Partitioning a hard disk in all Windows systems above Vista follows the same principle. Only the login procedure is different, but we will use the universal method.
Command line for partitioning disks
For our purpose, you can also use the console, for those who are used to working with the command line.
Partitioning the disk during installation
Another convenient way is to create volumes at the time of system installation.
We use third-party software
You can also use specialized utilities to create partitions. They differ from standard Windows tools in extended functionality and more stable operation. Also, such software is able to split partitions without deleting data from them.
The first application I would like to mention is Minitool Partition Wizard Free... As the name implies, the application is completely free, while boasting quite powerful functionality.
All actions are intuitive. When the application is loaded, right-click on the section and select the required action. For example, to split a disk, you need to select the item Split.
Then, by moving the slider or entering values manually, we indicate the required size and confirm changes. When the process ends, the disc can be used. 
Another powerful free application - AOEMIPartitionAssistant... The interface and functionality are very similar to the aforementioned application.
We launch the program and select the desired drive. Click on it with the right mouse button and get the available actions.
We are interested in the item - Splitting a section.
Further, everything is similar to the previous program. We set the size and confirm the changes. After that, in the main window, press the button Apply and the process of dividing the volume will start. 
Today we will talk about how to partition a hard drive in Windows 10: what it is for, as well as several ways to do it. Increasingly, an advanced computer user, when installing the Windows operating system, decides to split the system or hard drive into several partitions. What is it for? The main goal is convenience of work, and most importantly, the separation of working files of the operating system and personal data, which we in no way want to lose. And this can happen if the system suddenly crashes. Also, partitioning your hard drive will help your Windows 10, it will be a tool to help it run faster.
So, here are some ways to partition your hard drive in Windows 10:
- By standard operating system tools
- When you install Windows 10
- With the help of special programs
Now let's take a closer look at each of the methods.
How to create partitions on a hard drive using Windows 10
The main condition in this method of dividing a hard drive into partitions in Windows 10 is a sufficient amount of free space (so that it is not less than what you decided to define for a new one).
- Press the Win + R keys and in the "Run" window enter diskmgmt.msc
- Loading of the special management utility has started
- After loading it, right-click on the section that corresponds to the disk with which we are working
- Next, select "shrink volume"
- In the window that opens, in the column "Compressed space section", indicate the size that we are going to allocate for a new disk or logical partition
- Choosing "compress"
- Unallocated space should appear on the right, right-click on it
- You need to select the item "create a simple volume"
- The resulting volume will have a default size that is equal to the entire free space. We can specify a lower value if, for example, we want to create multiple logical drives
- We indicate the letter of our new disk
- We define the file system (set a new one or leave it as it is) and click "next"
- Everything, if the steps were performed correctly, our disk is divided in two
Splitting on the command line
You can also change the size of the disk in Windows 10 using the command line. This method also applies to the tools of your operating system. Please note that this method will only work when you divide the only system partition into two - for system data and your personal ones. And here's how to create a new volume on your Windows 10 hard drive this way:
- Opening the command line as administrator
- We start entering commands in this order: first diskpart
- Then list volum. When this command is executed - pay attention to the volume number that corresponds to the C drive
- Enter select volume N. N is the volume number from the previous paragraph
- Then the command shrink desired = size. Instead of the word "Size", we enter the number in megabytes, by which we will reduce the C drive, in order to divide it by two
- Then list disk. When executing this command, we remember the number of the HDD or SSD disk where there is a C partition
- The next command select disk M. M is the number that we remembered in the previous paragraph
- Next, we enter these commands in order: create partition primary
- Format fs = ntfs quick
- Assign letter = desired_drive_letter
- The process is complete. You can look in the explorer at the disk partition we created
Acronic Disk Director
This program will also help us to expand or reduce the size of the hard drive. How to use it:
- When you start the program for the first time, select the "manual" operating mode
- A window will open in which we select the section that we will split
- Right-click on it and select "split volume"
- Set the size, then click "OK"
- Click "apply pending operations"
- Reboot the computer and click "OK" again
Users often ask how to split a hard drive into 2 parts in Windows 7. And this is no coincidence, because such a need arises in a variety of situations. For example, partitioning a hard drive is necessary after purchasing a new computer or after. If you are also interested in this issue, then we offer you two ways at once how you can do this.
A bit of theory about partitioning a hard drive into 2 parts
Partitioning a hard drive into 2 parts can be done using a tool called "". This tool is built into the Windows 7 operating system, so you don't even have to install anything.
