Windows 10: Moving Win10 C Drive to the 'left'

Discus and support Moving Win10 C Drive to the 'left' in Windows 10 Installation and Upgrade to solve the problem; I reinstalled Windows 10 on a new Hard Drive from an ISO but left a partition in front of the C Drive with 137 GB on it, plus another unallocated space... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Installation and Upgrade' started by Rollo, Oct 12, 2016.

  1. Rollo Win User

    Moving Win10 C Drive to the 'left'


    I reinstalled Windows 10 on a new Hard Drive from an ISO but left a partition in front of the C Drive with 137 GB on it, plus another unallocated space at the very front of the drive with 500 MB.
    It's a long story about how this came to pass but the fact is that it did.
    The Computer boots to the C Drive and the CBD file and winloader.exe is located there but I just don't know if there's anything on the very front of the first drive in either the unallocated space or the partition in front of the C Dr. (left of the C drive)
    The Drive to the left of the C drive currently is marked as F drive, and is marked as healthy as a primary partition, but not the boot drive. I have already changed its letter from H to F without any issues arising.
    I could use the F Dr. simply as a storage partition but I don't know if that would create issues with 3rd party imaging software restorations. Therefore I would like to include it in the C Dr. and then maybe move the D and E to the "left".
    Is there anyway to make sure that I won't screw things up if I merge the C drive with the F drive and the unallocated space, considering all factors I have identified?
    I have included a link to a screenshot of windows disk management console.[b1]
    Thank you for your time


    Moving Win10 C Drive to the 'left' [​IMG]


    [b1]

    :)
     
    Rollo, Oct 12, 2016
    #1
  2. Ivy336289 Win User

    Moving the Unallocated space next to the C:/ drive partition

    In disk management, you are allowed to create partition, extend partition, shrink partition, etc. However, there is no way to move partition.

    according to your description, I think you want to extend your C drive. However, the unallocated space is not at the right adjacent side of C drive. Thus, you cannot extend your C drive.

    To extend your C drive, I recommend you free AOMEI Partition Assistant. It offers you a feature called

    Move Partition
    . With it, you can move unallocated space to the right adjacent to C drive. Aside by that, it offers you an easier way: extend c drive to unallocated space via Merge Partition. With this way, you do not need to move unallocated space. What's
    more, you can merge C drive with any unallocated space on the disk.
     
    Ivy336289, Oct 12, 2016
    #2
  3. Louie Del Win User
    Moving the Unallocated space next to the C:/ drive partition

    Hi Denise,

    Managing the disk space to free up storage is a good practice to get additional allocated space and can improve the performance of your device. Regarding your concern with moving the unallocated space next to the
    C drive partition, we’d like to request for a screenshot
    of the Computer Management window that will show the Disk Management
    section so we can check it further. Please refer to this image as a sample:


    Moving Win10 C Drive to the 'left' [​IMG]


    Note: To launch this app, type Computer Management in the
    search box and click on the result.

    We'll wait for your response.
     
    Louie Del, Oct 12, 2016
    #3
  4. cereberus Win User

    Moving Win10 C Drive to the 'left'

    Install minitool partition wizard free, delete f drive (as empty)

    Move c drive to left

    expand c drive to right OR

    move others to left and expand to right.
     
    cereberus, Oct 12, 2016
    #4
  5. Rollo Win User
    Thank you Cereberus,
    I do know how to do that having done it many times, but I have also done it and wound up with lots of problems - so I am looking for reasurance that given what I have said about the situation, that it is 'all clear' and that there is nothing hidden that I haven't acounted for

    .
     
    Rollo, Oct 12, 2016
    #5
  6. Kbird Win User
    how old is the install of win10 ? did you already install programs etc or could you wipe it out without worry?

    I would consider deleting the 1st 3 partitions with MTPW Boot disk and converting the disk to GPT and then reinstall win10 into the Unallocated space , it will then configure the Proper Win10 partitions on its own including the missing Recovery Partition.

    I would make the Macrium Rescue Disk so so you have it's "fix boot" Utility if you need it too ....

    I'd also make Macrium images of d: and e:\ just incase something goes sideways so you don't lose data.


    KB.
     
    Kbird, Oct 12, 2016
    #6
  7. Rollo Win User
    Much obliged Kbird, but I have put a lot of work into building this installation up so I wouldn't be willing to start again. I have many boot utilities available to me but I haven't had a Macrium disk for a long time (my current version must be 3-4 years old and may not be capable of handling Win10 - of which I have encountered extraordinary difficultes with that I never had with W7 or XP). That is why I have such a weird arrangemnt to begin with!
    Cheers,



     
    Rollo, Oct 12, 2016
    #7
  8. Kbird Win User

    Moving Win10 C Drive to the 'left'

    You can still make an image of C:\ with Macrium Free , do what I said above to fix the partitions and then use Macrium to restore you image of C:\ over the newly created C:\ , I just did it myself when Win10 AU would not install cos I had a MBR disk in August....

