Switching default hard drives

[aalmuhannadi]

Hi,

 

So I just bought a new laptop 3 or 4 days ago I think. It runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. So its specs included a "1TB HDD" (500GB+500GB 7200RPM). Under the 'Computer' in Windows 7, it shows that there are 4 hard drives (or they could be separate partitions of the 2 hard drives for all I know), which add up the memory to around 950 or 900GB, which is agreeable.

 

My issue here is, I've already used up the first C: drive completely, and now Windows is prompting me constantly to free up space so that I may continue storing data on it. But there are 3 free hard drives which I do not know how to make Windows use. It's brand new, so I doubt that it was because of something I did wrong. I will attach a picture to show what I mean more clearly.

 

Thank you.

[featured_spectre]

They are partitions of the drives. Most likely 2x 500GB drives split evenly.

 

When installing programs, pick one of the drives and it will install perfectly fine

[Arthur]

Since you are using Windows 7 you could delete the extra unnecessary partitions (using the Disk Management console), extend the C: drive to the full 500GB (Right-Click > Extend Volume) and create a single 500GB partition on the second hard drive.

 

Using partitions is a bad way to organize data, because as you have already found out, you will run out of space on one while the others have plenty.

[aalmuhannadi]

Can you please provide me with instructions as I'm a complete beginner to Windows 7. Thanks.

[Arthur]

Would it be possible to post a screenshot of what your Disk Management Console looks like? To do this, click the Start button, type diskmgmt.msc into the search box and then press Enter.

 

Do you currently have any data you wish to keep on the Data, SData1 & SData2 partitions?

[aalmuhannadi]

 

There it is. Wait 1 minute I'll post something else.

[aalmuhannadi]

The 2 partitions on the 2nd drive are completely empty (SDATA1+2). The second partition of the first hard drive (DATA) has these files on it (screenshot), which I don't know if they're important or not.

Edited July 3, 2011 by aalmuhannadi

[Arthur]

Thanks for the screenshots. I'll post some instructions shortly.

 

The files in the second screenshot look like they are from one of the Visual C++ redistributable installers, so not worth worrying about. You can always download it again from the Microsoft website.

Edited July 3, 2011 by Arthur

[aalmuhannadi]

Yeah the install.exe file there opens 'maintenance mode' and offers to repair/fix MS Visual C+++ 2008

[Arthur]

Hopefully the following makes sense...

 

1. In the Disk Management console, right-click the Data (D:) partition and select Delete Volume.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/pe4KH.png
    
    
   
2. Click Yes for the next two dialog boxes.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/B7BCy.png
    
   http://i.imgur.com/IxAgv.png
    
    
   
3. Your D: partition will now look like this.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/SlIi6.png
    
    
   
4. Right-click on what used to be the D: partition and select Delete Partition.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/xXSX5.png
    
    
   
5. Click Yes.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/JDEJZ.png
    
    
   
6. The extended partition (the green bit) will become unallocated space.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/IQAlf.png
    
    
   
7. Right-click the C: partition and select Extend Volume.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/QYFBA.png
    
    
   
8. Click Next.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/vEC9d.png
    
    
   
9. Click Next. Do not change anything here.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/UFyzz.png
    
    
   
10. Click Next.
     
    http://i.imgur.com/YFz8H.png
     
     
    
11. The C: partition will fill the rest of the drive.
     
    http://i.imgur.com/YgUFT.png
     
     
    
12. Now onto the second hard drive. Right-click SDATA2 and select Delete Volume.
     
    http://i.imgur.com/2h3Ur.png
     
     
    
13. Click Yes.
     
    http://i.imgur.com/o8kNT.png
     
     
    
14. Click Yes.
     
    http://i.imgur.com/TdVoZ.png
     
     
    
15. What used to be the F: partition will become unallocated space.
     
    http://i.imgur.com/XEVyo.png
     
     
    
16. Follow exactly the same process for SDATA1 (steps 12-15) and you will end up with this...
     
    http://i.imgur.com/bDDBh.png
     
     
    
17. Right-click anywhere within the unallocated space on Disk1 and choose New Simple Volume.
     
    http://i.imgur.com/pZc8m.png
     
     
    
18. Click Next.
     
    http://i.imgur.com/W4lOs.png
     
     
    
19. Click Next.
     
    http://i.imgur.com/zni9J.png
     
     
    
20. Select D: for the drive letter. Click Next.
     
    http://i.imgur.com/WRQVj.png
     
     
    
21. Choose the options in the screenshot below. Click Next.
     
    http://i.imgur.com/fW3L1.png
     
     
    
22. Click Finish.
     
    http://i.imgur.com/pCdXa.png
     
     
    
23. If you have got this far, you should end up with C: and D: partitions which use all of the space on each drive.
     
    http://i.imgur.com/BoBrM.png

[aalmuhannadi]

I ended up with this somehow, I'm not sure if I did something wrong or not. Please help

[Arthur]

Almost there.

 

If you want to change the drive letter from E: to D:, right-click anywhere on SData1 (while still in Disk Management), choose Change Drive Letters and Paths..., click the Change button, select D from the drop-down box, click OK and then OK a second time.

 

To rename SData1 to something else (it doesn't have to be Data), right-click the partition, choose Properties, type a different name in the box at the top and click OK.

[aalmuhannadi]

I can't thank you enough So now for example, if I want to install a new program or something, I just set it to the appropriate drive right? So, since I use Steam, I'm guessing there's no way of, e.g. if C: fills up, telling it to install the games in the D: drive? So basically, each program can only install wherever I locate it, so Steam is in C:, and can only install my games in the C: drive right?

[Arthur]

No problem.

 

if I want to install a new program or something, I just set it to the appropriate drive right?

Correct.

 

So, since I use Steam, I'm guessing there's no way of, e.g. if C: fills up, telling it to install the games in the D: drive?

Steam Mover makes the process of moving one (or more games) from C: to D: really easy. I would try to avoid filling up C: completely because it will make Windows slow.