How to Extend a Partition on Windows Server
Extending the C drive on a Windows Server involves several steps, which can vary slightly depending on your server’s configuration and the version of Windows Server you are using. Here’s a guide:
1. Check Available Space
Before extending the C drive, you need to ensure that there is unallocated space on the same physical disk. If there’s no unallocated space, you’ll need to free up space or add a new disk.
- Open Disk Management:
Right-click the Start button and select Disk Management.
Alternatively, you can press Win + X and choose Disk Management.
- Check for Unallocated Space:
Look for unallocated space on the disk where your C drive is located. If you don’t see any unallocated space, you may need to shrink another partition or add a new disk.
2. Shrink Another Partition (If Necessary)
If there’s no unallocated space, you may need to shrink an adjacent partition to create space.
- Shrink a Partition:
In Disk Management, right-click the partition adjacent to C (usually D or another drive) and select Shrink Volume.
Enter the amount of space you want to shrink. This space will be converted into unallocated space.
3. Extend the C Drive
Once you have unallocated space adjacent to the C drive, you can extend the C drive.
- Extend the C Drive:
In Disk Management, right-click the C drive and select Extend Volume.
The Extend Volume Wizard will start. Click Next.
Select the amount of space to add to the C drive from the available unallocated space. Click Next, and then Finish.
4. Using Diskpart (Command Line Tool)
If Disk Management doesn’t work, you can use the command line tool diskpart
.
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator:
Press Win + X and choose Windows Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
Type diskpart
and press Enter.
- Use Diskpart to Extend Volume:
- Type
list disk
and press Enter to see a list of disks. - Type
select disk X
(replace X with the number of the disk containing the C drive) and press Enter. - Type
list volume
and press Enter to see a list of volumes. - Type
select volume Y
(replace Y with the number of the C drive volume) and press Enter. - Type
extend
and press Enter. This will extend the C drive using all available unallocated space.
5. Verify the Changes
After extending the C drive, ensure that the changes have been applied successfully.
- Check Disk Space:
Open File Explorer and check the C drive’s properties to verify the new size.
- Verify in Disk Management:
Open Disk Management again to ensure the C drive reflects the increased size.