How to partition a hard drive or SSD. How to make an external USB HDD (hard drive) bootable using standard Windows tools

Breakdown hard drive into sections is a way to organize information storage, comparable to putting things on shelves in a closet.

In this article you will learn how to divide HDD into sections and why.

Most users prefer to divide disks into 2-3 partitions for the following reasons:

• so as not to mix operating system and personal files in case of OS reinstallation;
• for comfort manual search information;
• to install more than one operating system on a computer;
• so that each user, if there are several of them, has his own “corner” for personal files;
• to hide some information from other PC users (along with the section).

Note! When installing operating systems, service partitions are created - boot, recovery, for the swap file, etc., which are not visible in Explorer. These areas are hidden because changing or deleting their contents disrupts the operation of the OS.

Some people believe that it is necessary to partition the hard drive into partitions: so, they say, personal files will not suffer in the event of a system failure, will fragment less, and, therefore, open faster.

In fact, the files will not disappear anywhere, even if the OS crashes completely.

And this will not affect performance, especially since modern systems defragment themselves without user intervention.

On the contrary, the system partition tends to fill up quickly, and if there is not enough space on it, the computer will first slow down and then stop loading altogether due to the fact that the system has no room to expand.

Do you think you still need an additional section? Then read how to create it.

Two ways to partition a disk in Windows 7, 8, 10

Capabilities of the installed system

Starting with Windows 7, you can partition disk space using the OS itself, both during installation and after.

There is only one condition: when dividing an already existing section, it is important that at least free space than in the one that will be separated.

Let's look at how to divide a hard drive into partitions in a running Windows 10.

• Go to context menu Start button and launch Disk Management.
• Open the context menu of the section you will be splitting. Click Shrink Volume.
• The window that opens after this shows the total size of the compressed area and the space available for compression. From the last one, select a part that will be a new section.
  As you remember, it should not exceed half of the value specified here. Then click the “Compress” button.

• In the wizard window, specify the size of the new volume. If you leave the default value (which is the entire area of ​​unallocated space), the entire area you separated will become a new partition.
  If you specify a lower value, one part will become a volume and the other will remain unallocated. Click Next.

• Assign a letter to the new volume if you want it to appear in Explorer, or mount it as a folder. If you decide to do this later, select “Do not assign drive letter or path.”

• Next, the wizard will offer to format the volume and assign a label to it. The label is short title section explaining what is there. If desired, leave this line blank.

After formatting, the unallocated space will become a full-fledged partition.

Creating a volume during Windows installation

Creating new partitions during Windows installation differs from the method we discussed above in that the shared disk must first be deleted, that is, completely cleared of information.

And then build from unallocated space new structure sections.

The breakdown is done at the stage when the program asks you to indicate the location where the OS will be installed. What to do next:

• In the "Where do you want to install Windows?" window. Click the Disk Setup button.

• Mark the partition you are going to split and delete it. Instead, unoccupied space will appear.

• Click the “Create” button (meaning, create a section), specify the desired size and click “Apply”. If the partition being created does not take up all the unallocated space, repeat the operation until there is no unallocated space left on the disk.

Let's get started. There is a lot of information on the Internet about how to divide a hard drive into partitions using the operating system. Therefore, there was no idea to write on this topic. But comments have become more frequent with requests to voice, tell, or make video advice. And I’m kind of tired of dropping links from third-party sites :) But since there is nothing complicated there, I will try to supplement the post useful information and expand our knowledge a little.

We go to the store and buy a computer. Naturally, after purchase, the hard drive needs to be divided into partitions. Arranging a garbage dump on one disk (Disk C:) is “not good”. The operating system is separate, user files are separate, and there are no “communal conditions for living together.”

Press the Win+R keys - enter diskmgmt.msc - OK - we get into the “Disk Management” snap-in.

A little advice: if you are a complete novice user, before turning on the Disk Management snap-in, safely remove the flash drive and external hard drive from the computer so that they do not interfere with your understanding of what is happening. And one more detail that may unexpectedly pop up when working with a disk: “The specified service cannot be started because it is disabled or all devices associated with it are disabled.” In order to fix this, you need to go to Control Panel - Administration - Services - Disk Defragmentation - Double-click on the service - Manually - Apply - Ok.

