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Windows hard drive partitioning. How to partition a system disk without losing data

Today we'll talk about how to break HDD to partitions in Windows 10: why it is needed, as well as several ways to do it. Increasingly advanced computer user during installation operating system Windows 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, the division hard drive 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 a sufficient number free space(so that it is no less than what you decided to define as 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 all 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
  • We define 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 only work when you divide the only one system partition two – for system data and your personal ones. And here's how to create new volume on the Windows 10 hard drive 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 the HDD or SSD disk where there is 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

How to split system disk without data loss? It is not always possible to install a hard drive, so it may be necessary to divide it into two or more logical partitions. Moreover, the size of modern disks allows this to be done, because the system itself does not need a lot of space. Most of all, this need arises on laptops. After all, as a rule, they only have one hard drive installed.

There are several reasons for partitioning a system disk. The first is if you decide to install another system on your only disk. The second is storing personal (non-system) files on another drive, so that if the system is reinstalled, they will be safe and sound and will not have to be lost or lost at all.

This breakdown can be done without third party programs, using the operating system itself. I'll show you how this is done using the example of an operating room. Windows programs 10, but the same can be done in Windows XP/Vista/7/8.

To do this, you must first disable system protection (in Windows XP you can skip this step).

Disabling system protection

Let's launch the explorer.

Find it in the list on the left This computer(or My computer, or simply Computer), and right-click on this icon. In the list that opens, at the very end, click on the entry Properties.

A window will open System, in which you need to click on the link on the left System protection.

Select the disk with the system (I have a lot of disks, but everyone has the system installed on drive C), and click the button below Tune.

In the next window, set the switch to record Disable system, and press the button below Apply.

Click Yes, in to confirm your actions.

Disk partitioning

Opening again Conductor, go to This computer, right-click on it, and select the link in the list that opens Control.

In the window Computer management in the first (left area) click on the link Disk management.

All our disks will be shown in the central area. We find the disk that needs to be partitioned. This will be your system drive, designated by the letter WITH. (I have already split this disk into two. Don’t let this bother you.)

Right click on the drive WITH, and select the link Shrink Volume…

In the next window you must specify Size of compressible space. Set it to at least 80 GB, otherwise you may run out of disk space very quickly. Please note that the disk size shown here is in Megabytes, not Gigabytes. Be careful! Most big size available for compression is already indicated in the size of the compressed space. If your disk is not large, you can leave it.

After creating the partition, you need to highlight new section, right-click on it, and in the drop-down list select the Create simple volume link. Without this, your new section will not be visible.

The Creation Wizard will open. simple volume. Press the button Further.

In the next window, we either leave everything as is, or reduce the size of the simple volume so that one or more more volumes can be created in the future. IN in this case I leave everything as it is and press the button Further.

In the next window we assign a letter to the volume. I leave the letter suggested by the system and press the button Further.

In the next window, you can only change the name of the volume label, or you can rename it later. Personally, I leave everything as it is and press the button Further.

After completing the creation of a simple volume and formatting, click the button Ready, and we see a new section, and having entered the area This PC - Devices and Drives, we will detect a new disk.

All that remains is to go back to System Protection (as described at the very beginning of the article) and enable system disk protection.

This is how you can partition your system disk without losing data.

In any case, I advise you to create backups disk and recovery point.

Video on how to crash a hard drive:

How to partition a hard drive after purchase or simply resize it

This article will tell you how to partition a hard drive. First, you need to figure out what it means to partition a hard drive (hdd, hard drive, hard drive), why it is needed, and whether it is worth doing.

To split a hard drive means to divide it into sections. Usually when purchased new hdd, it consists of one partition with a capacity of 500 GB, 1 Tr. etc.

Why is the size of the hard drive smaller than indicated on the package?

Although, or rather, in the operating system itself we do not see integers, for example 500 GB, but usually it is somewhere around 488 GB, for 1 tr. it's somewhere around 976 GB or less. Why is that? Simply because hard drive manufacturers calculate their capacity from 1000.

In fact, it is accepted in Windows binary system, which corresponds to 1 MB is 1024 kb., as you can see, not 1000, but 1024, so in increasing order.

