Windows partition resizing

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I want to “clone” one of my windows 10 hard drives. It’s a 1TB drive, over 90% freespace.

The windows system manager will only allow me to shrink it to 700gb.

The new ssd is 32GB so I need to resize the partition so I can clone it.

Can anyone recommend a way to do this, or do I have to reinstall windows again?
 
Give me until tomorrow to answer. I used a free bit of software that Did the deed flawlessly, shrinking one partition and moving the spare capacity to the c drive to give the operating system room to breathe.
 
Chris1979 said:
I want to “clone” one of my windows 10 hard drives. It’s a 1TB drive, over 90% freespace.

The windows system manager will only allow me to shrink it to 700gb.

The new ssd is 32GB so I need to resize the partition so I can clone it.

Can anyone recommend a way to do this, or do I have to reinstall windows again?
Click to expand...
TBH, 32Gb is barely enough to install/run W10 if it's the Boot drive - So, why do you want/need to do that anyway?
FWIW, I recently had to use a very old version (2011) of Acronis Disk Manager ( intended to run under W7) to do something similar on a disk in a USB enclosure connected to a pc running W10, and it worked OK to reduce the size of the boot drive of this nettop to a size that I was able then to clone the hard drive to an SSD.
 
jeallen01 said:
TBH, 32Gb is barely enough to install/run W10 if it's the Boot drive - So, why do you want/need to do that anyway?
FWIW, I recently had to use a very old version (2011) of Acronis Disk Manager ( intended to run under W7) to do something similar on a disk in a USB enclosure connected to a pc running W10, and it worked OK to reduce the size of the boot drive of this nettop to a size that I was able then to clone the hard drive to an SSD.
Click to expand...


Windows recommends 20gb minimum hard drive size to boot windows 10 from.

I will then use the 1TB drive as storage.

Just like I have done with one of my other windows machines.

I have a clone dock and a ssd sata to usb cable so I am able to plug them in to other operating systems if that will help.

It’s not a major problem if I do have to reinstall windows, just I would rather not as that machine has all my programs set up.

It’s a lot of grief to have to enter all the passwords and network links etc etc etc....

I am in no rush to do this as that machine is busy and will take a day or so to complete.

When I have it apart I need to replace the rom drive as that also packed up on me yesterday night.

This time it didn’t cost me anything as I had the parts sat waiting.
 
All the boot drive needs to do is hold/run windows 10 plus about 5 programs I switch between.

All the file storage will be the current 1TB os/storage drive.
 
I have a Linx 1010B that runs from a 32GB SSD.

Here's the System Storage table

Capture.webp
 
And the overall picture (literally)

Capture.webp
 
The main problem I found with small boot partitions is the amount of stuff that automatically gets dumped there, without any options to place it on another disk - and thus the boot partition files gradually get larger and larger and larger.
 
If of any inerest or use, here is my C: setup from main laptop, 50 GB partition from a 250 ssd, always ample space available as files goes on partition D: & second disk E:

Ref. file manager picture:

Hiberfile 6 GB
System restore 2,5 GB
Program files\data 5,5 GB
Pagefile 1,25 GB
Users 3,8 GB

Could free approx 12-15 GB by trimming \ moving stuff listed above. Free space is 18 GB, means I could easily run my laptop (w 8.1) on a sub 20 GB partition.

--------------

Regarding the original 32 GB ssd plan, here is what I would do, using Macrium Reflect:

If not already available, make the Reflect usb boot stick, test that pc boots from it.
Move everything from C: 1TB that should not be on the final ssd, to an external backup disk.
Image what is left on C: (os and needed files), include the hidden boot partition(s).
Fit ssd in pc, connect usb backup disk containing image.
Boot off macrium usb stick and restore image to ssd.
 

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4wd said:
Best Free Partition Manager for Windows | MiniTool Partition Free

32gb for os works ok imo. Especially if running without hibernate + setting a small paging file \ system restore size. That will leave space for many programs.
Click to expand...

Chris

Probably the same one, albeit a different version.

Download MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition - MajorGeeks

The process once started was slightly disconcerting (the information on the screen led me to think I had started partitioning the wrong sectors) but once completed everything was fine, and remains so after a fortnight.
 
I will have to give a couple of the programs mentioned a go a little later on.

Thanks guys for your help :cool:
 
4wd said:
Best Free Partition Manager for Windows | MiniTool Partition Free

32gb for os works ok imo. Especially if running without hibernate + setting a small paging file \ system restore size. That will leave space for many programs.
Click to expand...
Had a couple of goes with this, it managed to shrink it down to 36gb I need it to be a least 29gb or smaller.

Going to try a fresh install on the ssd with the old 1 tb disconnected, and see what size that comes out at.

The tool was really easy to use. I will now keep it in my go to software list :cool:
 
ref my c: folder size snip in post above, try http://freecommander.com/ with 'Size of folders' active, to clearly see what folder is taking up place, and easily start cleaning up \ moving stuff to external storage\backup.

With restore points deleted, no hiberfile, small pagefile, no amount of personal files\programs (and of course no windows.old or other forgotten remnants) result should rather be closer to 16 gb than 36 :O)
 
4wd said:
ref my c: folder size snip in post above, try http://freecommander.com/ with 'Size of folders' active, to clearly see what folder is taking up place, and easily start cleaning up \ moving stuff to external storage\backup.

With restore points deleted, no hiberfile, small pagefile, no amount of personal files\programs (and of course no windows.old or other forgotten remnants) result should rather be closer to 16 gb than 36 :O)
Click to expand...

just done a fresh install of windows 10 plus my app so far its only 12.1gb used. so far so good:cool:
 
finished setting up this pc, with the new ssd.

Capture.webp

all my programs are all installed and configured, also set the old 1TB drive as the storage drive.

my documents, videos, music etc sit on the 1TB drive.

quite chuffed with this upgrade. this old dell has never been so fast :cool: plus the ssd only cost £32.
 
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