How to merge unallocated space to c drive server 2016

Why You Need to Merge Unallocated Space to C Drive

Having storage space problems on c-drive on Windows Server 2016? Well, Windows Server 2016 comes with a lot of upgrades, office-oriented tools, and advanced options, and when these amazing features start to get updates and expand their functionality, users suffer from an unusual low disk space problem. Unlike Windows 7, 8, 10, and Vista, Windows Server 2016 does not allow its users to allocate customized storage space to c-drive. Therefore, it comes difficult for system drive to occupy all necessary files.

If you are reading this article, you might have been trying to merge unallocated space to c-drive in Server 2016. But you failed, right? Well, follow this post and I will try to answer the reason as well as the solution to this problem.

Why I Cannot Merge Unallocated Space to C-drive Using Disk Management?

Disk Management software in Windows Server 2016 allows you to create, delete, format, and merge partitions depending upon certain conditions. If you have a data partition with enough space that you can separate as unallocated space and then add to c-drive, you can simply merge the unallocated space to c-drive. To merge unallocated space to c-drive using Disk Management, follow these steps

Right click on c-drive and press “Extend”

Enter the amount of unallocated present next to the c-drive and click next

Click on “Finish” to complete the setup

The unallocated space will be added to the c-drive right away

These steps only apply if the unallocated space is present right next to the c-drive. However, if there is another partition between the c-drive and unallocated, the Disk Management Utility cannot help you there.

Note: The unallocated space can only be merged into c-drive if it is present right next to it.

In such case, you must use a third-party disk management software to merge unallocated space to c-drive.

Merge Unallocated Space to c-drive Using IM-Magic Partition Resizer Server Edition

IM-Magic Partition resizer allows its users to shrink, extend, delete, format, create, and merge partitions with 100% data security and 0% involvement of OS or any other system files – your system is completely protected and there is no risk of data loss. Follow these steps to merge unallocated space to c drive using IM-Magic Server Edition.

You can either separate the unallocated space using Disk Management or IM-Magic, the process is almost the same.

Right click on the data drive and click on “Resize/Move” to shrink the partition

After separating the unallocated space, right click on each partition between the c-drive and unallocated space and move the unallocated space to the left. This can be done by dragging the storage space bar to the left.

Resize partitions with IM-Magic Partition Resizer

Repeat the process until the unallocated space is placed adjacent to c-drive

Now right click on c-drive and merge the unallocated space to c-drive

It’s that simple

If you still face the problem or there is not enough space in any partition to separate unallocated space, try adding a new hard drive or switch to a new one. In case of further questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a reply below.