Windows 10: Partition problem

hi;

I purchased a used laptop with win 7 installed on a 300Gb hdd.

I downloaded the win10 installation program and successfully installed 10.

I tried repartitioning the hdd and foolishly deleted some necessary partitions. The installation media fixed it.

Now the hdd has a large extended partition that I can't get rid of because 10 says there isn't enough space left to do it.

Must I start over with a clean install and if so, will 10 remember the 7 license? My intent was to dual boot XP, linux and 10 but linux says I have NO partitions.

Roger

:)

 

Partition problems

Type Storage into your Cortana/Search window Click it.

You should now be seeing THIS:




Now click "This PC:




I'm betting we're looking at your local copy of OneDrive which has been syncing away in the background but maybe not. Might be more like this





Which you can view from "This PC" by right clicking it from here:

 

Partition problems

Try running Disk Cleanup first.


WHEN it concludes and before removing anything run "Clean Up System Files"





making sure you run down the list of locations and checking the boxes that show content.

NOTE: If you are still in the "roll back" period of grace you might want to skip this until that is over.

Whichever you choose to do I suggest you open "This PC"




RIGHT click the partition and select Open to make sure you do not need the contents in that location before you consider removing the partition. It is usually better to invest in an external hard drive rather than remove a partition. You won't gain any RAM
by doing so. Only Storage Space.

 

Hi, don't know why Win 10 won't let you in this case, but if you want to delete it try (e.g)
MiniTool Partition Wizard Boot CD.

from outside Windows. Always pays to have a bootable partition manager handy.

Once Win 10 has been installed it can be reinstalled on the same hardware - basically the MBO. E.g. you can swap the disk with impunity.

 

Thanks, I'll try it.

I use Parted Magic but it can't see the 10 partitions at all.

Roger

 

Do you have Windows 10 Home or Pro? Because only Pro allows you to do that. *Smile

 

Don't know, came installed on a used laptop. Now win7 is gone so I can't start over.

Guess I'm stuck with win10.

Why can I shrink a partition but not expand it?

Roger

 

If you use a 3rd party partition manager, you will find it a lot easier to use.

Some operations require to be done either on via a restart, or via the partition manager's boot medium.

Had you created a disk image of your laptop as it was when you bought it you could have restored that and had Win 7 back any time you wanted.

 

Incorrect. Home versus Pro - same capability in that regard.

 

Granted but that's like backup; I always think of it after I need it.

Win10 says it will restore the previous OS but it was in one of the partitions I deleted to make room for other versions

Roger

 

If you post a screenshot of disk management, we can help more:
Disk Management - How to Post a Screenshot of - Windows 10 Forums

 

If you have not overwritten the space used by that partition it can be recovered. But I guess you have.

Not having a 3rd party partition manager to date doesn't stop you getting one now..

 

If you have performed an upgrade of windows 10 over an activated windows 7, then the device has got the digital entitlement; so it will remember the key when you will attempt a clean reinstall. But if you want to avoid this, please pay attention to what @NavyLCDR posted.

Without it we cannot see the exact situation, so specific help will not be possible.

I would suggest you to not use linux (GRUB) in the same HDD with windows.

 

I do have one; Parted Magic. It can't see any win10 partitions now altho it did before.

Seems my only option is toi reformat the disk and start over.

Roger

 

If your Windows is bootable and usable, then why reinstall? Although a clean install is preferred to prevent inheriting problems. (And after that depends what you might lose in the way of installed programs, and have backed up any data you want.)

If it is bootable, and you only need to sort out partition issues, Arc's post and NavyLCDR's posts are absolutely relevant.