In 1 tr. should be 1024 gigabytes, but the hard drive has only 1000, so you need to take and divide 1000 by 1024 real operating system calculations, we get the real 976 GB, it can be less, it depends on the operating system, as well as other characteristics.

The first question is, what does it mean to break a railway?

This means dividing it into parts. The hard drive has a size of, say, 976 GB, which is quite a substantial amount. If you are not going to store large collections movies, music or other files, then this volume should be quite enough for you.

Usually the hard drive is divided into at least two partitions.

The second question is, why do you need to split the hard drive into sections?

Let's figure it out:

  1. For faster operation of the operating system (OS)

The first one contains system files, that is, the installed OS, everything necessary programs, as well as drivers.

It is important to allocate a separate section for all this because having written it all down, windows files, movies, photos and many various other files, you thereby make it difficult for the operating system to access system files, that is, it increases the time it takes to search for them, as well as launch them.

This process is called fragmentation, it always exists because of it the hdd works slower, you can read how to get rid of it in the article disk defragmentation.

That is, based on the information presented above, you need to make at least two local disks, just so the computer or laptop will work faster.

2. For safety personal files

That is, you need to make at least two partitions in the process of partitioning the hard drive because the Windows OS needs to be reinstalled from time to time or it may stop starting on its own.

To reinstall it, you need to format the partition on which it will be installed. To format means to delete all data on it. You can learn more about the issue of formatting in the article formatting a hard drive.

And since there was only one section, it means that yours will also be deleted. important files, photos, videos that were also on it. To save yourself from such a bad situation in the future, you need to create at least two partitions or local disks.

On first windows with her work files, and on the second all yours important information, which at reinstalling windows will not be damaged because it is located on a separate local disk.

3. For games

If you often play modern computer games, That how to partition a disk the question is, there must be at least three local disks or partitions.

On the first Windows OS with its system files. The second section should be left for games, so that only games can be installed there. This is done by analogy with the first disk for the operating system described above.

That is, only games should be on the second disk, for the reason that if there are also various films, games and other information there, this will increase disk fragmentation, as a result of which the search time and access to game files will slow down, due to the large number of extraneous files.

That is, despite powerful computer, games will run slower. That is, to summarize, do you need to think about how to break up the railway? Of course, it is necessary if this was not done immediately after its purchase.

Having broken the hard drive, we get:

  • More fast work operating system
  • Security of personal files
  • Faster performance of modern games

And that's not all, just for regular user this is quite enough. How to properly partition a hard drive and with the help of which program, see the article which program is used to partition hard drives. In this article, we looked at the question of how to partition a hard drive.

Physical storage is displayed in the system as virtual volumes, also called local disks or partitions.

The drive can be represented by only one volume that can contain everything disk space and stores all your files. Or it can be divided into several volumes, between which all available space and files are distributed.

The first option is very common, but not the most practical. Storing OS components in the same place with movies, games and other entertainment content is not best idea. You or other computer users may accidentally touch important files. And if the system fails and it is needed, then the rest of the volume’s contents will be deleted along with the old OS.

Fortunately, you can always split your drive into two or more partitions. IN general outline The procedure goes like this: you take a certain amount of space from an existing volume and use this amount to create a new one.

For example, you can leave about 40–50 GB for the volume with the installed OS, and allocate the rest of the space for a new partition reserved for programs and entertainment content. In this case, system and personal files will be stored separately. And if you have to reinstall the system, your content will remain on the computer.

Before partitioning the disk, be sure to copy important files to other media. Your personal data shouldn't be harmed, but it's better to be safe.

The listed separation methods are suitable for both types of drives: traditional (HDD) and solid-state (SSD).

1. How to partition a disk in Windows

By regular means

For partitioning and other operations with drives in Windows, standard utility"Disk Management". To open it, right-click on the “This PC” shortcut and select “Manage” → “Disk Management”. You can launch the utility even faster using special team: press Windows keys+ R, paste into field diskmgmt.msc and click OK.

In the Disk Management window you will see a list local volumes(partitions) into which your drive is already divided. Among them there may be hidden system partitions that are not displayed in Explorer. This is normal, don't pay attention to them.

