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I recently bought a 128GB USB drive, on which I'd like to make 4 partitions, but when I use Disk Management (Windows) and try to edit the main partition, the items in the list when right-clicked are disabled, so I can't edit the main partition. (see list on image below.)

When I use GParted (Linux) I can make the desired partitions and sizes. But Windows doesn't seem to like that: in Disk Management I can see all my partitions, but with no information displayed. Also right-clicking the partitions results in disabled functions and giving errors when asked to view the properties of that partition or to format it (see image). The error says that I have to reboot my PC in order to view the desired properties or to format it. Linux does seem to allow these partitions, which are functioning perfectly.

My last guess was using DISKPART, which was also no good. Also when running LIST PARTITION on my USB drive, the first partition, which Windows can read, is called Partition 1, but the other partitions are all called 0.

All partitions are formatted in NTFS.

Does anyone have an solution to this problem?

enter image description here
Disk Management  (Click image to enlarge)

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  • Windows can only use the first partition on removable drives. The bootice tools mentions this, see screenshot (the fourth one) at Restore Your USB Key to its original state
    – Zina
    Commented Jan 1, 2016 at 12:56
  • @Zina That isn't quite right, because I can make a partition in my C drive, it works fine and it gets a drive letter (e.g. C: of D:)
    – J van Amerongen
    Commented Jan 1, 2016 at 13:07
  • Your C drive is on a USB drive? Or is it a internal/external HDD/SDD? Before posting I tried it on a 4GB USB Stick and got exactly the same behavior. Only the first partition was accessible from Windows. And I got the same error when trying to format any other. I am able to create multiple usable partitions on a external USB HDD.
    – Zina
    Commented Jan 1, 2016 at 13:12
  • My C drive is just a normal SATA drive, maybe that's why. Is it common that the USB-bus does not support partitioning? If so, is there any way around it?
    – J van Amerongen
    Commented Jan 1, 2016 at 13:15
  • Some manufacturers have tools for reformat. Be careful - you could make your device unusable. And it is not the USB bus, it is the device marked as such (it works for external HDD/SDD connected through USB). When you connect the USB Drive it will show as removable in disk management, on the other side a HDD in an external USB cage will be recognized as a e.g. basic disk and thus the possibility for more partitions. Some USB Keys have a CD-ROM emulated partitiion (which is read only) and a "data" partition.
    – Zina
    Commented Jan 1, 2016 at 13:35

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