# One partition one hard disk problem



## UnD3R0aTh (Apr 25, 2007)

Hi,

My HDD is not partitioned, I have win 8 installed there, and I also have all my files on the same drive. I want to do a clean install of windows 10, and not an upgrade. Is there any way to remove it from the disk?

Thanks in advance.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

UnD3R0aTh said:


> My HDD is not partitioned, I have win 8 installed there


Meaning that there is only one partition, which includes the entire hard drive?



UnD3R0aTh said:


> Is there any way to remove it from the disk?


If "it" is the installed "win 8" just format (NTFS) the partition and install Windows 10 into it. Or delete the partition and allow Windows 10 to decide how it wants to partition the hard drive.


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

You'll need to backup your data first to another drive if you format the drive if you don't want to loose it.


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## UnD3R0aTh (Apr 25, 2007)

Yes my hard disk is one partition and so I can't format anything because all my files are there on the same (and only) partition on HDD. I want to uninstall windows 8, remove it as if it never happened on my HDD but keep all my other files.


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

You can't. If these are important data files then you should already have a backup, sounds like you don't so you will need to buy a USB backup drive, backup your files, then you can reformat and reinstall.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

> I can't format anything because all my *files* are there


Can you be more specific as to what "files" you're referring to?
Are you referring to just documents, or are you also referring to photos, music, videos, etc.?
Do you know how much space in MB's or GB's your "files" are occupying?

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## UnD3R0aTh (Apr 25, 2007)

My files = everything, over 500GB of data


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

If 'everything' includes programs then you can't keep those and erase Windows.

Do you have a plan for a hard drive failure or malware that encrypts your data files? If one of those happen then you'd lose all stuff anyway. Why not invest in a USB backup drive and backup your data if it's that important. $70 will get you a 1TB USB drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...NodeId=1&N=100167525 4814 600030763 600361774


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## UnD3R0aTh (Apr 25, 2007)

This will cost money!

How about creating a partition then installing ubuntu? then using OS-uninstaller to remove windows, creating a second partition, then install winodws?

Will this work? what are the tools needed?


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

Since you don't want to spend any money doing what's been suggested:

Why don't you partition the hard drive into 2 partitions and then do a clean install of Windows 10 in the second partition?

Once you get Windows 10 installed and configured to your personal liking, you can copy your personal data(documents, photos, music, etc.) to it.

Once you're sure your personal data is in the Windows 10 partition and you can access it, you can delete the partition that contains Windows 8.

You can then resize the Windows 10 partition to where it contains the entire capacity of the hard drive.

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## UnD3R0aTh (Apr 25, 2007)

Ah, nice idea, so what tool should I use to do all that partitioning? hopefully one that has an accompanying guide /how to use manual.

Thanks.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

A wise person always makes sure all important data is carefully backed up (preferably multiple copies) on different media before doing any partitioning work.

When running Windows I use the free EASEUS Partition Master.


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## UnD3R0aTh (Apr 25, 2007)

What does a wise broke person do? lol thanks bro, will give it a try.


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## valis (Sep 24, 2004)

a wise broke person would save the $60 to get a 1 tb external passport drive. 

Data that you neither want nor need is data that isn't backed up, and if you are going to start partitioning things and installing new OS's, I'd back that stuff up well before I started stressing the hard drive.

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Passport-Ultra-Portable-External/dp/B00W8XXRPM


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## lunarlander (Sep 22, 2007)

You could use Windows's disk management tool. Right click on Computer, select 'manage' 
Then you can shrink the C drive down, create a new partition, and copy all the data files over there. 

Then when you do a clean install of Windows 10, delete the partition which holds your Win 8, leave the partition with the data alone. And let the Win 10 setup use the unallocated space ( which was made when you delete the C drive paritition )


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## UnD3R0aTh (Apr 25, 2007)

After I click shrink what happens? How do I create a new partition?


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## lunarlander (Sep 22, 2007)

After you click Shrink, it would tell you how much disk space is available for shrinking, and ask you how much disk space in MB you want to shrink it by. Then after performing the shrink, you will have an unallocated space to the right of the current drive, and you can make that a new partition and format it.


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## Hamphoeby (Jun 23, 2015)

Disk Management may helps, if disk management can't help partitioned as far as you want, it to it's time to go with a third-party program. I recommend EaseUS Partition Master Free.


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## UnD3R0aTh (Apr 25, 2007)

flavallee said:


> Since you don't want to spend any money doing what's been suggested:
> 
> Why don't you partition the hard drive into 2 partitions and then do a clean install of Windows 10 in the second partition?
> 
> ...


Ok, looks like i'm gonna free some disk space, shrink the partition and use it to install windows 10. Then I will have dual win 8 and win 10 boot.

The problem is now this partition is going to be 100 GB and won't be able to take all my files.

What I would like to do next, is remove win 8 from the first partition, make the second partition my C partition, and create even a third partition to install ubuntu, how do you suggest I do that?


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## UnD3R0aTh (Apr 25, 2007)

Update: I used Easeus partition master to create a new partition, now I have C having win 8 and all my files, D empty...how to install windows 10 and ubuntu?


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## UnD3R0aTh (Apr 25, 2007)

Hello,

I currently have win 8 installed, and one 127 GB empty partition. How do you recommend I install win 10 and Ubuntu? Eventually I would like for my C drive to be the win 10 drive. If you recommend that install Ubuntu on a separate partition, then that should be my D partition. 

P.s. Once I have Ubuntu installed, I plan to use OS-Uninstaller to uninstall win 8 from the C drive, where I have also a lot of files on the disk (formatting / back up are not an option).


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Beginning with Vista the Windows installation into which you boot is assigned as the "C drive," which I guess is what you want.

There is some method to how the other partitions are assigned "drive" letters, and you can change/assign some yourself, but the only sane way to handle partitions is by giving them unique names. Such names will stay constant regardless of what OS or bootable utility is running. For example, on the system I'm now running my partition names include "Windows 8.1 Pro" and "DATA."


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I've merged your threads here. Please do not start multiple threads on the same topic.

You can "Mark Unsolved" since you apparently have changed your mind about the status.


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## managed (May 24, 2003)

Unless you already installed 10 on that computer and it was activated you will have to buy it now since the free offer has ended.


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