In the lower half of the window, right-click on the volume you want to split and select the “Shrink Volume” option.

Then specify the amount of data you want to allocate to the new volume and confirm compression.

As a result, the specified number will be displayed on the screen next to the selected volume free space, available for the new section. Right-click on this area and select “Create Simple Volume”.

If you have Windows XP, the compression option will most likely not be available. Then just right-click on the one you want to split and select “New Partition”. Further actions will be approximately the same for all OS versions.

When the New Volume Wizard appears on the screen, follow its prompts.

In the process, you will need to select the letter and label (name) of the section. When the wizard prompts you for a drive, select NTFS system and confirm your choice. After formatting, the created volume will appear in Explorer. If this does not happen, restart your computer.

In exactly the same way, you can partition the disk in the future, adding new volumes.

In a third party program

If for some reason you are unable to partition the disk using standard using Windows, try doing this in one of the third-party programs. For example, in the utility. It's free and compatible with everyone. Windows versions from XP to 10 and quite simple.

To partition a disk into MiniTool Partition Wizard, select the appropriate volume in the program and click Move/Resize Partition in the left panel. In the window that appears, in the Unallocated Space After field, specify the amount of free space that will be taken from the current volume in favor of the new one. Click OK.

A new nameless section marked Unallocated will appear in the main menu of the program. Right-click on it and select the Create command. In the next window, fill in the Drive Letter and Partition Label fields, select NTFS as the file system and click OK.

Returning to the main menu of MiniTool Partition Wizard, on top panel Click Apply to apply the changes. The computer will restart and display on a black screen white text. Wait and do not turn off the device. When Windows boots, the created volume will appear in Explorer.

2. How to partition a disk on macOS

If you have a Mac, then to split the drive you will need preset program"Disk Utility". It can be found in the Finder menu → Programs → Utilities.

By running " Disk Utility", in the left panel, select the disk that you want to partition and click on the "Partition" button.

A window will appear on the screen with further instructions, in which you can select the number, size and other parameters of new partitions.

When you have deposited everything necessary settings, click “Apply” and wait for the changes to take effect.

A hard drive is designed to permanently store information used when operating a computer. They are also called hard drives or hard drives. The abbreviation HDD also stands for hard drive in computer terminology. Hard disk is one of the most fast devices for writing and reading information, not counting RAM.

Most often, it is not convenient to use a hard drive as a single storage of information, so most users of PCs and laptops split the hard drive into partitions for convenience.

The concept of a hard drive partition

A partition (often referred to as a volume) is an area of ​​a hard drive that can be formatted for a specific file system. A partition or volume is designated by a letter of the Latin alphabet, for example F, E, H, Z, or other letters that are not currently used on this hard drive.

Type of computer hard drive

Types of hard disk partitions

Experts in modern computer terminology related to hard drive partitions distinguish three main types of volumes on a hard drive:

  • Primary (Primary partition);
  • Extended partition;
  • Logical partition.

The primary hard drive partition typically stores user data, programs, and operating system files. There can be more than one primary partition on a hard disk, but there cannot be more than four. It is impossible to install more than one operating system on one primary hard drive volume, so if you want to use several operating systems on one PC, split the hard drive into several partitions. And since there cannot be more than four primary partitions on one hard drive, there cannot be more than four installed operating systems either.

During each session of working with a computer, only one primary partition is active, the one from which the operating system was loaded. Many OSes can only boot from active volume on your hard drive.

An extended partition combines logical drives, which are also called logical partitions. You can create logical drives in an extended partition great amount. They can store various information, such as user data, applications, programs, personal photos, videos and documents, even operating system files that can be loaded not only from the primary partition.

Logical partitions are almost no different from extended partitions. Any logical drive is simply an area of ​​an extended partition.

Computer hard drive

Partitioning your hard drive

Many laptop owners personal computers after the purchase they think about the problem once hard division disk into partitions. The essence of this partition is to divide the computer's hard drive into two or more partitions. In most cases, create a local drive C containing the operating system and system folders, as well as local drive D on which they mainly store their favorite movies, music, photos, text documents etc. But not one, but several can be used to store personal data local disks and they can be named by any letters of the Latin alphabet.