We begin the procedure for partitioning the main disk (Disk 0). Click on the disk with the right mouse button - Shrink volume.

The volume is polled to determine the available space for compression, after which it is necessary to determine how much we will compress. Compressible Space Size (MB) - blue stripe on the picture
- indicates what it will be second partition on the disk. Overall size after compression (MB) - red stripe in the picture - indicates what it will be first partition (Drive C:) with the operating system. We conjure with the right size and click the “Compress” button.

In the Creation Wizard window simple volume click the “Next” button. The rest of the windows are the same Next - Next - Done. Until a New Volume (D:) is created.

As if this is where all the “sharing” ends with wisdom. A small note: in this way, you can only create 4 partitions - from 1 to 3 main and one extended, within which you can create many logical partitions.

If anyone has a desire, they can divide the hard drive into 4 partitions. First(Disk C:) - Windows 7 operating system. Second(Disk D:) - Windows 8.1 operating system. Third(Disk E:) - user files (music, movies, documents, pictures). Fourth(Disk F:) - bootable (about how to install the system from a hard drive without using additional gadgets).

But that is not all. If you buy an external hard drive of approximately 2TB and divide it into two partitions, then there is a possibility that the first partition (about 10GB) will be used for . I took the external hard drive out of the computer, hid it in my pocket and carried it laptop computer to friend. Your friend will fall with envy :) Second section external HDD for file storage. It is very useful to have such additional, attractive things on your computer.

Reverse steps if you're tired of looking at your sausage-cut disc. On the volume, press the right button. mouse - Delete volume - then click Yes.

Then on the disk that we want to enlarge, press the right mouse button - Expand volume.

After which we rejoice at the work done. Well, that's not all. For unknown cosmic reasons, the Disk Management snap-in refuses to fulfill some of our “fantasies”. I suggest you study this on your own. The program is super, I recommend using it with hot tea and bagels :)

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Today we'll talk about how to partition a hard drive in Windows 10: why it is needed, as well as several ways to do it. Increasingly advanced computer user when installing an operating room Windows systems decides to split the system or hard drive into several partitions. What is it for? The main goal is ease of use, and most importantly, the separation of working operating system files and personal data, which we in no case want to lose. And this can happen if the system suddenly crashes. Moreover, once hard division partitioning will help your Windows 10, it will be a tool that will help it work faster.

So, here are some ways to partition your hard drive in Windows 10:

1. Using standard operating system tools
2. When you install Windows 10
3. Using special programs

Now let's look at each of the methods in more detail.

How to create partitions on your hard drive using Windows 10

The main condition in this method of dividing a hard drive into partitions in Windows 10 is that there is enough free space (so that it is no less than what you decide to define for a new one).

• Press the Win+R keys and in the “Run” window enter diskmgmt.msc
• Downloading has started special utility management
• After loading it, right-click on the partition that corresponds to the disk we are working with
• Next, select “shrink volume”
• In the window that opens, in the “Partition of compressible space” column, indicate the size that we are going to allocate for new disk or logical partition
• Select “compress”
• Unallocated space should appear on the right, click on it right click
• You need to select “create simple volume”
• The resulting volume will have a default size that is equal to the entire free space. We can specify a lower value if, for example, we want to create several logical drives
• Specify the letter of our new drive
• Define the file system (set a new one or leave it as is) and click “next”
• That's it, if the steps were followed correctly, our disk is divided into two

Splitting on the command line

You can also change the disk size in Windows 10 using the command line. This method also applies to the tools of your operating system. Please note that this method will work only when you divide the only system partition into two - for system data and your personal ones. And here's how to create new volume on hard Windows disk 10 in this way:

