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Questions like this have been asked before but the solutions don't really pertain to my case/aren't very clear to me. Screenshot of my current partitions:

partition

I want to have a dual-boot system with Windows (on C drive) and Linux (Fedora). I want to merge the free space (green - 97.65 GB - in secondary partition) and unallocated space (9 MB) to get a net amount of unallocated space to install Fedora on (Fedora clearly mentions it in their documentation that they need unallocated space to be installed on). I have come across two 3rd party software that might be able to do the job: AOMEI Partition Assistant and EaseUS Partition Master.

The AOMEI software shows both the spaces as unallocated. There is an option to create new partition and specify unallocated space before or after the new partition:

([aomei_menu][2]).

Should I set either of those to 97.65 GB? Or, merge the two spaces (97.65 GB and 9 MB) with the C drive and then create unallocated space from it. (Can we do that?) Note: C is a primary partition.

EaseUS doesn't provide me the option to merge the free space (green) with C drive.

I'm in a fix. How should I go about doing what I desire?

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  • You can't. Any partition tool would require you to delete the partitions in front of the "free space" in order to merge it with the unallocated space.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Sep 4, 2016 at 3:50
  • @Ramhound: This guy was able to do it: superuser.com/questions/520563/…, but doesn't tell exactly how.
    – wrik003
    Commented Sep 4, 2016 at 3:54
  • I don't see where he said that, nor is your partitions identical to his, your dynamic partition doesn't include the unallocated space even if you did its in the correct location
    – Ramhound
    Commented Sep 4, 2016 at 3:56
  • I'm aware my partitions aren't identical to his. If you look closely to the right, you'll see a 9 MB unallocated space; in case you missed it out. And, by dynamic partition, do you mean dynamic disk? Because it shows basic disk here. Can my case not be resolved at all? LIke, creating a simple volume out of the free space and shrinking the secondary partition?
    – wrik003
    Commented Sep 4, 2016 at 4:03
  • 1
    Nope; MBR; you already have 3 partitions
    – Ramhound
    Commented Sep 4, 2016 at 4:13

1 Answer 1

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I think the problem is that the partitions are different and the "physical free space" on them is different. The Master-Boot-record can only have 4 Partitions. enter image description here Means: you can merge that free space

The total data storage space of a PC HDD can contain at most four primary partitions, or alternatively three primary partitions and an extended partition. The Partition Table, located in the master boot record, contains 16-byte entries, each of which describes a partition. :Wikipedia

You can install the GUID-Partition-Table (I have no idea how to manually do this) but usually every Linux system that gets installed over a graphical installer does this on its own! And adds GRUB as bootloader. Also a multi-boot system (like you described it) isn't possible using the pure MBR.

Because the GPT can have up to 128 Primary partitions. Free space means = Free space. And you can merge and format it as you wish. That's why Linux installs it on its own.

I recommend to just backup your system and install gpt.

Hope this was helpfull!

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