Hard disk division occurs only formally

Advantages of partitioning your hard drive

Splitting your hard drive into several partitions has many advantages. For example, the most compelling advantage of this procedure is that personal files such as videos, photographs and documents will be stored on separate disk. Because if the need arises to reinstall the operating system, and formatting the disk with the OS is simply inevitable in this case, then all your personal files and folders will be saved.

There is, of course, another solution to this problem. Before reinstalling the operating system, move all important data to removable media, but this activity is quite labor-intensive, especially if the amount of information that needs to be saved amounts to tens or even hundreds of gigabytes. And if a situation arises when an emergency reinstallation of the operating system is necessary, access to personal files saved on a shared local drive along with the OS is no longer possible, important information will simply be lost.

This is what a computer's hard drive looks like when purchased in a store.

Storing system and personal files in different sections hard drive will be more convenient. It will be easier to find the information you are interested in, since each section will be less cluttered, and you will easily find necessary files or folders. In addition, an obvious advantage breaking down hard disk into partitions is that it is easier for the operating system to work with a less loaded partition, that is, the performance of the OS increases significantly.

Another advantage of dividing a hard drive into partitions is the ability to use several operating systems on one computer. For example, Windows 7 and Windows 8 or Windows XP can be installed on one hard drive, but for this the hard drive must be partitioned. If a failure occurs in one of the operating systems, you will have another operating system installed and ready to use.

To summarize, it is worth highlighting the main advantages of dividing a hard drive into partitions. So, the advantages of this procedure include:

  • ensuring the security of personal data even if failures occur in the OS;
  • high efficiency of organizing information stored on the hard drive;
  • increased OS performance due to less partition load;
  • the ability to install and use several operating systems on a computer.

A hard drive is a very complex device that provides fast access to stored information

Dividing a hard drive into partitions using built-in Windows OS tools

Since we have found out the main reasons why a hard drive is partitioned into partitions, we have become familiar with the main advantages that such a solution subsequently brings, we should consider in detail how to partition a hard drive into partitions in practice. local disks. Moreover, we will describe the algorithm for performing this procedure in relation to the most popular operating systems - Windows 7, 8 and 10.

Partitioning a hard drive in Windows 7

If your computer or laptop has the Windows 7 operating system installed, then to divide the hard drive into partitions, follow these steps:

Step 1. Right-click on the “Computer” icon on the desktop or in the “Start” panel, open the context menu, and click “Manage.”

Right-click on the Computer icon

Step 2. In the window that opens, select the “Disk Management” utility from the menu. After this, you will have to wait for a few seconds until a window with the hard drive structure opens.

Select Disk Management

Hard disk partitions

Step 3. To partition the hard drive you need to select a volume that has enough large space, but it’s worth remembering that it’s best to compress a non-system partition if possible. On the selected volume, right-click and context menu select “Shrink Volume”. A small window will open and you will still need to wait some time.

Select Shrink disk and wait a few seconds

Step 4. System offer available options compression. Will be indicated maximum values, but it is not recommended to use them, so reduce the size a little to the level required for you. This will be the size of the future logical drive. Enter the required values ​​in the boxes and click on the “Compress” button. Next, we wait again until the compression process is completed.

Maximum valid values to compress the volume

Step 5: Once the process is complete, a new partition will appear in the Disk Management window. A black stripe and the inscription “Not distributed” will be visible on the top of it. To convert it to volume of hard disk, right-click, then select “Create simple volume”.

Unallocated space on your hard drive

Step 6. The “Simple Volume Creation Wizard” will open, click “Next” and select the maximum size.

Creating a Simple Volume

Step 7. Assign from the proposed letters of the Latin alphabet the letter that will later become the name of the new section and click “Next”.

Working with the Simple Volume Wizard

Select the name of the future partition in the Simple Volume Creation Wizard

Step 8. Check the box next to “Format this volume as follows”; select the NTFS file system; cluster size – default; check the box next to “ Quick formatting" and click "Next".

