Resize Windows OS Partition

What is OS partition?

The OS partition is the disk partition that contains the Windows Operating System files and its support files. Generally, it is also being called system partition or C drive. It is the most important part of hard disk with system and programs installed in it.

Working as the head of computer, OS partition will influent the performance of your computer to a large degree, especially the performance and speed. Thus how to optimize the OS partition for quick response?

Usually, 5 GB free disk space in OS partition is quite enough for use. This 5 GB free disk space in OS partition has the same function as Swap of Linux system. If you get too much free space in OS partition, the rest is wasted.

The tools that help you to resize OS partition

As a matter of fact, Windows has its own partition management tools, like: Fdisk in DOS, Disk Management Tool in Windows to help users resize OS partition. However, these tools don't support resizing OS partition feature until Windows Vista or more advanced Windows systems, like Windows 2003 server, Windows 7. So here we may only talk about Disk Management tool in Vista and the third party of OS partition resizing software.

Disk Management Tool

You may check the tutorial that how Disk Management Tool shrink or extend partition. However there are two points that may disappoint you:

1. When you resize OS partition on Windows Vista. It only supports NTFS file system, the slow shrink performance and also lacks of some advanced functions, including move, hide your partition and make a partition scheme. In my opinion, the most inconvenience is that you cannot use a graphic interface to move/resize a partition by dragging. If it can do that, more computer beginners will be attracted.

2. If you want to extend OS partition, the only choice for you is to delete the partition which locates the right side of OS partition, and then add this deleted free space into OS partition.

So, if you just want to shrink some free space from a certain partition and add it into OS partition, you have to use third party OS partition resizing software, like EASEUS Partition Master.

Resize OS Partition with Partition Software

Before you perform this Windows OS partition resizing with this free partition software, there is one thing users must notice. When you try to install this partition manager, please do not allow your firewall to block the files which will be installed into your computer, otherwise it cannot work.

Below are the basic operations for resizing OS partition by this partition manager:

1. Select the hard disk partition to be resized.

2. Click Partitions > Resize / Move.

3. On the disk map, current size of the partition is displayed on the top of the dialog box. The map also depicts the used and unused space within the partition and the free space surrounding the partition (if any exists). The minimum and maximum sizes that you can resize a partition appear below the map.

4. Position the mouse pointer on the left or right partition handle.

5. The mouse pointer changes to a double-headed arrow.

6. Drag the handle to the partition size you want.

7. Click OK.

There are five editions of EASEUS Partition Master, and each edition is for special group. Home Edition is for home users (free), Professional Edition is for 64 bit pc users, Server Edition is for Server users, Unlimited Edition and Technician Edition is for IT Consultant.

For better data security, you may also use the free backup software software - EASEUS Todo Backup, which will help you a lot. It provides easy-to-use interface to backup and restore your system, disk and partition within minutes.

Related articles:

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• How to Use the Fdisk and Format Tools?
• How can I expand a partition under Windows?
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• Manage the disk partitions with a reliable partition software
• How to solve "low disk space" warning?
• How to increase boot partition size?
• How to Resize Boot Partition with ease?