 Vista "expand Volume" Problem |
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 Mar 28 2008, 10:44 AM
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New Member  Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: 28-March 08 Member No.: 199,361  |
I have a problem with expanding one of my hard drive partitions. When I try to click on the E: drive in order to expand it, the "Expand" option is greyed out. Here are the details: I have a 500gb drive. It is divided into 3 partitions: C, D, E, and the system resides on C. I have 377gb of unassigned disk space. C=39gb D=39gb E=49gb. On E I just have some games installed, but i would like to expand it. What should I do, to enable the Expand option? If I do everything correctly according to the tutorial from your website it is still greyed out. Does vista have any options which eg. limit availavble disk space? Maybe that could be the problem? I would be grateful for any help. PS: my OS = Vista ultimate, 100% legal and activated. I have sevice pack 1. |
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Mar 28 2008, 02:57 PM
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 Multi Megaton Malware Munition Group: HJT Team Posts: 5,003 Joined: 17-January 08 From: Northfield, Ohio Member No.: 184,215 |
Have you run chkdsk on e?
Billy3 -------------------- The forum is always a busy place. In the event I fail to reply within twenty-four hours, feel free to send me a PM.
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Mar 28 2008, 03:53 PM
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 Still visually handicapped, new avatar :0) Group: Moderator Posts: 14,662 Joined: 2-October 05 From: Southeastern CT, USA Member No.: 35,824 |
I don't have a disk with any unallocated space handy to check on this - but what happens if you format the unallocated space?
-------------------- - John
**If you need a more detailed explanation, please ask for it. I have the Knack. ** |
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Mar 28 2008, 03:55 PM
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#4
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New Member Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: 28-March 08 Member No.: 199,361 |
Billy: I just performed a chkdsk e: - no bad sectors were found. After the operation the "Expand" option is still greyed out:( Any other tips?
usasma: theres no option to format unallocated space. |
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Mar 28 2008, 03:57 PM
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#5
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Multi Megaton Malware Munition Group: HJT Team Posts: 5,003 Joined: 17-January 08 From: Northfield, Ohio Member No.: 184,215 |
Formatting unallocated space will create a new partition, which we cannot do. My guess is that your E drive is located on an extended partition, and is therefore a logical partition. To my understanding, vista cannot expand logical volumes. You'll need something like Acronis Disk Director for that.
Billy3 -------------------- The forum is always a busy place. In the event I fail to reply within twenty-four hours, feel free to send me a PM.
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Mar 28 2008, 04:09 PM
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#6
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New Member Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: 28-March 08 Member No.: 199,361 |
Yes, both d: and e: drives are labeled as:
Healthy(Logical drive) I dont know if this is an accurate translation, but I have a Polish copy of Vista;) Anyways...if I use the suggested software, should i be prepared to lose data on e:, or maybe even on all partitions, or is the operation safe? |
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Mar 28 2008, 04:18 PM
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#7
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Multi Megaton Malware Munition Group: HJT Team Posts: 5,003 Joined: 17-January 08 From: Northfield, Ohio Member No.: 184,215 |
Acronis can resize non-destructively, but it is not free
 .Something like Ranish Partition Manager can do it for free, but will wipe the partition in the process. Billy3 -------------------- The forum is always a busy place. In the event I fail to reply within twenty-four hours, feel free to send me a PM.
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Mar 28 2008, 04:26 PM
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#8
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New Member Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: 28-March 08 Member No.: 199,361 |
I saw a free trial version of acronis - maybe it would do well for a one time job.
Thanks for help! |
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Mar 28 2008, 04:38 PM
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 Visiting Alien Group: Members Posts: 4,985 Joined: 20-May 07 From: millenium falcon and rockytop Member No.: 131,963 |
create a new logical drive and format it
-------------------- Chewy
life is like a box of chocolates and stupid is as stupid does but you can always run |
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Mar 28 2008, 05:44 PM
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#10
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Still visually handicapped, new avatar :0) Group: Moderator Posts: 14,662 Joined: 2-October 05 From: Southeastern CT, USA Member No.: 35,824 |
I'm confused. Why can't we create and format a partition in the unallocated space? Should be simply initializing the unallocated space, creating a partition and then formatting the partition (haven't done this recently in Vista).
-------------------- - John
**If you need a more detailed explanation, please ask for it. I have the Knack. ** |
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Mar 28 2008, 06:33 PM
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#11
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Multi Megaton Malware Munition Group: HJT Team Posts: 5,003 Joined: 17-January 08 From: Northfield, Ohio Member No.: 184,215 |
Vista can expand the volume just fine. It cannot, however, expand the extended partition in which that volume resides, hense the problem
Billy3 -------------------- The forum is always a busy place. In the event I fail to reply within twenty-four hours, feel free to send me a PM.
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Mar 28 2008, 06:51 PM
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#12
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Visiting Alien Group: Members Posts: 4,985 Joined: 20-May 07 From: millenium falcon and rockytop Member No.: 131,963 |
QUOTE(Billy O @ Mar 28 2008, 07:33 PM)  Vista can expand the volume just fine. It cannot, however, expand the extended partition in which that volume resides, hense the problem Billy3 I made an extended partition and logical drive and then expanded that into the primary partition after shrinking it. It will not expand a partition into unpartitioned space I am with John on this, no need for acronis QUOTE Formatting unallocated space will create a new partition, which we cannot do. My guess is that your E drive is located on an extended partition, and is therefore a logical partition. To my understanding, vista cannot expand logical volumes. You'll need something like Acronis Disk Director for that. You create a new extended partition and logical drive in it and then format. This post has been edited by DaChew: Mar 28 2008, 06:55 PM -------------------- Chewy
life is like a box of chocolates and stupid is as stupid does but you can always run |
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Mar 28 2008, 07:02 PM
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#13
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Multi Megaton Malware Munition Group: HJT Team Posts: 5,003 Joined: 17-January 08 From: Northfield, Ohio Member No.: 184,215 |
QUOTE It will not expand a partition into unpartitioned space Really? Because... I run Vista... and I've done this several times before..... Oh well. QUOTE You create a new extended partition and logical drive in it and then format. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning A hard disk can contain only one extended partition. I think GPartEd should be able to expand the extended partition, and then you should be able to use Vista to extend the volume. (Non destructively) Billy3 -------------------- The forum is always a busy place. In the event I fail to reply within twenty-four hours, feel free to send me a PM.
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Mar 28 2008, 07:27 PM
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#14
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Visiting Alien Group: Members Posts: 4,985 Joined: 20-May 07 From: millenium falcon and rockytop Member No.: 131,963 |
It would be nice to know what unassigned space meant, I assumed it was unallocated in the extended partition which was ALL the drive left after creating the primary or primaries?
-------------------- Chewy
life is like a box of chocolates and stupid is as stupid does but you can always run |
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Mar 28 2008, 07:31 PM
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#15
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Multi Megaton Malware Munition Group: HJT Team Posts: 5,003 Joined: 17-January 08 From: Northfield, Ohio Member No.: 184,215 |
Nope. An extended partition is a primary partition, into which logical volumes volumes can be created.
QUOTE(Wikipedia) A PC hard disk can contain either as many as four primary partitions, or 1-3 primaries and a single extended partition. Billy3 -------------------- The forum is always a busy place. In the event I fail to reply within twenty-four hours, feel free to send me a PM.
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