Windows Server 2008 R2 Disk Management Guide

Here is a brief comparison table between disk management and Partition Resizer.

	Disk Management	Partition Resizer Server
Shrink fat32 partition	NO
Extend fat32 partition	YES when unallocated space at right side
Extend fat32 C drive	NO
Clone disk/partition	NO
Convert logical to primary
Convert basic dynamic
Convert mbr gpt	data loss	no data loss
Extend ntfs C drive	YES when right unallocated space is available
Delete/move recovery partition	NO
Move unallocated space or partition	NO
		Download Win Server (Free Demo)

1. Creating a Partition

To create a new partition in Windows Server 2008 R2, follow these steps:

1. Open **Disk Management** from the Server Manager or by typing `diskmgmt.msc` in the Run dialog.
2. Right-click on the unallocated space on a disk and choose **New Simple Volume**.
3. Follow the wizard to assign a drive letter, format the volume, and finalize the partition.

Note: Creating a new volume is based on unallocated space on the disk, if there is no unallocated space, you need to shrink a large volume, or delete a volume.

2. Deleting a Volume

To delete an existing volume:

1. Open **Disk Management** and locate the volume you wish to delete.
2. Right-click on the volume and select **Delete Volume**.
3. Confirm the action.

Note: Ensure you back up data before deletion, as it will be permanently lost. IM-Magic Partition Resizer can help manage disk spaces without losing data, or help clone a disk or partition for backup.

3. Extending a Volume

Extend an existing volume to utilize unallocated space:

1. In **Disk Management**, right-click on the volume you wish to extend.
2. Select **Extend Volume** from the context menu.
3. Use the Extend Volume Wizard to add unallocated space to the selected volume.

Note: The unallocated space must be contiguous to the volume you want to extend. And it must be NTFS file system. Disk Management cannot help extend a volume when

• The c drive is not NTFS file system
• The c drive has no adjacent unallocated space, or any drive that has no adjacent unallocated space
• It cannot help move partition or unallocated space

All the above failure can be fixed by using the tool IM-Magic Partition Resizer Server that can help resize partitions without losing data.

4. Shrinking a Volume

To shrink an existing volume and create unallocated space:

1. Right-click on the volume in **Disk Management** and select **Shrink Volume**.
2. Specify the amount of space to shrink and click **Shrink**.
3. This process will create unallocated space without affecting the remaining data.

If the shrinking volume is not working on Disk Management, try IM-Magic Partition Resizer Server that can safely help shrink a volume without losing data.

5. Formatting a Volume

To format a volume:

1. Right-click on the desired volume in **Disk Management**.
2. Choose **Format** and set options like the file system (NTFS, FAT32, etc.).
3. Confirm and proceed to format the volume. Be aware that formatting erases all data on the volume.

6. Converting a Disk to GPT

To convert a disk to GPT:

1. Ensure the disk is empty. Backup any important data, as the conversion process will erase all data.
2. Right-click on the disk in **Disk Management** and choose **Convert to GPT Disk**.
3. If the option is grayed out, delete all partitions first and retry.

Note: Disk Management can only convert disk GPT when the disk has removed all its partitions while IM-Magic Partition Resizer Server can help convert disk to GPT without losing data.

Also read: how to convert disk gpt

7. Using IM-Magic Partition Resizer Server

When Windows Server 2008 R2 Disk Management cannot perform specific tasks, or when it encounters limitations such as:

• Unable to extend a volume due to non-contiguous unallocated space.
• Risk of data loss during partition management.
• Inability to perform certain advanced resizing or conversion operations.

Consider using **IM-Magic Partition Resizer Server**. This third-party tool offers more flexibility and safety for managing partitions.

Video Tutorial to Resize Partitions with Partition Tool

Here's how to use it:

1. Download and Install: Download the tool from the official website and install it on your server.
2. Launch the Application: Open the program and view all connected disks and partitions.
3. Resize Partitions: Right-click on a partition and select options like **Resize/Move**, **Extend**, or **Shrink**.
4. Move Unallocated Space: Drag and drop to move unallocated space next to the volume you wish to extend.
5. Apply Changes: Click **Apply** to finalize all changes without data loss.

IM-Magic Partition Resizer also supports converting between NTFS and FAT32, creating partitions, and merging volumes seamlessly. It is an excellent alternative when Disk Management cannot meet your requirements.

Features of IM-Magic Partition Resizer

• Clone disks or partitions
• Migrate OS from smaller to larger HDD/SSD
• Resize partitions without data loss
• Convert GPT disks without losing data
• Convert NTFS to FAT32 without data loss
• Change a logical drive to primary
• Move partitions safely
• Extend volumes without losing data
• 100% data and OS safety
• Rollback protection against unexpected power surges

Download: IM-Magic Partition Resizer Server Edition.