Windows 10: Creating two hdd partitions and move files to the new data partition?

Bought a new PC two weeks ago which came with with only one large 1TB partition containing the W10 OS and data files I have created in it.

How can I create a separate new partition and move my data folders to it.

Are user profiles in W10 and will the creation of the Data partition create any problems for user settings?
Thanks for your help

:)

 

Microsoft Visual C and D and all the rest of the alphabet

If you need to create more space on C:\ and have a lot of data in your User folder there are a few options

for moving files.

- You can change the locations for the User or sub-folders within the User folder to D:\

I don't favour moving the whole User folder as things can get messy. Some software can have issues

when it does not find the User folder in C:\ , particularly if the folders/files were created in C:\ when you installed

the software. The AppData folder in particular would be a high risk, but I would be wary of moving anything

created by a software/game in the User or it's sub-folders.

With things such as video, photos and music, and other personal data it's safe enough.

How to manage file storage more efficiently in Windows 10

- You can also just move the files in those folders to new folders on D:\ and add those new locations to your Library.

(I don't use the Library, so I just make a new shortcut to those folders, and pin them the the jump list.)

"I want to take everything off of 'C' and put it on 'D'"

- Windows has to be on C:\ . Even if it were able to run from D:\ you cannot simply move it to D:\ as the

new file path would bork just about everything.

- There is no simple way to move software installs form C:\ as you have to deal with Registry keys as well.

Do you have a D:\ partition on the same HDD as C:\, or another HDD that is labelled D:\ ?

If D:\ is on the same HDD as C:\ you may be able to shrink D:\ and expand C:\ into that space.

You may need to use a partitioning software to do this as Windows HDD management may not allow

you to create free space between C:\ and D:\ ( unless you delete D:\ . In which case you can expand C:\

into that free space)

If you want to move Windows to another HDD you have a couple of options.

- If there is no data on the second HDD you can clone C:\ to the new HDD in one big partition.

When the cloning operation is finished and you switch to the new HDD as the primary boot drive ( via BIOS )

this new partition will automatically be changed to C:\

- If D:\ does have data that you need to preserve you can create a new partition (shrink D:\ if there is no free space),

and clone C:\ to that new partition.

A 120GB partition for C:\ should be adequate for most Users as you can still use the other partition for storage of

your excess user data. The main issue here is C:\ is not likely to be created at the beginning of the HDD, which

can impact on Windows performance somewhat.

It would be best to backup any data on D:\ (which should always be done anyway, as HDD do fail without warning

now and then ) to another source and reformat the whole HDD before cloning C:\ to that drive.

I use AOEMI for cloneing/migrating Windows to another HDD, but Macrium Reflect is well regarded on

these forums. Macrium may be the better options for partition management

(I've not use this option on AOEMI, so don't know how well it works )

Free Partition Manager - AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard

- Clear as mud ? You can find well presented tutorials at the sites below (as well as The site linked to above)

Windows 10 Tutorials

windows10 Articles - How-To Geek

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What is the difference between 'Resetting' and 'Reinstalling' Windows 10?

If you're determined to install Windows 10 from scratch - a clean install - you can find detailed instructions for that on the internet. It's a long and involved process that can't be adequately covered in the space of a community forum post. It takes time
to prepare and effort to learn how to do it right, but your reward will be an operating system that works well from the very first minute.

On the other hand, if you merely want to trade your HDD for an SDD, which is what I thought you said you wanted to do, all you have to do is to make and restore an image.

If you want to separate your personal files (documents, pictures, bookmarks, etc.) from your software (Windows and applications, formerly known as 'programs') so your software will fit onto the new SSD, there's an easy way to do that also. And not only is
it easy, it's a very smart idea. (I'll explain why in a moment.) Just move your personal files to a separate partition that you'll create on the HDD. Now your HDD has two partitions: a system partition, which is likely C and a data partition, which can be
any unoccupied (and unreserved) letter. Let's call it G because we are, let's face it, geniuses.

So now you'll make an image of only the C partition (which is also called the C drive) and restore it to the new SSD. Then,
once you are certain that the new SSD works properly and Windows is running correctly, you can erase the C drive on the old HDD and expand the G drive to fill the entire HDD (if you want to do that.)

This is brilliant for two reasons:

1- If something bad happens to your SSD, your personal data is safe.

2- You can backup your software and personal data separately, so you can restore your software to the previous day without also restoring your data to the previous day.

Creating a partition and moving your data to the new partition (and telling Windows to save any new data in the new partition) are all supported and you can find directions on the web in the same hand holding detail that I need to repair a dripping faucet.

 

You'd have to shrink the existing C partition, which creates a bunch of "unallocated space".

You decide how much to shrink. You need to leave C large enough to allow for some growth.

Then make a new partition out of that unallocated space.

This can typically be done within Windows own "Disk Management" application. If you can't do it there, you may need to use a third party application--such as Minitool Partition Wizard.

I think the exact terminology at Disk Management is "shrink volume"??

I don't use the User directory structure at all, but I'd guess there are tutorials on this site for pointing your user directory at the new D partition.

 

You can create a partition from with in windows or use a 3rd party software, like MiniTool.

Windows 10 - How To: Partition Hard Drives - YouTube

HOW TO PARTITION HARD DISK DRIVE BY THE USE OF MINI TOOL PARTITION FREE APPLICATION - YouTube

 

for moving User files ( Documents, Music etc.) to a new location, follow these tutorials by Brink:

www.tenforums.com/tutorials/74966-move-location-music-folder-windows-10 for Music, and it is very similar for other User folders.

You can move all User files. Follow Kari's tutorial, which is a bit more complicated, but done for all folders.

I personally move my folders similar to first (Brink's) method.