So, first you need to open "Disk Management". To do this, press the key combination Win + R and in the window that appears, enter the command "diskmgmt.msc".
After that, the "Disk Management" window will open in front of you. All hard drives connected to your computer will be displayed here.
And here you can split the hard drive into 2 parts. Moreover, this procedure can be done in two ways:
- Delete volume and create 2 new volumes in its place... This method deletes all data on the disk, so it can only be used with empty hard disks. For example, you just plugged in a new hard drive and want to split it into 2 parts. In this case, it is easier to use this method, that is, simply delete the volume and create 2 new ones in its place.
- Compress volume. The second way is to compress the volume. Shrinking a volume is a feature that allows you to resize a disk without deleting all the data on it. In this way, you can divide the hard drive into 2 parts, even if Windows 7 is installed on it.
We will now look at both of these ways to split a hard drive into 2 parts in Windows 7.
How to split an empty hard drive into 2 parts
So, if your disk is empty or there is no important data on it, then you can split it into 2 parts by deleting the volume. To do this, right-click on the hard disk and select the "Delete volume" menu item.
After that, a window will appear warning that deleting the volume will erase all data on the hard drive. If you agree with the deletion, then click on the "Yes" button.
The volume will then be removed and your hard drive will be highlighted in black.
Now you can divide this hard drive into 2 parts. To do this, right-click on it and select the "Create Simple Volume" option.
This will bring up the Simple Volume Creation Wizard. Click on the "Next" button to continue.
The next step is choosing the size for the created volume. Specify the size of the disk that you want to get and click on the "Next" button. For example, if you want to divide the disk into two equal parts, then here you need to specify half of the maximum size.
The last step is settings. Here you can leave everything as it is and just click on the "Next" button.
Well, the final action is to click on the "Finish" button.
As a result of our actions, we have created the first volume. It is now highlighted in blue.
In order to make a second volume and thus divide the hard disk into 2 parts, you need to right-click again on the unallocated disk space (black color) and select "Create simple volume".
How to split a hard drive into 2 parts without deleting files
If you already have some data on your hard disk or the operating system Windows 7 is installed on it, then the above method will not work for you. Instead, you need to split the hard drive in 2 using the Shrink Disk function.
To do this, open Disk Management, right-click on the disk you want to split, and select the Shrink Volume menu item.
After that, a part of the unused space will be separated from the disk you selected. This space will now be displayed as unallocated and will be indicated in black.
In place of this unallocated space, you can create a second disk, to do this, right-click on it and select the "Create Simple Disk" menu item.
Next, the wizard for creating a simple volume will appear. We have already described the work of this master above. In order not to repeat ourselves, let's say that you just need to click on the "Next" button several times, and at the end on the "Finish" button.
As a result, you will get another disc.
Thus, you will split one hard drive into 2 parts without deleting data and without reinstalling Windows 7.
Have a Windows 7 laptop? Then you may be faced with the presence of only one local drive C. This may not be convenient: if you need to reinstall the system or do a rollback, all important information will need to be manually transferred to external media. After that, you can start formatting the local disk and then installing the operating system. The presence of several local disks will allow initially saving the necessary information not in the section where the system files are contained. This will allow you to format the local drive C without fear of losing important files. Therefore, for convenience and greater reliability, the hard disk must be partitioned.
The procedure is considered quite simple; it does not require downloading additional software. After all, Windows 7 has a built-in utility that allows you to easily partition a disk. The splitting will take place without losing any information, so there is no need to transfer files to an external medium before the procedure. Partitioning the hard drive and creating new partitions is possible only if there is sufficient free space.
How do I access the Disk Management section in Windows 7?
- It is enough to enter "START" and enter "diskmgmt.msc" in the search. The application of the same name will need to be opened.
- If you want to run the application with administrator rights, then just press "Win + R", then also enter "diskmgmt.msc" and press the "Enter" button.
- Also in Windows 7, you can go to the "Disk Management" section using the Control Panel (Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Disk Management)
In the center at the top you can see the available hard disk partitions. At the bottom is the number of physical hard drives, optical drives, and external drives that have been installed. In the image, the C drive is already split, so the breakdown will be shown using the “J” drive as an example, which is not significant.
Creating a new section
To create a new partition in Windows 7, you can use the unallocated space, but you may not have it. To create it, it is enough to do:
- You need to select a section that has enough free space and right-click. After that, you must select the item "shrink the volume ...". Remember, if you have multiple partitions, it is better not to compress the system volume.
