How to shrink Windows 2008 Server partition without data loss, fast and easily?

All the sizes of disk partitions or RAID array virtual drives are carefully allocated while building the Windows 2008 Server, however, things are changing and the scheduled size may not always meet your needs, for example:

1. System partition is too small and no free space is left.

2. To manage files more effectively, you need to create more partitions for different usage.

3. A data partition is too small, but you cannot delete it and need to write files into it continuously.

Goals to shrink partition in Windows 2008 Server

Generally speaking, the goals to shrink partition can be divided into 2 kinds.

- Shrink a large partition to create new partitions.

- Shrink a partition to extend another partition.

Different with Windows 2003 Server, Server 2008 Disk Management provides Shrink and Extend feature, but it does little help to manage disk partitions, the typic example is:

1. You cannot extend the system partition by shrinking other data partition. (More about this limitation)

2. The built-in Shrink feature cannot shrink much space.

With Partition Magic Server software, there are no such limitations and you can easily shrink/extend partition without data loss, fast and easily.

In this article, I'll introduce how to shrink Windows 2008 Server partition with Disk Management and Partition Magic Server software, and compare with each other.

How to shrink Windows 2008 Server partition

Step 1, Launch Partition Assistant Server, you'll see all disks and partitions that connected to your Server and free space, used space and other properties of each partition.

Right-click the data partition and select "Resize", in the pop-up window, drag the left border rightwards, the Unallocated space will be created in front of dirve E.

 

If you drag right border leftwards in this window, the Unallocated space will be created behind drive E. The Unallocated space can be used to create new partitions or extend system or any other data partitions.

If you want to extend the system partition, follow the steps below.

Right-click C drive and select "Resize", in the pop-up window, drag the right border rightwards to hold the Unallocated space.

Click "Apply" to proceed, done.

Windows 2008 Server Disk Management and Partition Assistant Server Comparison

Windows 2008 Server Disk Management	Partition Assistant Server
1. Can only shrink a little space, so you'll waste the free space if you won't use such a large partition. 2. The Unallocated space that just shrank can only be used to create new partition behind the system partition.	1. The maximum space can be shrank is all free space of this partition. 2. You may drag either left or right border of this partition to shrink, so the Unallocated space can be created behind or at the end of this partition. 3. This Unallocated space can be used to create new partition or extend any other partition.

Benefits to shrink Windows 2008 Server partition with Partition Assistant Server

• Enhanced Data Protecting - No Data Loss
• Shrink/Extend any partition without any limitation.
• Easy to use & user-friendly interface
• Working fast
• All-in-one Partition Solution - All your partition and disk maintenance requirements can be fulfilled.
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