• Opening command line on behalf of administrator
• We begin to enter commands in this order: first diskpart
• Then list volume. When this command is executed, pay attention to the volume number that corresponds to drive C
• Enter select volume N. N is the volume number from the previous paragraph
• Next is the command shrink desired=size. Instead of the word “Size”, enter the number in megabytes by which we will reduce drive C in order to divide it into two
• Then list disk. When executing this command, remember the number of that HDD or SSD with partition C
• The next command is select disk M. M is the number that we remembered in the previous paragraph
• Next, enter these commands in order: create partition primary
• Format fs=ntfs quick
• Assign letter=desired_drive_letter
• The process is complete. You can look in Explorer at the disk partition we created

Acronic Disk Director

This program will also help us expand or reduce the size of the railway. How to use it:

• When you first start the program, select the “manual” operating mode
• A window will open in which we select the section that we will split
• Right-click on it and select “split volume”
• Set the size, then click “OK”
• Click “apply pending operations”
• Restart the computer and click “Ok” again

Convenient distribution disk space on a computer one of the fundamental actions for comfortable work and operating system performance. After purchasing a new PC or reinstalling the operating system, the question arises - how to properly partition a hard drive? The standard division into two volumes C and D will not be enough when large size Winchester. Under system files Usually 100-150 GB are allocated, the rest of the disk space will be correctly divided into several parts. This simple action will guarantee the performance of the OS by reducing the rate of fragmentation of the system volume. There are three simple ways division into parts in the Windows operating system:

1. Installation of a separate software.
2. Using internal Windows services.
3. Separation when installing/reinstalling the operating system.

Using separate program To partition the disk you need to prepare, namely:

• do backup copy important personal files;
• free up additional space on your hard drive;
• check the hard drive for possible errors.

Protect your personal files from loss when further work– the primary task of the user. Photos, contacts and other files should be copied to external media(hard drive, flash drive) or use the file storage cloud on the Internet.

After backing up your data, you should make sure you have free space to create a new partition. To do this, just go to “Control Panel” - “Add or Remove Programs”. View the list and remove unnecessary software, which will provide additional disk space. Once you have enough space new section , you need to check the hard drive for errors. Go to “My Computer” and select required disk

and go to “Properties”. Then select the “Service” tab and click “Run check”, check both boxes and wait for completion. At the end of the check, the OS will ask you to restart the PC - confirm. The disk properties interface in Windows 7 and XP is identical, so there will be no difficulties.

Working with partitioning programs The program interface is configured mainly to solve one problem - how to divide the hard drive into convenient parts. Most software works with different versions Windows 7 and XP, there is both paid services , and for free use

. It would be more correct to use programs for free use with a Russian interface. Very popular: Partition Magic, Acronis Disk Director", "Aomei Partition Assistant". Each uses standard menu for working with the disk. All that remains is to select the disk that needs to be divided into parts. Then set the volume for the new partition, its name and file system. Any of the programs will offer two options FAT 32 and NTFS. The first is installed when working with Windows 95/98 or Millinium Edition. Starting from XP, NTFS should be selected. For stable operation OS mandatory conditions– all hard drive partitions must be formatted to the same file system.

How to partition a hard drive without installing software

The ability to divide the hard drive into partitions using system services, provided in Windows versions 7 and above. To do this, find the “Management” item, located in the “My Computer” folder. In the “Computer Management” menu that opens, open the “Disk Management” tab. A list of disks that are on the PC will appear, as well as hidden section“System Reserved” – restorative system disk. We select drive C or the one that we will divide into two or three parts - additional containers. Open the list of disk functions: right button - “Volume compression”. In the window that appears, select the location where you want to compress the disk. Provided that the hard drive was not previously divided into separate parts, the system will offer to divide it into parts approximately equal in volume. Can be installed desired value. If a miscalculation is made, you can return the partition to its previous sizes by selecting “Uncompress volume” in the disk functions. The system disk will be compressed and a new partition will be displayed called “Unallocated”. Open the list of functions and click “Create a simple volume...”. The “Create a Simple Volume Wizard” window will appear on the screen and prompt you to designate the new partition with a letter and give it a name. This is followed by the process of formatting into a file system. Having decided on the option, click “Continue”, and in a few minutes the work on creating a new section will be completed.

