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HP PCs - Partitioning and naming drives (Windows)

Understand and learn how to manage your system drives, partitions, and volumes.

Note:

On HP business computers in business-related environments, the partitioning structure might be defined in computer management.

How to organize your hard drive in Windows 11 by creating partitions | HP Notebooks

Learn how to organize the hard drive on your HP computer by creating partitions. This video applies to Windows 11 computers.

Understand drives and partitions

Understand the terms used to describe the storage space of your notebook or desktop.

A drive is a physical storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD), or removable USB flash drive. A partition is an area of the drive that can be formatted and assigned a drive letter. A volume refers to a storage area on a partition of a drive. The terms partition and volume are often used interchangeably.

HP computers come with a Windows (C) or C: drive, which is the partition for Windows and is used to store your files.

Add a new drive letter

A new drive letter is added when you partition the existing storage space, or when you add more physical storage space to the computer.

Partition the existing hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD) to create a separate storage area (partition) using empty space on the drive. Windows labels the new partition with its own drive letter and uses the partition as a separate drive. Making a new partition might be useful if you need to share files on a drive, but want to prevent access to your personal files by keeping those files on a separate drive.
Install an additional hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD) to add more physical storage for photos, videos, music, or other files. Windows automatically assigns a new drive letter when you add a new drive.
- Desktop computers: Most tower or larger desktop computers have one or more extra drive bays in which you can install an additional internal HDD or SDD. For information about installing an additional hard drive, see the Maintenance and Service Guide or Hardware Reference Guide for your computer. To find the guide, go to HP Customer Support, and then navigate to the product page for your computer.
- Notebook and All-in-One (AiO) computers: Most notebooks and All-in-One (AiO) computers do not have space for an additional internal HDD or SDD. Instead, connect an external hard drive using a USB cable or wireless connection to the computer.

Create a new partition on the C: drive

Shrink the volume on an existing drive to create unallocated space that is not part of an existing partition, and then create and format a new partition.

In Windows, search for and open Create and format hard disk partitions.

The Disk Management window is displayed.
Right-click the Windows (C:) drive on the computer.

CAUTION:
Do not partition volumes named System Reserved, Recovery, Factory_Image, or HP_Tools. Do not use these volumes for file storage. Doing so might prevent you from being able to troubleshoot startup issues or perform a recovery in the event that your computer encounters a major problem.
Select Shrink Volume from the menu to create unallocated space.

The Shrink C: window is displayed.
Without making any changes to the settings in the Shrink window, click Shrink.

When the shrink process is complete, the new partition is displayed in the Disk Management utility as Unallocated space.
Right-click the new partition, and then select New Simple Volume.
In the New Simple Volume Wizard, click Next.

The Specify Volume Size window is displayed.
Accept the default setting (recommended) or change the value in the Simple volume size in MB field, and then click Next.

The Assign Drive Letter or Path window is displayed.
Select a drive letter from the drop-down menu, and then click Next.

The Format Partition window is displayed.
To name the drive, type a name in the Volume label field, and then click Next.

Note:
Make sure that the Perform a quick format and Enable file and folder compression check boxes are not selected.
When the Completing the New Simple Volume Wizard window is displayed, click Finish.

Note:
If an AutoPlay window is displayed, close the window.

Wait while the new volume is formatted. The Disk Management utility displays the formatting progress, and then assigns the selected drive letter to the new volume.

Change a drive letter

You can assign the letters D through Z to each hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SDD) on your computer using the Disk Management utility.

Some Windows applications refer to specific drive letters. Changing a drive letter might cause an application installed on the drive to stop working correctly. You cannot change a drive letter if the drive is a system or boot partition.

In Windows, search for and open Create and format hard disk partitions.
Right-click the drive or partition that you are renaming, and then select Change Drive Letter and Paths from the menu.
In the Change Drive Letter and Paths window, click Change.
Select the new drive letter from the drop-down menu, and then click OK.
In the Disk Management message box, click Yes to continue.
If a message that the volume is currently in use is displayed, click Yes to change the drive letter.

The drive letter is changed.

Remove a drive letter

Remove or delete a drive letter or partition on your computer using the Disk Management utility.

Some Windows applications refer to specific drive letters. Removing a drive letter might cause an application installed on the drive to stop working correctly. You cannot remove a drive letter if the drive is a system or boot partition.

In Windows, search for and open Create and format hard disk partitions.
Right-click the drive or partition that you are removing, and then select Change Drive Letter and Paths from the menu.
In the Change Drive Letter and Paths window, click Remove.
In the Disk Management message box, click Yes to continue.
If a message that the volume is currently in use is displayed, click Yes to change the drive letter.

The drive letter is no longer displayed.

To use this HDD or SSD space again, remove and reallocate the partition.

Remove and reallocate partition

Remove and reallocate a drive letter or partition on your computer using the Disk Management utility.

Before you remove a partition, back up your data on a different drive.

In Windows, search for and open Create and format hard disk partitions.
Right-click the drive or partition that you are removing, and then select Delete Volume from the menu.
If you have backed up your data onto another drive, click Yes in the Delete simple volume message box.

Note:
If a Bitlocker Drive Encryption warning is displayed, click Yes.
If a warning that the volume is currently in use is displayed, close any application or window that is using the partition or drive, and then try again.

The drive letter is no longer displayed and the partition is labeled as Unallocated space.
Right-click the drive where you want to add the unallocated space. Click Extend Volume in the menu.

The Extend Volume Wizard is displayed.
Click Next.

The Select Disks window is displayed.
Do not change any settings. Click Next.
Click Finish.