondary drive, but unfortunately it would turn the disk to "dynamic" and you can't boot from a dynamic disk (it has to remain "basic" as it is now).
However, there are many 3rd party partition managers out there, which should be able to extend the C: partition with the available unallocated space. Please note that you should definitely backup any important data which you might have on that drive, before you edit the partitions, just in case anything unexpected happens.

Hope that helps. Please let me know how it goes.
Boogieman_WD

 

[Kwkevinlin]

Update:
Thanks for the suggestion Boogieman_WD! I ended up downloading the free edition of Partition Wizard, then using the "Extend volume" function to merge the two non-adjacent partitions (one C drive, the other unallocated).

If anyone runs into the problem, this was the tutorial that I used: http://www.partitionwizard.com/help/extend-partition.html

 

[Boogieman_WD]

Good job mate!

 

[MikeInVegas]

I'm new to the forum and do not how to repose this question slightly different, but still the same question. So, please, forgive my ignorance - I did not want to start a new 'thread'.

My HP Windows 7 Home Premium system has exactly the same problem. What I'd like to do is basically swap the "Recovery Partition' and the 'unallocated' Partition.

My idea is to backup the Recovery Partition to a USB stick, then delete it. Then extend the "C" partition. Then create a new Recovery partition (that isn't so large) at the end of the drive from the "unallocated" space and restore all the files from the USB drive.This gives me more room on the "C" drive.

My biggest concerns are lack of knowledge.
1.) Would the newly created and restored "Restore" partition still be bootable (usable to Restore the system)?
2.) CAN you extend the "C" partition to use the new space - (ie. how can you "format" part of a partition?).

Thank you for all your answers and time. It IS all appreciated.

 

[Boogieman_WD]

Hi Mike.

I'd recommend that you get in touch with the computer manufacturer's customer support to see how to backup that partition properly and/or if you can make a recovery drive out of it (for later use if needed).
Other than that you could check out this tutorial on how to create a Windows 7 recovery partition: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/58455-recovery-partition-create.html or a system repair disk: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html
You should be able to find a few more useful suggestions from this thread as well: http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Operating-System-and-Recovery/Custom-Recovery-Options/m-p/329260#M45230

As for extending your C: drive, all you'll need for that is to have available unallocated space, exactly next to the C: partition and on its right side. Then you right click on C: drive and select "Extend volume".

Hope that helps. Please let me know how everything goes.
Boogieman_WD

 

[donmer]

I have personally moved the recovery partitions to make space for a data drive & a temp drive for downloads, pagefile, libraries, etc. This does keep your data protected from Windows OS & keeps the system drive less fragmented. However, I tried to create recovery discs after the repartition & could not access Windows Recovery. It produced an error that the recovery drive could not be located. I may have tried to change the pointer in the system as well. So, be sure to create your Recovery Drive before changing your partitions. Also wondering if a full OEM recovery is possible, once the partitions are changed - of course using a system image is better, so you don't have to reload software.
Why do OEMs f'up our HDDs? Does anyone have a complete strategy, please LMK

 

[jwcrellin]

Macrium Reflect is not bad at re-doing partitions.