[SOLVED] How to add unallocated space to C drive with a recovery partitionblocking it

Apr 7, 2021
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I recently moved my Windows over to an SSD. Beforehand, I was able to tell the program how much space to allocate for windows. I had 500 gigs allocated, and the other 500 of the terabyte drive open. But now that I'm in the new drive windows, how can I add the unallocated to the previously allocated on the C drive? The problem is, there is a recovery partition in the way.
I would add a picture, but I cannot access this computer for a few days.
 
Solution
what you're stating doesn't make sense.

you have an old drive with Windows & system partitions still on it
but want to use that for a separate 1TB storage space?

you would need to delete all partitions on that drive and format the entire thing into a single partition on the drive.

if you left this old drive attached when installing Windows onto the new drive it's likely that the OS has allocated new system partitions onto that old drive.
this would mean you cannot remove those partitions without damaging the current OS.

it is always recommended to disconnect all drives except that you wish to install your OS onto.
you may need to format both drives now and start over with a fresh installation on the new drive...
what you're stating doesn't make sense.

you have an old drive with Windows & system partitions still on it
but want to use that for a separate 1TB storage space?

you would need to delete all partitions on that drive and format the entire thing into a single partition on the drive.

if you left this old drive attached when installing Windows onto the new drive it's likely that the OS has allocated new system partitions onto that old drive.
this would mean you cannot remove those partitions without damaging the current OS.

it is always recommended to disconnect all drives except that you wish to install your OS onto.
you may need to format both drives now and start over with a fresh installation on the new drive.
 
Solution
Are you saying that you can't change the unallocated space into a new simple volume? If you click on the unallocated space does it not show an option to create a new simple volume? You could probably do this with a program like Gparted but this may be one of those things that you don't know until you try it. The location of the should not be relevant to changing the unallocated space into a new simple volume.
 
The problem is, there is a recovery partition in the way.
I would add a picture, but I cannot access this computer for a few days.
Come back, when you have access to the computer and can make a screenshot from Disk Management.

Usually - if a recovery partition is in the way, then you delete the recovery partition.
Disk Managament doesn't allow doing that. Use diskpart instead.
 

Pimpom

Distinguished
May 11, 2008
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I don't have a solution for the OP off the top of my head but I think I can clear up the confusion about what he/she wants to do.

The new drive has a 500GB C: drive and he wants to add the rest of the disk (should be about 430GB, currently unallocated) to C: to get a contiguous ~1TB C: partition. But there's a recovery partition sitting in the middle between the current C: drive and the unallocated space.

There's probably a way to move the recovery drive to the end of the disk and have the system recognize it as such.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
I don't have a solution for the OP off the top of my head but I think I can clear up the confusion about what he/she wants to do.

The new drive has a 500GB C: drive and he wants to add the rest of the disk (should be about 430GB, currently unallocated) to C: to get a contiguous ~1TB C: partition. But there's a recovery partition sitting in the middle between the current C: drive and the unallocated space.

There's probably a way to move the recovery drive to the end of the disk and have the system recognize it as such.
Screencaps before direct recommendations.

So that we're all looking at the same thing.

And depending on what specific cloning tool was used, there might have been a way to mitigate this in the process.
Not fix it after.
 
Apr 7, 2021
20
0
10
I don't have a solution for the OP off the top of my head but I think I can clear up the confusion about what he/she wants to do.

The new drive has a 500GB C: drive and he wants to add the rest of the disk (should be about 430GB, currently unallocated) to C: to get a contiguous ~1TB C: partition. But there's a recovery partition sitting in the middle between the current C: drive and the unallocated space.

There's probably a way to move the recovery drive to the end of the disk and have the system recognize it as such.
Pimpom is exactly right. The old disk isn't part of the problem. I just want to add the unallocated space at the end of my ssd's partitions to the C: drive, which is on the same ssd. I will attach an image below that is not from my computer, but it shows the exact same problem.

chT0D.png
 
Pimpom is exactly right. The old disk isn't part of the problem. I just want to add the unallocated space at the end of my ssd's partitions to the C: drive, which is on the same ssd. I will attach an image below that is not from my computer, but it shows the exact same problem.

chT0D.png
Grab a copy of partition wizard.
Put it on a flash stick or a disc and boot it up.
I think you will find you can expand C using the unallocated space.

I suggest you make a backup before playing with this.
 
I just want to add the unallocated space at the end of my ssd's partitions to the C: drive, which is on the same ssd.

chT0D.png
You have to delete 946MB recovery partition.
Execute from elevated command prompt:
diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
(select 119GB disk)​
list partition
select partition 3
(select 946MB partition)​
delete partition override
exit

Done.
Now you can extend C: partition.

If that image is not from your computer then commands will be different -
different disk number,​
different partition number.​
If there are multiple recovery partitions after C: , then all of them would need to be deleted.

Upload screenshot from your pc to imgur.com and post link.