"Fix 'Mark Partition as Active' Greyed Out in Windows 10/11 Disk Management"

The active partition refers to one of the primary partitions on a hard drive. This partition holds the operating system and can be configured as a bootable partition. Only one primary partition can be designated as active on each hard drive. The active partition is essential for loading the operating system and booting up the computer. Users typically employ the "Mark Partition as Active" feature in Disk Management to set this partition.

However, when we attempt to activate the partition using Disk Management, we notice that the option "Mark Partition as Active" appears grayed out. Why does this occur? This article aims to delve into the reasons behind the unavailability of the "Mark Partition as Active" option and provide you with the most effective solution to activate the partition in Windows.

"Why Is 'Mark Partition as Active' Greyed Out?"

If the option "Mark Partition as Active" is greyed out, it could be due to the following reasons:

1. You have chosen a logical partition.

Windows only permits designating the primary partition as active, not the logical or extended partitions. This is because the operating system and boot files reside exclusively on the primary partition.

< strong > 2. An active partition is already marked

Only one active partition is allowed per hard drive. Disk Management will unmark it if you have previously marked a partition as active.

Both of these scenarios might result in the "Mark Partition as Active" option being grayed out. To resolve this issue, you'll need to create a primary partition or convert an existing logical partition into a primary one and then set the appropriate partition as active. Here's a step-by-step guide to fixing the "Mark Partition as Active" option being disabled: 1. **Boot from a Windows Installation or Rescue Disk**: First, you'll need to boot your computer from a Windows installation media or a reliable rescue disk with partition management tools. 2. **Access Command Prompt**: Once booted, select your language preferences and click on "Next." Then, choose "Repair your computer" at the bottom left corner, and proceed to "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "Command Prompt." 3. **List Disks and Partitions**: In the Command Prompt window, type `diskpart` and press Enter. This will open the DiskPart utility. Next, type `list disk` and press Enter to view all available disks on your system. 4. **Select the Target Disk**: Identify the disk that contains the partition you want to activate. Type `select disk X`, replacing 'X' with the number of the target disk, and press Enter. 5. **List Partitions**: Now, list the partitions on the selected disk by typing `list partition` and pressing Enter. 6. **Select the Partition**: Identify the primary or logical partition you want to make active. Type `select partition Y`, replacing 'Y' with the number of the partition, and press Enter. 7. **Mark Partition as Active**: If it's a new partition, you'll need to create it as a primary one first. Type `create partition primary` and press Enter. If it's an existing logical partition, you can convert it to primary with `convert primary`. After creating or converting the partition, mark it as active by typing `active` and pressing Enter. 8. **Exit and Restart**: Close the Command Prompt by typing `exit` twice and press Enter. Your computer will restart, and the active partition should now be marked correctly. Remember that these steps are for Windows systems, and the process might differ for other operating systems. Always ensure you have a backup before making changes to your partitions, as incorrect manipulation can lead to data loss.

How to Solve "Mark Partition as Active" Greyed Out

This section will outline two approaches to fix the issue of the "Mark Partition as Active" option being grayed out:

Method 1. Convert Logical to Primary Partition

Method 2. Mark the Correct Partition as Active

Upon examining the reasons behind "Mark Partition as Active" being grayed out, let's proceed with a step-by-step guide.

Method 1: Convert Logical to Primary Partition

If you're missing a primary partition, you can readily convert an existing partition using tools like Partition Master. There's no need to delete or format the partition beforehand. The process is straightforward, and even if you're not well-versed in computer operations, you can swiftly resolve the "Mark Partition greyed out" error.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to convert a logical partition to a primary partition: 1. **Backup Data**: Before making any changes to your partitions, it's crucial to backup all important data to prevent any potential loss. 2. **Boot into Disk Management**: Restart your computer and access the Disk Management tool. You can do this by pressing 'Win + X' and selecting 'Disk Management' or by using the 'Create and format hard disk partitions' option in Control Panel. 3. **Identify the Logical Partition**: In the Disk Management window, locate the logical partition you wish to convert. Logical partitions are usually displayed under the extended partition and are labeled as "Logical Drive." 4. **Shrink the Extended Partition**: Right-click on the extended partition that contains the logical drive and select 'Shrink Volume.' This will free up space for creating a new primary partition. 5. **Create Space for Primary Partition**: Follow the on-screen instructions to determine how much space you want to shrink. Make sure there's enough space for the logical partition you want to convert. 6. **Create a New Primary Partition**: After shrinking the extended partition, you'll have unallocated space. Right-click on this unallocated space and choose 'New Simple Volume.' 7. **Format the New Partition**: In the New Simple Volume Wizard, follow the steps to create a new primary partition. Assign a drive letter if necessary and choose the file system (e.g., NTFS). Then, click 'Format' to format the new partition. 8. **Move Data**: Once the new primary partition is created and formatted, copy all the data from the logical partition to the new primary partition. 9. **Delete the Logical Partition**: With the data safely transferred, right-click on the original logical partition and select 'Delete Volume.' Confirm the action when prompted. 10. **Extend the New Primary Partition**: Right-click on the new primary partition and select 'Extend Volume.' This will allow you to incorporate the freed-up space from the deleted logical partition. 11. **Finalize the Process**: Follow the on-screen instructions to extend the volume, and once completed, your logical partition will now be a part of the primary partition. Remember, these steps may vary depending on your operating system, so always consult official documentation or support resources for specific guidance.

