How To Partition a New Computer’s Hard Drive Using Disk Management

1. Don’t Install Anything Yet: First, Learn To Partition!

Congratulations on your brand-new computer! Before rushing to install apps and games, take a moment to prepare your hard drive. Partitioning is an essential step that allows you to better manage your files and improve your system’s performance. Think of it as creating separate rooms for different data: one for your system (C drive), one for documents (D drive), and another for entertainment like games (E or F drive).

2. Open Disk Management: The Tool for the Job

Windows includes a built-in tool called Disk Management. Here’s how you can open it:

1. Click on the Search icon in the taskbar.
2. Type in `diskmgmt.msc` and press Enter.
3. Click the matching result to launch the Disk Management utility.

You will see a visual representation of your drives and partitions. If you only have a single C drive, the next step is to shrink it and create new volumes from the freed-up space.

3. Shrink the C Drive: Make Room for Other Partitions

Let’s free up some space from the C drive:

1. Right-click on the C drive and select Shrink Volume.
2. Wait while Windows calculates the available shrinkable space.
3. Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB (for example: 57472 MB ≈ 56 GB).
4. You will also see how much space will remain in the C drive.
5. Suggested sizes:
   – Windows 10: Leave 60–80 GB for C drive.
   – Windows 11: Leave 80–100 GB.
6. Click the Shrink button to proceed.

Now you will see an area labeled as Unallocated Space, which we’ll use to create new partitions.

4. Create New Partitions: D, E, or Even F Drives

With unallocated space available, it’s time to create new volumes:

1. Right-click the Unallocated Space and choose New Simple Volume.
2. Click Next, and enter the desired size for this partition.
3. Assign a drive letter like D or E (depending on availability).
4. Format it using the NTFS file system.
5. Click Finish to complete the setup.

Repeat the process with any remaining unallocated space to create additional partitions like F drive, using all the leftover space.

5. Organize Your Files Smartly: Use Each Drive Wisely

Now that your partitions are ready, here’s a smart way to organize your files:

1. – C Drive: Keep system files and installed applications only.
2. – D or E Drive: Use for documents, photos, and personal data.
3. – F Drive: Store games, media files, or large archives.

This separation helps prevent clutter in your system drive, improves data management, and ensures your personal files are safe even if the OS needs to be reinstalled.

6. Final Thoughts

Partitioning your hard drive is one of the best things you can do when setting up a new computer. It’s free, simple, and done entirely with built-in tools. Whether you’re tech-savvy or a complete beginner, following the steps above will help you get organized and optimize your system from the start. Thanks for reading—see you in the next guide!

7. Demo Video

You can watch the following demo video by select the subtitle to your preferred subtitle language.