- 1 year ago
How can I move unallocated space to a different disk? (Windows)
To move unallocated space to a different disk in Windows, you can follow these steps:
Note: This process involves modifying disk partitions, which can result in data loss if not performed correctly. It is crucial to have a backup of your important data before proceeding.
Launch Disk Management: Open the Disk Management utility in Windows. You can do this by right-clicking the Start button and selecting "Disk Management" from the context menu.
Identify the Unallocated Space: In the Disk Management window, locate the unallocated space. It will be shown as a black bar without a drive letter or any file system assigned.
Shrink Existing Partition: If the unallocated space is located after an existing partition on the source disk, you need to shrink that partition to create free space. Right-click the partition preceding the unallocated space and select "Shrink Volume." Specify the amount of space to shrink and create free space.
Create New Partition: Right-click on the unallocated space and select "New Simple Volume" to create a new partition. Follow the on-screen instructions to specify the size, file system, and drive letter for the new partition.
Format the New Partition: Once the new partition is created, right-click on it and select "Format." Choose the desired file system (e.g., NTFS) and complete the formatting process.
Copy or Move Data: Now that you have the new partition, you can copy or move data from the source disk to the newly created partition on the different disk.
Delete Source Partition (Optional): If you no longer need the original source partition on the source disk, you can right-click on it and select "Delete Volume" to remove it. Note that this step will permanently delete all data on the source partition, so be cautious and ensure you have a backup.
By following these steps, you can effectively move unallocated space to a different disk and create a new partition on that disk. Remember to exercise caution and back up your data before performing any disk partition operations.