How to shrink C drive Windows Server 2019

Introduction

A lot of people struggle to shrink the C drive on Server 2019, but the process is achievable if done properly. Whether you want to free up space or divide the C drive into multiple partitions, follow the steps below for a successful shrinking process. The key is to avoid the issues like the "Shrink Volume" option being grayed out. We will walk you through how to resolve that with both built-in tools and third-party software.

Shrink Partition with Disk Management

Problem: Shrink volume is grayed out in Windows Server 2019.

Resolution: Disk Management cannot shrink FAT32 volumes or volumes with immovable files.

Solution: Try using a third-party software if the built-in Disk Management tool fails.

Here’s how you can shrink a partition using Disk Management:

1. Press Windows + X and select Disk Management from the menu.
2. Locate the C drive (or the partition you want to shrink), right-click on it, and select Shrink Volume.
3. Disk Management will show the available amount of space you can shrink. Enter the amount of space to shrink and click Shrink.
4. If the option is grayed out, it is usually because of the file system (FAT32) or files that cannot be moved. In this case, consider using Diskpart or a third-party partition manager.

Shrink volume grayed out server 2019 with Diskpart

If the shrink volume option in Disk Management is grayed out, you can use the command-line tool Diskpart, which offers more control.

Note: The shrink volume option is also not available on c FAT32 drive.

Follow these steps to shrink the C drive using Diskpart:

1. Press Windows + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) to open a command-line window with administrator privileges.
2. Type diskpart and press Enter to launch the Diskpart utility.
3. In the Diskpart prompt, type list volume and press Enter to display all available volumes.
4. Identify the volume number of your C drive, and then type select volume C and press Enter.
5. Now, type shrink desired=20480 to shrink the volume by 20GB (replace 20480 with the desired size in MB) and press Enter.
6. Diskpart will process the request and shrink the partition. If it fails, ensure there are no immovable files or try freeing up additional space.

These steps should help you shrink the system partition on Windows Server 2019 using Diskpart, but if this doesn't work, it's advisable to try using third-party software like IM-Magic Partition Resizer.

Resize Server Partition with IM-Magic Partition Resizer Server

IM-Magic Partition Resizer Server edition is a reliable tool that allows you to resize partitions without the risk of data loss. It can help when Disk Management or Diskpart doesn’t work as expected.

Follow these steps to resize a partition with IM-Magic Partition Resizer Server:

1. Download and install IM-Magic Partition Resizer Server.
2. Launch the application and select the partition (e.g., C drive) you want to shrink.
3. Right-click on the partition and select Shrink.
4. Choose the amount of space to shrink and click Apply to complete the process.

IM-Magic Partition Resizer Server is a great tool for managing disk partitions in Windows Server environments, and it makes partition resizing easier and safer than using the built-in tools.

The following video shows how to use Partition Resizer to shrink a drive in Windows 11/10, and it works the same in Windows Server:

With IM-Magic Partition Resizer Server edition, you can easily manage partitions without worrying about data loss. The process is quick, safe, and straightforward!

[Guide] Steps to Extend Volume Without Data Loss

This step-by-step guide will show you the right way to extend any volume using IM-Magic Partition Resizer Unlimited edition.

Step-1 Download and install the program.

Step-2 Right-click the large volume to produce unallocated free space.

Steps to resize your disk partition

Step-3 Then right-click C and drag the border to acquire the free space.

Steps to resize your disk partition

Step-4 Apply the changes.