Partitioning the hard drive when installing or reinstalling the operating system

Partitions should be created at the moment when the OS installation reaches the point of selecting the partition in which it should be installed. Further actions:

1. Create a partition for the OS, let it be drive C, and enter its size. If the hard drive initially has 1 TB of memory, you can allocate 100-120 GB for the operating system - that’s enough.
2. Next, the computer will ask you to allocate some more space for backup files, you don’t need to skimp, but click the “Agree” button.
3. Create a second partition: look for the line “Free disk space”, click “Create”. Next we set the size for it. We call it drive “D” and the button “Apply”. So, there are already two sections.
4. To create the third partition, proceed in the same way as described above: “Free disk space” - “Create”. We indicate the entire size remaining from the original one.
5. Click on the “C” drive, which is allocated for the OS and click “Next”. The installation of your Windows 7/8 continues.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is nothing complicated about dividing a hard drive into several departments. With this simple process Even a novice user can handle it. The main thing is to carry out everything clearly according to the written points, and you will succeed. If done correctly, you will have several disks, each of which can store specific folders, files, etc. This will solve the problem constant search necessary information on the computer.

The second important advantage of partitioning the hard drive is that when reinstalling the OS, for some reason, all information during the formatting process can be destroyed. And if the computer has the OS on one disk, and all the files on others, the process of destroying the contents will affect only one partition of the hard drive. And the speed of the system itself will be faster, the computer will not freeze, thanks to less “cluttered” departments. Ideal option: two to four sections, depending on the size of your hard drive.

When purchasing a computer or Windows installation or another OS, many users want to split the hard drive into two or, more precisely, into several partitions (for example, drive C into two drives). This procedure makes it possible to store system files and personal data separately, i.e. allows you to save your files in case of a sudden system crash and improve OS performance by reducing fragmentation system partition.

Update 2016: new ways have been added to split a disk (hard or SSD) into two or more; a video has also been added on how to split a disk in Windows without programs and in a program AOMEI Partition Assistant. Corrections have been made to the manual. Separate instructions: .

There are several ways to partition a hard drive (see below). The instructions discuss and describe all these methods, indicating their advantages and disadvantages.

• On Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and 7 - without using additional programs, standard means.
• During OS installation (including how to do this when installing XP).
• By using free programs Minitool Partition Wizard, AOMEI Partition Assistant, and Acronis Disk Director.

How to partition a disk in Windows 10, 8.1 and Windows 7 without programs

You can partition HDD or SSD in all latest versions Windows in already installed system. The only condition is that there be no less free disk space than you want to allocate for the second logical drive.

To do this, follow these steps (in this example, the system drive C will be partitioned):

After these steps, your disk will be divided into two, and the newly created one will receive its own letter and will be formatted into the selected file system. You can close Windows Disk Management.

How to partition a disk using the command line

You can split a hard drive or SSD into several partitions not only in Disk Management, but also using the command line Windows strings 10, 8 and Windows 7.

Be careful: the example shown below will work without problems only in cases where you have a single system partition (and possibly a couple of hidden ones) that needs to be divided into two partitions - for the system and data. In some other situations ( MBR disk and there are already 4 partitions, when reducing the disk, “after which” there is another disk) this may work unexpectedly if you are a novice user.

The following steps show how to split the C drive into two parts at the command prompt.

Done, you can now close the command line: Windows Explorer you will see a newly created disk, or rather a disk partition with the letter you specified.

How to partition a disk in Minitool Partition Wizard Free

Minitool Partition Wizard Free- an excellent free program that allows you to manage partitions on disks, including dividing one partition into two or more. One of the advantages of the program is that a downloadable version is available on the official website. ISO image with it, which can be used to create bootable flash drive(the developers recommend doing this with using Rufus) or to burn a disc.

This makes it easy to perform disk partitioning in cases where running system this fails.

After loading into Partition Wizard, you just need to right-click on the disk you want to split and select “Split”.

The next steps are simple: adjust the partition sizes, click OK, and then click the “Apply” button at the top left to apply your changes.

