How to Partition Hard Drive with Partition Manager

Theo Lucia

Dec 16, 2024 • Filed to: Windows Computer Solutions • Proven solutions

A partition hard drive refers to a distinct storage space on a hard drive. It is a tiny portion of a large hard drive. Essentially, a partition is only a logical division from the whole drive. Drive partitioning is easy to do now that many Operating Systems allow it. You can divide your hard drive as you wish. If you want to run more than one Operating System, you can create two or more partitions. The OS will recognize the partitions you have made as separate hard drives, even though they are just a small fraction of a whole hard drive. When you partition your drive several times, you can avoid doing multiple hard drive installations just to be able to boot to a different Operating System.

Part 1: Why you Need Partition Hard Drive

One of the main reasons why a computer user may split their hard disk drive into several partitions is so that they can organize their data more effectively. For instance, a Windows PC user may decide to keep their OS and applications on a single hard disk partition and the user data on the next hard disk partition. This can be so beneficial should a problem attack your Microsoft Windows software. You can format the OS partition and reinstall it without affecting your data partition.

Another reason why one may partition their drive is, so they can achieve smaller partitions with tinier cluster sizes. Cluster size can be described as the tiniest piece of data that a partition can cache. Having a smaller disk partition with a smaller cluster size is helpful because you can squeeze a file that could require up to 16 KB of storage space (in a large partition) in a 4 KB storage space. This is a nice way to store a big number of small files.

It is extremely imperative to make the hard drive available to an OS. But what if the hard drive is larger than the partition size allowed by the operating system? The best way out is to split your large hard disk into several partitions. When a whole family or group of people have to share a computer, the only way to ensure that they keep files separately without affecting how they share them is to create many disk partitions.

Part 2: How to partition a hard drive in Windows

The partition hard drive in Windows is rather easy to create. Thanks to the high level of technology owned by Microsoft, you can do it even without enough computer knowledge. The tips provided below are meant for users of Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The following are easy steps you should follow:

Step 1. Open Disk Management

This tool is incorporated in all Windows versions that allow the user to partition their hard drive. If you are using Windows 8/8.1 or Windows 10, use Power User Menu to open Disk Management.

partition hard drive

As soon as the Disk Management starts, an Initialize Disk window will emerge showing this text: You must initialize a disk before Logical Disk Manager can access it.

Hint: If this window doesn’t show up, don’t bother, go to step 4.

Note: However, if you use Windows XP, you will instead notice an Initialized and Convert Disk Wizard screen. So, follow the wizard and don’t click the Convert disk option unless you have to. Go to step 4 when you finish.

Step 2. Locate the hard drive to partition.

This can be picked from the drive map shown at the bottom of your Disk Management window.

Hint: Maximize Disk Management or Computer Management to view all the available drives. Any drive without partitioning will be absent from the drive list at the top of your window.

Note: A new drive will appear as unallocated on a dedicated row named Disk I. However, if the drive you intend to partition is a component of an existing drive, the term unallocated will appear close to the available partitions.

Vital: If you cannot view the drive you wish to partition, you might have installed it wrongly. Shut down your PC and check if your hard drive is well installed.

Step 3. Choose Simple Volume

Tap and hold or right-click anywhere on the drive you wish to partition. Then choose New Simple Volume. If partitioning Windows XP, the option is known as New Partition.

Step 4. Click Next

When the New Simple Volume Wizard window appears, click Next. In Windows XP, the Select Partition Type screen will show up next. Then you will need to select Primary partition. There is an extended partition that is only useful when creating more than 5 partitions on one hard drive. Click Next after finishing.

Step 5. Specify Volume Size

Click Next on the Specify Volume Size stage to verify the size of the drive you want to create. Note: The default size in Simple Volume Size in MB: field should be similar to the amount shown in the Maximum disk space in MB: field. Hence, you will create a space equal to the whole space on the physical hard drive.

Tip: Make as many multiple partitions as you wish, determining the size for each.

Step 6. Assign Drive Letter or Path

Click Next on this: Assign Drive Letter or Path. But do this if the default drive letter you view is fine with you.

Note: Windows will automatically assign the first accessible drive letter but will skip A and B— on most PCs, these appear as D or E. Assign the following drive letter as the available option. This letter can be altered later on.

Step 7. Do not format this volume

Next, pick Do not format this volume on the Format partition step. Then, click Next.

Note: You may format your drive at this point if you understand what is going on.

Step 8. Confirm your choices after completing the New Simple Volume Wizard screen.

Results may vary based on the type of hard disk and computer you use.

Step 9. Now click the Finish button.

Windows will partition the drive in a few seconds. The partitioning process ends when you see the new drive letter emerge in the listing at the top of DM (Disk Management).

Step 10. Windows attempts to open the new drive

These messages will appear: You need to format the disk in Drive D before you can use it. Do you want to format it? Note that Drive D will be the letter you chose above. This drive D appears as an example. However, the messages don’t appear in older versions— Windows Vista and Windows XP.

Step 11. Click Cancel and go to the next step

You may format your drive if you are familiar with the process. Just click Format disk

12. Continue to our Format a hard drive tutorial.

You can also use a third-party partition manager tool like MiniTool Partition Wizard to create/resize/copy/delete partitions.