    see here..... Post 9 is the instructions but the rest maybe worth a read for knowledge?

    https://www.tenforums.com/installatio...-mbr-disk.html


    PS i run Macrium about every 3 days with win10 ...learnt my lesson there...esp. with forced updates
     
    Kbird, Oct 12, 2016
    #8
  9. Rollo Win User
    But, but, but....WHY, Kbird??
    After spending a month trying to get an Acronis backup re-installed when my HDD failed It came from a D drive and I couldnt get windows to swallow it. it wanted Windows to be on the C Drive or if i got in working on a D Drive, it would give the me the lightblue screen - 7600 error that the install was not genuine and no place to reinsert my key. So I had to do a clean install on the C drive (its probaly too complicated to explain). I can't handle the idea of any more adventures! I am so far bhind in other areas of my life bec of that nightmare that it is laughable. I have never seen anything like the computer nightmare i went thru (of course I do not have professional level skills).
    I have a UEFI MB but I guess I have a MBR install - I dont know.
    thanks
     
    Rollo, Oct 12, 2016
    #9
  10. cereberus Win User
    I told you how to do it - it is easy using minitool partition wizard free). Do not need to reinstall, mess around with Macrium (great tool but sledgehammer to crack nut here) etc.
     
    cereberus, Oct 12, 2016
    #10
  11. Rollo Win User
    Dear Cereberus,
    Yes I understand HOW to do it- I've done it many many times. Why question revolves around other issues, such as if the BCD is located on the 1st partition, for instance, and you delete that partition and then expand the second partition which contains the Windows OS into it you will not be able to boot without a reapair or moving of the BCD. Windows Recovery Disk used to be able to quickly fix that type of problem easily but in the last month it completely failed me on Win10.
    I am so sick of monkeying with this machine that I want to do it without that kind of dramas - that's why I'm asking on a forum rather than just plowing ahead.


     
    Rollo, Oct 12, 2016
    #11
  12. jimbo45 Win User
    Hi there

    @Rollo
    I really would take advice from regular users on this Forum who've probably re-installed Windows more times than there are Hot dinners available on this planet !!.

    However the simple way is

    1) Backup HDD with Macrium -- that way if it goes pear shaped you can restore the entire HDD with no problems.

    2) Use GPARTED or any partitioning tool to delete / shift left / get the partition / HDD into the geometry you want.

    3) re-boot.

    In the unlikely problem of a boot fail simply run Repair windows. You won't lose anything.

    If it STILL fails then just restore the HDD while people can work out what next to do.

    IMO the main times people get problems is they've installed 3rd part boot managers (easy BCD for example) which hoses up Windows when you re-arrange the partitions.

    Another piece of advice here - NEVER these days use LOGICAL partitions as these will invariably cause problems if you need to shift partitions around.

    If you need more than 4 physical partitions then switch to GPT . Primary partitions always work properly !!!!!

    99% of people having Boot problems after moving partitions around is either they've used Logical Partitions or have some sort of 3rd party boot manager installed.

    Cheers
    jimbo
     
    jimbo45, Oct 12, 2016
    #12
  13. Rollo Win User

    Moving Win10 C Drive to the 'left'

    Jimbo
    I like the idea of getting rid of Logicals - never heard of that!

    The thing about EasyBCD is interesing - that could explain why I had such a nightmare with this new HDD reinstallation.

    My faith in Windows repair disk has been shattered by recent experiences where it failed inumerable times.

    I don't mean to sound ungrateful to all you wonderful people who have offfered your advice today, but, no one has yet answered my core question. If I dare to repeat it again - Yes I will do imaging before I attempt anything, but is there a way to check BEFORE I move the partitions to confirm that I am not deleting anything critical?

    Thanks again everyone!



     
    Rollo, Oct 12, 2016
    #13
  14. cereberus Win User
    Your boot files etc are in the c drive not in a separate 'system' partition. The f drive is far to big to be anything other than a standard partition. You can have 4 in legacy bios.

    If it was me I would follow Jimbo's advice and get rid of the logical partitions as well, and create a single partition for data.
     
    cereberus, Oct 12, 2016
    #14
  15. Kbird Win User
    You don't have to , not at all , just follow Cereberus's instructions ........

    I mentioned it as an easy way to fix your partitions and possibly avoid the issue of messed up MBR partitions and a Major Windows Update refusing to install because of it in the future all in one go . I think it took about 2hrs to do for me btw , 20mins to Image C: , and 1-1.5 hrs to install Windows and 20 mins to reimage original c: back and run the Fix boot utility (important).

    It also get rid of the logical partitions as GPT does not need those..........

    If you don't have MTPW install it , it will allow you with a RC to "Explore" Partitions even Disk Management can't see (eg MSR (Other) and see what files if any are on them, even the Recovery Partition/Folder.

    you can check if the Recovery Enviroment is working at a CMD Prompt with reagentc /info

    KB
     
    Kbird, Apr 4, 2018
    #15
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Moving Win10 C Drive to the 'left'

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