Expand C: drive space on Windows 11

Forums › Microsoft Windows › Expand C: drive space on Windows 11 - is it possible?

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Oblivian

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#3335008 24-Jan-2025 10:19

You also have 2 recovery partitions.

Guessing this was a different OS in a previous life.

You only really need one, and 500-900 usually covers it.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/configure-uefigpt-based-hard-drive-partitions?view=windows-11#partition-layout

Some definite clean-up can be done. But if not done from within windows or a bitlocker aware app you'll need to unlock those first or make sure you have a recovery key

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/windows-security/suspend-bitlocker-protection-non-microsoft-updates

quickymart

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#3335013 24-Jan-2025 10:51

No, this was a brand new Dell laptop still in the box, came with Windows 11 installed when I got it. Apart from Windows updates I've never changed the OS.

SpartanVXL

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#3335025 24-Jan-2025 11:41

Short of dual booting another OS, and even then it’s annoying with windows+anything, I wouldn’t use partitions anymore for simple use cases. Just use folders or lvm in linux.

Windows is very large nowadays to the point that 128GB SSD’s aren’t large enough. As someone else pointed out there is a bunch of stuff taking up space, especially during major version release. It’s not entirely pointless, windows.old for example lets you revert back completely after an upgrade if something is wrong.

timmmay

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#3335027 24-Jan-2025 11:48

SpartanVXL: Short of dual booting another OS, and even then it’s annoying with windows+anything, I wouldn’t use partitions anymore for simple use cases. Just use folders or lvm in linux.

Windows is very large nowadays to the point that 128GB SSD’s aren’t large enough. As someone else pointed out there is a bunch of stuff taking up space, especially during major version release. It’s not entirely pointless, windows.old for example lets you revert back completely after an upgrade if something is wrong.

Windows is maybe 60GB from memory, but with updates taking up space plus software especially games you do need a decent amount of space. I find 200GB is easily enough, but I don't have games just office / dev tools / photography and video tools.

networkn

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#3335146 24-Jan-2025 13:10

Free partition manager will do this for you really quickly and easily. Pause Bitlocker, and make sure you have bulletproof backups.

quickymart

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#3335164 24-Jan-2025 13:48

networkn:

Free partition manager

Thanks, can you suggest one (or is this the actual name of it)?

quickymart

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#3335395 24-Jan-2025 22:03

Actually I think I might just move everything off D:, delete the partition and extend C: and do it that way.

Yes, eventually I will get a newer, larger hard drive but given we've just had Christmas money is a bit tight at the moment so I'll have to hold off for the moment.

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networkn

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#3335405 24-Jan-2025 22:30

https://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html

quickymart

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#3341716 11-Feb-2025 21:22

To close this out - I ended up moving everything from the D: partition, deleting it, installing the update for Windows 11 on the increased C: drive (had to resetup network sharing afterwards as it stopped working), and re-created D: but this time I divvied up the space more evenly, so they both have a reasonable amount of room to go around now.

Yes, a new hard drive is probably the ultimate goal here as finances permit, but this will do for now.

Thanks for all the suggestions, they were very appreciated 🙂

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