Manually setting formatting options

Step 9. When the “Completing the Create Simple Volume Wizard” window appears, check all the data and click the “Finish” button.

Completing the Create Simple Volume Wizard

Step 10. And the new hard drive partition is ready!

Ready new section

So without using additional software You can easily and simply partition the hard drive on a computer or laptop with the Windows 7 operating system installed.

Partitioning a hard drive in Windows 8

Owners of Windows 8 OS can partition the hard disk also using the Disk Management utility, but to open this window you need to simultaneously hold down two Windows + R keys. As a result, the Run window will appear, enter “diskmgmt.msc” into the command line " just without quotes and press Enter button on the computer keyboard.

Next, the “Management” window will open, similar to that in the operating system discussed earlier. In order to create a new partition on your hard drive, you need to sequentially perform the same steps as in the algorithm described in Windows 7. That is, you perform all the manipulations described in steps 2-10.

Partitioning a hard drive in Windows 10

The hard drive on computers and laptops with the Windows 10 operating system installed can be divided into partitions using the same built-in Disk Management utility. Open this utility In Windows 10, you can open the Start menu. We type “Control Panel”, left-click on it and select “System and Security”.

Finding Control Panel in Windows 10

Control Panel in Windows 10

Hard disk structure

In the window that opens, scroll down the scroll bar and find the “Administration” item. IN at this point you need to find “Creating and formatting a hard disk”, click on it and wait a couple of seconds, after which a window with the “Disk Management” utility opens in front of us. We carry out further steps in full accordance with the hard drive division algorithm in Windows 7, again we do steps 2-10.

Other ways to create a new volume on a hard drive

It is worth mentioning that the Disk Management utility also allows you to delete sections of hard disk. You will need this if, for example, there is no more free space left, and you simply need to create a new volume. To do this, you can right-click on the hard disk partition to be deleted and select “Delete Volume”. An unallocated volume will appear in place of the deleted partition, which can be formatted to the parameters you require.

Removing a volume using Disk Management

The steps described in the algorithm show how to create a new partition using the compression method. But there is a way to create a new volume from unallocated space, which may appear after deleting a partition, as described in the paragraph above, or after previous divisions, there could simply be unallocated space on the hard disk, from which you can create a new volume by following steps 5-10 of the above algorithm .

In addition, it is possible to expand another of the existing volumes into the free space after deleting the old volume, or the partition can be expanded into unused unallocated space. To do this, click on the “Extend volume” item in the context menu, select “Next” and “Finish”.

Partitioning a hard drive when installing Windows OS

After starting the operating system loader, select the language, accept the terms License Agreement, and select " Full installation" The bootloader will prompt you to select a partition on which the operating system will subsequently be installed. Next, a window will open with a “Disk Settings” button. By clicking on this button, you will have access to all the tools that will allow you to work with disk space.

In this window, using the buttons, you can format the disk or disks, delete partitions, create new disks and select for them right size. Any changes you make will only take effect after you click the “Apply” button.

External hard drive

Dividing a hard drive with special programs

In addition to built-in tools, such as the Disk Management utility, they also use special programs, they are also called volume managers. On this moment there are a huge variety of them. The functionality of these programs allows you to perform many functions, not only dividing a hard disk into partitions. Among the most popular programs who received a large number of positive feedback, it is worth noting the following:

  • Acronis Disc Director;
  • Paragon Partition Manager;
  • AOMEI Partition Assistant;
  • Norton Partition Magic;
  • EASEUS Partition Master
  • Ranish etc.

Most of these programs can be downloaded for free on the Internet, in addition, many of them are available in Russian.

Control program hard drive Acronis Disc Director

Program hard control Paragon Partition Manager disk

Conclusion

The above describes in detail how to quickly and easily divide a hard drive into partitions using the built-in operating tools Windows systems in versions 7, 8 and 10. The option of how to partition the hard drive initially when installing the operating system on a computer or laptop is also considered. Here is a list of the most best programs to manage hard disk partitions according to user opinions.

The described benefits obtained from dividing a hard drive into partitions are simply undeniable. After all, this way you not only rationally use disk space, but also increase the performance of the operating system.