How to add/merge Unallocated space in Windows Server 2016
Besides basic ability to create, delete and format partition, Disk Management has “Shrink Volume” and “Extend Volume” functions to help change partition size. Many people shrunk partition with this native tool successfully but cannot add Unallocated to C drive or other partition. In this article, I’ll introduce how to merge Unallocated space to C drive in Windows Server 2016 step by step.
To add or merge Unallocated space in Windows Server 2016, Disk Management can only help you delete a partition and combine Unallocated space to the left contiguous partition. For example, delete D drive and add Unallocated space to C drive. If you want to merge Unallocated space to right contiguous or any nonadjacent partition, you must run third party software.
Merge Unallocated space in Server 2016 Disk Management
Step 1: Right click the left adjacent partition such as C: drive in Disk Management and select “Extend Volume…”
Step 2: In the pop-up window, all available Unallocated space is selected by default. Click Next or enter a smaller amount by yourself.
Step 3: Confirm the operation and click “Finish” to proceed.
If there is another drive between C drive and the Unallocated space, Extend Volume is grayed out when you right click C drive.
Some people want to shrink D and expand C drive. But they cannot combine Unallocated space to C drive after shrinking D. Because “Extend Volume” function can only extend NTFS partition with adjacent Unallocated space. As the screenshot above, Unallocated space that shrunk from D is nonadjacent to C drive. To merge Unallocated space to C drive in Windows Server 2016, you should run third party software to move Unallocated space to the left in advance.
How to move Unallocated space to the left (behind C drive)
When moving Unallocated space, the contiguous partition on the left or right will be moved at the same time. All files in this partition will be moved to new location, too. Therefore, you’d better back up this partition in advance and run safe software.
Better than other tools, NIUBI Partition Editor has 1-Second Rollback technology to protect system and data. If it detects error why moving partition, it reverts server to original status in a flash automatically. So you wont’ waste a long time to restore. In addition, its advanced file-moving algorithm helps move partition 30% to 300% faster. This is very helpful if there are large amount of files in the partitions.
Steps to move Unallocated space in Windows Server 2016 to the left:
Step 1: Download NIUBI Partition Editor, right click D: drive and select “Resize/Move Volume“.
Step 2: In the pop-up window, drag the middle of D drive towards right.
Click OK and back to the main window, Unallocated space is moved to the left (behind C: drive). Click Apply on top left to take effect.
How to add/merge Unallocated space to C drive in Windows Server 2016:
Step 1: Right click C: drive and select “Resize/Move Volume” again. In the pop-up window, drag right border rightwards to combine this Unallocated space.
Click Apply in the main window to execute. All operations before clicking Apply only work in virtual mode.
Besides help move and merge Unallocated space in Windows Server 2016/2019/2022/2003/2008/2012, NIUBI Partition Editor helps you do many other disk partition clone, conversion and management operations.