If you are the type who likes to build your own computer or upgrade components such as hard drives when needed, then you might have run into issues here and there that require some troubleshooting on your part to resolve. When adding a hard drive to your computer to install Windows on, you have the option to not use the entire drive and leave space unallocated if desired. But when you do this, you might find that Windows adds its own partitions such as recovery partitions to your drive.
As you probably know, Windows uses partitions on your hard drive to segregate space allowing you to divide up your storage space to do things such as have multiple hard drives on one physical hard drive. For example, your computer might have a C and a D drive yet only have one hard drive installed inside of your computer itself.
As you create partitions on your hard drive, they will use free space in a contiguous fashion and most people don’t pay attention to how this space is used or really even care. But there might come a time when this causes a problem like in the example we will be going over in this article.
The computer in question has a 60 GB system partition (C drive) and we want to add more space to it since we will be running out of room eventually. As you can see in the figure below, there is a 100 MB EFI System Partition used for UEFI boot purposes. Then we have the 60 GB system partition that contains Windows and finally a 495 MB recover partition. This information can be seen using the Windows Disk Management tool.
Fortunately, this hard drive (Disk 0) had some free space left so we expanded it by 20 GB and the results are shown below as unallocated space. In order to use this extra 20 GB we will need to either make a new partition/volume or use it to extend a current volume.
Since we want to extend the C drive on this computer, we will right click on the 60 GB partition and choose Extend Volume but as you can see, the option is greyed out. This is because the 495 MB recovery partition is in between the C drive and the 20 GB of unallocated space that we need to use.
Why is the Extend Volume Option Greyed Out?
It is a common frustration for Windows users: you have unallocated space, but Windows won’t let you use it. This happens because Disk Management is a “destructive” tool, it cannot move the physical location of data on the platter or flash cells.
In the image below, you can see that the Recovery Partition is physically sitting between the C: drive and the free space. Because Windows cannot “jump over” that recovery partition, the Extend Volume option remains disabled until that middle partition is moved to the end of the drive.
Is Moving Partitions Safe?
Whenever you modify the partition table of a boot drive, there is a risk of data loss if the process is interrupted. Before using NIUBI or any other partition manager, keep these three safety tips in mind:
- Plug in your power: If you are on a laptop, ensure it is connected to a charger.
- Avoid Background Tasks: Close heavy programs like games or video editors before starting the move.
- The “Pending” Rule: One of the best features of NIUBI is that it doesn’t execute changes immediately. Always double-check the “Pending Operations” list in the bottom left before hitting Apply.
To get around this problem we are going to use a third party application called NIUBI Partition Manager to move the recovery partition out of the way since it is what is causing the problem. The Windows Disk Management tool doesn’t have a way to move partitions around.
You can download the free home edition of the software to perform this task but they do have a professional version that has many more features but will cost you some money at the same time.
Once you download and install the software you can run it to have it show you a similar looking interface to Device Manager. As you can see in the image below, the 495 MB partition is shown highlighted in yellow since it has been selected by clicking on it.
Step 1: Right-click the partition that is “in the way” (the 495 MB Recovery Partition) and select Resize/Move Volume.
Step 2: In the pop-up window, place your mouse in the middle of the partition and drag it to the right. You will see the unallocated space move to the left in the preview. Click OK.
Step 3: Now that the map looks correct, you must click the Apply button in the top left. NIUBI will then perform the physical move. This may require a reboot if the partition is currently in use by Windows.
When we go back to Disk Management, we will see that the partitions have been rearranged. If the change are not shown then you might have to click on the Action menu and then on Rescan Disks.
Now when we right click on the system drive, we have the option to extend the volume which will allow us to add the 20 GB of unallocated space to the existing 60 GB C drive.
To get more information about NIUBI Partition Editor and to download the free home edition, check out their website.
NIUBI Partition Editor: Frequently Asked Questions
Does NIUBI work with Windows 11?
Yes, the Home Edition is fully compatible with Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7.
What if the Apply button is greyed out?
Make sure you have actually dragged the partition in the “Move/Resize” window. NIUBI needs a “pending operation” before the Apply button becomes active.
Will this delete my Recovery Partition?
No, this process simply changes the location of the partition on the disk. Your recovery tools will still function normally as long as the process completes successfully.
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