C drive memory shortage and D drive copy

Question

So, I have 100GB C drive with a few GB of memory left. I also have a D drive which is 400GB and just third full.

When making partitions, I had idea in my mind where I keep C drive as small and empty as possible and throw all programs and files in the D drive. I wanted (and still want) to keep stuff separated.

It worked fine for a year, but while using my PC many files accumulated in C drive. I wasn't using the dedicated Photos folder and moved Downloads and Documents to the D drive. Helped a little but not much. I keep my Bin empty and get rid of not used files.

I got next idea. While it's obviously impossible to just shrink D drive and give some memory to C, I want to:

1. Make backup copy of D drive;
2. Delete D partition;
3. Give 50GB more to the C drive;
4. Create D partition with 350GB left;
5. Put a backup on.

I see a huge problem with this.

I'm worried if this will work. Sure, files like pictures will be fine, but what about programs? I have like 30+ large and small programs set up in the D drive with various path configured (external data libraries to feed programs etc), I REALLY don't want to configure them again. Will they work fine if I just smack the backup on the smaller size partition?

Tell me what you think about it. Also, if you know any good (and possibly free) tool for the job, let me know. Now I think of just making one giant RAR out of 106GB of D drive data.

I have Win10, all partitions are on one SSD. For storing backup I want to use external drive of 1TB.

Answer 1

NTFS partitions can be shrunk. I'd plan this out like this:

1. Make backups - VERY important.
2. Shrink the D: partition down to 350 GB and move it to the far right end of the drive.
3. Grow the C: partition.

That's it. Programs won't care that the D: volume has shrunk, they work based on paths.

Now about backups.

It's very important to have automated, regular backups. Drives sometimes fail. Ransomware doesn't give warnings before encrypting your files. You won't know when you'll be accidentally deleting a very important document. Making backups before risky operations is good, but it's better to know that it's already made and ready to be restored.

This partitioning plan comes with a risk. Shrinking a ⅓ full partition should be relatively fast, but you'll also have to move it right because shrinking releases space after the partition, not before it and adjacent to C:. The step of moving a partition will be the slowest part of this procedure and if it's interrupted (by accidental misclick, software or hardware failure, blackout etc.), you'll end up with an inaccessible partition. That's when you'd need the backup, so make sure to make it.

In case Windows won't let you shrink or move the partition, use Linux. Put Ubuntu on some USB flash drive and boot off of it. It won't make any changes to your Windows stuff unless you tell it to. It comes with a partitioning tool called GParted which is capable of doing all the NTFS stuff you may need.

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That being said, it's a matter of time until your C: partition becomes too crowded again. Have you considered a single 500 GB C: partition with your stuff placed neatly in a single directory?

Answer 2

You are going to have to back up to a large external USB drive to change your partitions. This means re-installing apps and recovering data.

If the main drive is large enough for you, well and good - just partition with your needs in mind.

It may be worth just having one large partition. This is more flexible and avoids issues. I do not partition my main drive (other than the small partitions Windows makes).

Otherwise, if the machine is worth it, get a new and much larger main drive. (If need be, take the computer to a local shop and have them put in the new drive and install the basic OS.)