You can download the Minitool Partition Wizard Free bootable ISO image for free from the official website https://www.partitionwizard.com/partition-wizard-bootable-cd.html

Video instruction

I also recorded a video on how to partition a disk in Windows. It shows the process of creating partitions regular means system, as described above and using a simple, free and convenient program for these tasks.

How to partition a disk during installation of Windows 10, 8 and Windows 7

The advantages of this method include its simplicity and convenience. Partitioning will also take relatively little time, and the process itself is very clear. The main disadvantage is that the method can only be applied when installing or reinstalling the operating system, which in itself is not very convenient; moreover, there is no way to edit partitions and their sizes without HDD formatting(for example, in the case when the system partition has run out of space and the user wants to add some space from another hard drive partition). Creating disk partitions when installing Windows 10 is described in more detail in the article.

If these shortcomings are not critical, consider the process of disk partitioning during OS installation. This instruction Fully applicable when installing Windows 10, 8 and Windows 7.

Attention! When you delete disk partitions, all data located on them will be deleted.

Partitioning a hard drive when installing Windows XP

During Windows development XP was not designed to be intuitive GUI. But although control occurs through the console, partitioning the hard drive when installing Windows XP is as easy as when installing any other operating system.

Step 1. Delete existing partitions.

You can repartition the disk while defining the system partition. You need to split the section into two. Unfortunately, Windows XP does not allow this operation without hard formatting disk. Therefore, the sequence of actions is as follows:

Step 2. Create new partitions.

Now you need to create the necessary ones from the unallocated area sections of hard disk. This is done quite simply:

Step 3. Determine the file system format.

After the partitions are created, select the partition that should be system and press Enter. You will be prompted to select a file system format. FAT format is more outdated. With it you will not have problems with compatibility, for example, Windows 9.x, however, due to the fact that systems older than XP are rare today, this advantage does not play a special role. If you also consider that NTFS is faster and more reliable and allows you to work with files of any size (FAT - up to 4GB), the choice is obvious. Choose required format and press Enter.

Then the installation will proceed in standard mode - after formatting the partition, the installation of the system will begin on it. You will only be required to enter custom parameters at the end of installation (computer name, date and time, time zone, etc.). As a rule, this is done in a convenient graphic mode, so it is not difficult.

Free AOMEI Partition Assistant

AOMEI Partition Assistant is one of the best free programs for changing the structure of partitions on a disk, transferring a system from HDD to SSD, and, among other things, you can use it to split a disk into two or more. At the same time, the program interface is in Russian, unlike another good similar product - MiniTool Partition Wizard.

Note: despite the fact that the program states Windows support 10, in my system it did not partition for some reason, but no failures occurred (I think they should fix it by July 29, 2015). Works without problems in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7.

After launching AOMEI Partition Assistant, in the main program window you will see connected hard disks and SSD, as well as partitions on them.

To partition a disk, right-click on it (in my case on C), and select the “Partition Partition” menu item.

At the next step, you will need to specify the size of the partition to be created - this can be done by entering a number, or by moving the separator between the two disks.

After you click OK, the program will display that the disk has already been partitioned. In fact, this is not the case yet - to apply all the changes made, you must click the “Apply” button. You may then be warned that your computer will restart to complete the operation.

And after the reboot, you will be able to observe the result of disk separation in your Explorer.

Other programs for creating partitions on your hard drive

For hard partition disk exists great amount various software. These are both commercial products, for example, from Acronis or Paragon, and distributed throughout free license– Partition Magic, MiniTool Partition Wizard. Let's consider dividing a hard drive using one of them - Acronis programs Disk Director.

How to partition a hard drive in MacOS X using standard means

Can be done breakdown of hard disk without reinstalling operating system and without installing additional software on your computer. IN Windows Vista and above, the disk utility is built into the system, and the situation is also the same in Linux systems and MacOS.

To partition a disk on Mac OS, do the following:

After this, after a short (for SSD anyway) partition creation process, it will be created and available in the Finder.

I hope the information is useful, and if something doesn't work as expected or you have questions, please leave a comment.