How can I extend a partition to unallocated space on the left?

Question

I want to extend the partition C: (without losing its contents) by adding the extra free (Unallocated) space before it. However as you can see, the extend is disabled. I know that extend will be enabled when the extra space is after the main partition, the reverse of this situation.

How can I achieve this?

Solution

Extending the next partition to the left is, as I think, impossible with Windows Disk Management.

So you would need to use software like GParted to do that. Booting from USB stick or CD/DVD would be needed.

Please run

chkdsk /f c:

before booting GParted.

Comments

[JdeBP]

There's no such thing as "extending to the left" in this case. You're looking to move the partition and then to extend it. You're also looking to move the boot volume.

[Pacerier]

Related: Extending hard disk partition backwards without third-party tools.

[Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007]

Possible duplicate of Extend Windows 7 partition to use free space before it

[pbies]

As this can fulfil your requirements, GParted is, as many people can say, better trustworthy than other software of this kind (not only because it is open source).

[wiki]

tnx anyway for your clarification

[jiggunjer]

Last time I did that with GParted it messed up my partition. Couldn't boot anymore.

[pbies]

Use a newest stable GParted always.