How do I split the system partition (C:) in Windows7 without creating a dynamic drive?

Question

I just recieved a new laptop, and for some reason the manufacturer decided that one great C: drive and no other (user available) partitions was the way to go. I would like to have two partitions - one for OS/Program files and one for my personal data (documents, photos etc.).

I tried using the Disk Manager built into Windows7, but it doesn't work as expected. After shrinking C: to make space for the next partition available, I right-click the unallocated space and select "New simple volume...". I click "next" in all the steps of the wizard, and at the end Disk Manager still asks me if I want to create a dynamic drive. My previous experience with dynamic drives tells me this is a really bad idea, so I say no, and the entire process is cancelled.

Is there a way to split the system partition in Windows7 without converting the disc to a dynamic drive?

(PS. I have seen this question, but it doesn't help as that user doesn't seem to have the same problem with dynamic drives as I do.)

Answer 1

What about doing the partitioning using liveCD? You can use Ubuntu live CD for example (or ANY rescue disc, liveCD which comes with gparted. I prefer Ubuntu because you can use firefox, pidgin, anything while you mess with the partitions. Like browse the web, check a howto, anything. Or just copy files easily with the file manager). Boot it up, open a Terminal, and type: sudo gparted. With the graphical partition manager, create the wanted ones, shrink your current one, do whatever you just want. Apply the changes. Boot into Windows and if you just can't see it, assign a drive letter (At the manage. Where you wanted to do the partitioning. Right click on the new one ... ). Let me warn you, ALWAYS do backup before you mess with partitions. Other thing, it'll take a lot of time to resize the partition if you got some data there. | (Don't get me wrong. I'm not a linux fanboy. If you want, of course you can use any Windows based live discs around there.. which I don't really see quite often. Its your choice. :))

Answer 2

You really need to check compatibility, how to do things safely, backing up important data and such, but I have used gparted in a lot of circumstances and really liked it.

Answer 3

I am rather confused as what you said is exactly what I would have done. I have just tested it inside a virtual machine and had no problems.

First, right click on the main/big partition and shrink it - I chose 500MB, then let it complete.

Right click on the empty space and choose New Simply Volume and clicked next on all the boxes (I want default - format as NTFS and next available drive letter).

It worked without fault.

I have not seen the message you stated, can you take a screen shot and I will see if I can help further.

Failing that, as Dennis said, I would use Gparted as it works well and should avoid these problems.

My only guess as to why it is failing is that there are too many primary partitions and instead it is creating extended ones - Windows 7 has lost the support for manually controlling this and it does it automatically... but I still do not understand why it would fail.

As for actually wanting to do this, I was the same as you - I used to have drives for everything, applications, downloads, games, documents etc... but recently, apart from servers where I want to have a separate partition for logs and domain items, I just find it so much easier and better to have everything on one drive - makes management so much easier.

Answer 4

I thought it wasn't possible to resize a mounted partition and that's why it's typically done when booted from another, non-disk based media (ex. Live CD). I'll give a thumbs up to GParted.

Answer 5

Here is the complex solution I followed to split the drives:

1. Take a backup of your current OS
2. Insert a new OS CD and delete all the content and create new partitions. Cancel the OS installation process
3. Now restore your original OS.