As a result, a window will pop up, you just need to wait for the end of the process.
- After a while, a new window will open, where you will need to specify the size of the space that you decided to compress. The maximum value will already be indicated in the window that appears, but you can specify a smaller size. The value you specify will be the size of the future logical disk. Remember that it is by this amount that the compressed disk will be reduced, so using the maximum value is not recommended. After entering the required value, it is enough to press the "compress" button.
You will need to wait a while, depending on the fragmentation of the shrinking partition and its volume.
Convert to hard drive partition
After these manipulations in the "Disk Management" window, an additional partition will be created with a black bar at the top. The size will be listed here, as well as the word "Not Allocated". This space needs to be converted to a hard disk partition. You must right-click and select the line "Create simple volume".
It is enough to select the maximum size in it and click "Next". Finally, you will need to assign a letter that will be the "name" of the drive and click "Next".
Then you need to check the box next to "Format this volume as follows:". Specify NTFS in the file system. And set the cluster size by default. The "volume label" is the name of the disk that was created. It is necessary to check the "Quick format" checkbox, but there is no need to apply compression of files and folders. After that, just click "Next" and you will see the inscription: "Completing the wizard to create a simple volume." You need to check everything again and click the "Finish" button.
As a result, we managed to break the HDD using Windows 7 tools. Everything is ready to go. After completing the procedure, you can no longer be afraid that personal information will be deleted during the system recovery.
It should be remembered that one hard disk allows you to create only 4 main partitions.
What to do if Windows 7 disk fails to partition?
When partitioning a disk in Windows 7, difficulties may arise due to the presence of files on it (hidden and system ones) that could not be moved to another location.
In this case, you need to use third-party utilities (Acronis or Paragon), which also allow you to partition the disk. You can also boot any OS from the boot disk, and then defragment the department.
To partition a disk in Windows 7, you need to have administrator or archive operator rights on this PC. With Windows 7 tools, you can shrink a volume to the size of files that cannot be moved.
Often, many users need to split one local disk into two virtual ones. Most often this is done for the subsequent installation of the operating system or for ease of sorting. For example, in one section only music will be stored, and the second will serve for games and various programs. There are several ways to split your hard drive into 2 parts. This article focuses on this process.
General information
If you have only one local disk, it is logical that it will store your Windows system files, installed programs, and personal information, such as photos and documents. If something happens to the operating system and you cannot fix it, you will need to reinstall it. But during the installation of a new operating system, data may be irretrievably lost.
Of course, you can pre-copy everything to a USB flash drive or cloud storage. But, firstly, there can be a lot of information. And secondly, the OS can break without warning, and you simply won't have time to save anything.
The best option in this case is to install Windows on another hard drive. But if you have one - what to do in this case? Divide it into two sections. Each of them will work exactly like a regular HDD. The only difference is that they will be virtual. 
On one part, you can install Windows and various programs. They will still need to be reinstalled when changing the system. And the second can be used to store all the materials that will "move" to the new OS. These are all kinds of documents, installers for programs and images of games, photos, videos, projects, and so on.
Installing Windows
The easiest way to divide your hard drive into two virtual partitions is to do it during the installation of a new operating system. There is only one drawback of this method - the HDD will have to be formatted. That is, it should not contain any important data for you.
It's easier to split the disc into parts immediately upon purchase. An empty disk is formatted and divided into parts before installing the OS. This avoids a huge number of future problems.
You don't need any additional tools - just a regular installation DVD or a bootable USB flash drive. Such a USB flash drive can be created using various software, for example, the UltraIso utility.
It is worth remembering that if you want to resize virtual partitions or merge them into one again, this can be easily done in the already installed Windows.
Separation during installation
There is nothing complicated about it. Follow the instructions provided:
Thus, you managed to split the hard drive into two partitions on a new disk. The volume should be selected based on your needs. If you want to store only Windows system files here and nothing else, you can get by with 50 gigabytes. If you are going to install browsers and other programs here, organize a swap file, save cached information - it is better to set larger volumes.
Preparation with separation by means of Windows
If you already have an OS installed and you are not going to change it in the near foreseeable future, you can use the standard Windows tool. This operating system has a special service with which you can create and modify virtual parts of the HDD. In order to split your media into two sections, you need to do the following:
Creating a new section
By following the steps in the previous part of the tutorial, you will get free disk space. It is displayed in an already open utility immediately below the list and is labeled as "not distributed".