Step 1. Download and run tools Partition Master, and then go to Partition Manager.

Step 2. Right-click on the partition that you wish to convert, and then click "Advanced". Select the conversion option:

1. Primary to Logical 2. Logical to Primary

Step 3. Click the "Execute 1 Task" button and then choose "Apply" to start the conversion process.

0:00 - 0:30 Convert Primary to Logical; 0:31 - 0:50 Convert Logical to Primary.

MiniTool Partition Wizard is an excellent disk partition manager. It provides a comprehensive conversion wizard for all types of disks and partitions. It supports:

• Convert MBR to GPT and vice versa
• Convert dynamic disks to basic disks
• Convert FAT32 to NTFS and vice versa
• Convert logical partitions to primary partitions

In summary, Partition Master tool can address various issues related to disk partition management. If you have any questions, feel free to download it to explore its features in detail.

Method 2: Mark the Correct Partition as Active

If you have selected the wrong partition, you can choose the correct primary partition and mark it as active again. Apart from disk management, you can also conveniently set partitions as active using the "Set Active" feature in tools like Partition Master.

Step 1. Run the partition manager software. On the disk map, right-click the target partition and choose "Advanced".

Step 2. Next, select "Set Active" from the dropdown menu. Click "Yes". Then choose "Execute 1 Task(s)" and click "Apply".

The above is the solution to address the "Mark partition as active" greyed out issue in Disk Management. tools Partition Master is an outstanding all-in-one disk management tool that can also resolve various issues encountered with Disk Management. If you experience such problems with Disk Management, feel free to click the button below for further information.

Conclusion

Do you know why the "Mark Partition as Active" option is grayed out in Disk Management? This is because active partitions can only be created on primary partitions, and there can be only one such partition on a hard drive. If you don't have a primary partition, you'll need to create one or convert a logical partition to a primary partition using utilities like Partition Master. Afterwards, you can mark it as an active partition. Additionally, Partition Master also supports converting between various disk types or different partitions without data loss.

Download it, and you'll enjoy the convenience it brings to your computer.

Frequently Asked Questions About "Mark Partition as Active" Being Greyed Out

Here are some commonly asked questions about active partitions. If you also have queries, please continue reading. I hope these responses will be beneficial to you.

1. What does it mean to mark a partition as active?

Marking a partition as active designates it as an active partition and a bootable partition that holds the operating system. The computer will utilize the bootloaders present on that partition to initiate the boot process. Consequently, setting a partition as active is essential for successfully starting up the computer's operating system.

< strong > 2. What is the difference between active and inactive partitions? < /strong > Active partitions and inactive partitions refer to the status of partitions on a computer's hard drive, particularly in the context of operating systems like Microsoft Windows. An **active partition** is a primary partition on a hard drive that contains the bootable operating system. When a computer starts up, the boot loader, which is a small program responsible for starting the operating system, is located in the active partition. The computer will load the operating system from this partition. There can be only one active partition per hard drive in a traditional setup. An **inactive partition** is a partition that is not set as the active one and does not contain a bootable operating system. Data can be stored on inactive partitions, but they won't be accessed during the boot process. You can have multiple inactive partitions on a single hard drive. In modern operating systems with features like boot managers (such as the Windows Boot Manager), it's possible to have more than one active partition, but typically, only one will be the default startup point.

The active partition is utilized to boot the computer's operating system. Only one active partition is allowed on a hard drive. Furthermore, the active partition must reside on a primary partition. In contrast, an inactive partition can be present within a logical partition and can be utilized for storing other files.

3. How do I enable the Mark partition as active? To mark a partition as active, you typically need to use a disk management utility. Here's a general guide for Windows operating systems: 1. **Open Disk Management:** - Press `Win + X` on your keyboard and choose "Disk Management" from the menu, or - Right-click on the Start button, select "Disk Management," or - Type "diskmgmt.msc" in the search bar and hit Enter. 2. **Find the Partition:** In the lower pane of the Disk Management window, locate the partition you want to mark as active. It will usually be labeled with the drive letter and file system. 3. **Mark Partition as Active:** - Right-click on the partition you wish to activate, and from the context menu, select "Mark Partition as Active." 4. **Confirm Action:** A confirmation prompt may appear. Click "Yes" to proceed. 5. **Wait for the Process to Complete:** The system will mark the partition as active, which might take a few seconds. Remember that marking a partition as active is typically necessary for bootable partitions, especially when installing an operating system. If you're unsure about this process, consult a professional or relevant documentation for your specific situation.

There are three methods to set a partition as active. The simplest way is to use the tool Partition Master. The second approach is to utilize Disk Management. Alternatively, you can also follow these steps if you prefer to use Diskpart.

Step 1. Right-click on the Windows button and choose "Run."

Step 2. Type "diskpart" and press Enter.

Step 3. Enter the following commands one by one, and press Enter after each command.