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Reallocating Disk Space

Anonymous
2020-06-25T16:22:55+00:00

I have 2TB of storage divided into two drives, C and D. I continue to get messages that I'm running out of disk space on drive C (currently allocated at 118 GB) so I tried to shrink drive D (with 1.4 TB of available space) in order to expand drive C. The process of shrinking drive D worked per MS guidance but when I went to reallocate the freed up space to expand drive C the "expand" command was shadowed out and I was unable to expand drive C. Am I missing something in the mechanics of reallocating space? Has anyone experienced a similar problem and, if so, can you share how this can be facilitated?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. DaveM121 869.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2020-06-26T06:29:46+00:00

    Hi Ken, Windows Explorer is useless when it comes to working out where your hard drive space is being used . . .

    Click the link below to download a small free utility called Treesize. Using that tool, you will instantly see where this space is being used

    https://www.jam-software.com/treesize_free/

    Please provide a screenshot of your C drive in that TreeSize utility for analysis . . .

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  1. DaveM121 869.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2020-06-25T20:23:15+00:00

    Hi Ken

    Thank you fro the screenshot, your drive and partition layout is as I thought is would be, that is why I needed to see that . . .

    You have two physically separate driver, a 128GB SSD (118.02GB usable) and a separate 2TB hard drive

    You cannot add space form that 2TB drive onto your C drive, because it is a physically separate drive . ..

    To make more space on your 128GB SSD, here are a few tips on the best wayto manage space on that SSD:

    1.

    Move all your User Library folders to D:

    Open Windows File Explorer

    In the right hand pane, right click your Documents folder and choose Properties

    Select the Location tab

    In the Location box, type D:\Documents then click Apply and Ok

    When that move completes, do the same for Pictures, Videos and Music

    Each time, provide a new folder location, for example, Pictures will go to D:\Pictures

    2.

    Move the location of all future content downloaded from the Microsoft Store

    Open the Settings App (gear icon on your Start Menu)

    Go to System - Storage - Change where new content is saved:

    Change all options you find there to D

    3.

    If you are a Steam Gamer

    Stop all processes associated with Steam

    Move the Steam folder to your D drive manually

    Then open the Steam Control Panel and point that to the new location

    4.

    Please Note: this should ideally be done before you begin installing any software

    For 3rd party applications, some will allow you to choose an installation location, for those, create a new Program files folder on your D drive, then for each application, create a new sub-folder of that folder

    Other 3rd party applications will not allow you to change the installation location, and there is no safe way to move those to your D drive . . .

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  4. DaveM121 869.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2020-06-25T16:25:56+00:00

    Hi KenF-MD

    I need to see the partition table on your drive(s) to provide you with a solution . . .

    Open Disk Management (accessible by right clicking your Start Button)

    Make sure your drive(s) are visible in the bottom pane

    Then please provide a screenshot of that Disk Management window . . .

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