How to Partition a 1TB Hard Drive in Windows 11/10/8/7

Please follow these steps to partition a 1TB hard drive:

1. Press Windows+R to open "Run," then type diskmgmt.
2. Right-click on a partition with enough space, then select "Shrink Volume."
3. Adjust the partition size, then click "Shrink" to confirm.
4. You'll now have unallocated space...Read More >>

If you prefer third-party tools, you can download a Partition Manager < a href="/partition-manager/" >partition manager</a> .

How to Partition a 1TB Hard Drive in Windows 11/10/8/7

It's necessary to know how to partition a 1TB hard drive, external HDD, or SSD in Windows 11/10. For most of us who use Windows computers, we usually have 2 to 4 partitions on the disk, like C, D, E, and F drives. We use them for different purposes. The C drive (also called the system drive) is used to install the Windows operating system and system files. The remaining partitions are usually data partitions that you can use to store specific types of data. The number of partitions doesn't matter; it all depends on how many you want to create on your computer. In Windows 10, you can partition a hard drive in two ways: with third-party disk and partition software or Disk Management.

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Method 1: Partition a 1TB Hard Drive Using a Partitioning Tool In the Windows operating system, you can partition a 1TB hard drive using the built-in Disk Management tool or a third-party partition utility. Here's a step-by-step guide using the "Disk Management" tool: 1. Right-click on "Computer" or "My Computer" and select "Manage." 2. In the "Computer Management" window, click on "Disk Management" in the left pane. 3. Locate your 1TB hard drive, which should appear as unallocated space. 4. Right-click on the unallocated space and choose "New Simple Volume." 5. Follow the wizard's instructions, specifying the partition size you desire. For instance, if you want to create two 500GB partitions, allocate 500GB of space for each. 6. Confirm the file system (such as NTFS) and allocation unit size, then complete the New Simple Volume Wizard. 7. You should now have two new partitions on your 1TB hard drive. Please note that you may need to adjust the partition sizes and quantity based on your specific requirements. If you require more advanced features, consider using third-party tools like tools Partition Master, AOMEI Partition Assistant, or similar software.

Considering ease of use, efficiency, and popularity, we recommend using Partition Master. This free partition manager offers the best 1TB HDD/SSD partitioning solution for Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista. Additionally, it boasts several remarkable features:

• Boost SSD performance with optimized partition alignment
• Extend C drive for faster Windows OS running
• Create a partition to store data copies
• Clone entire disk or partition to another without data loss

You will use two features of the recommended software to partition your hard drive.

• Resize/Move Partition
• Create Partition

You can also follow a step-by-step guide to partition the hard drive:

Step 1: Launch Partition Master. Right-click on the “Unallocated” space on the hard drive or external storage device in the main window, and then choose Create.

Step 2: Adjust the size of the new partition, the file system (choose the file system as needed), the label, etc., and then click “OK” to continue.

Step 3. Click the Run 1 Task button and then create the new partition by clicking Apply.

Watch the following video tutorial to learn how to create partitions on an NTFS, FAT, or EXT file system.

Method 2: Partition a 1TB HDD/SSD Using Disk Management

Using Disk Management is a common method for partitioning a hard drive among computer users. This built-in Windows tool can meet most users' basic needs. In Windows 11/10/8/7, Vista, and Windows Server 2008, Disk Management allows you to shrink a volume, extend a volume, create a volume, delete a volume, format a volume, and more. Here are the steps to partition a 1TB HDD or SSD:

Step 1: Open Disk Management in Windows 11/10/8/7

Right-click "This PC" > select "Manage" > go to "Device Manager" and click on "Disk Management".

Step 2: Partition a 1TB HDD/SSD in Windows 11/10/8/7

Reduce partitions:

1. Right-click the partition you want to shrink, and select "Shrink Volume." 2. After adjusting the size, click "Shrink" to confirm.

To create partitions, do the following:

After shrinking a partition, you can create another partition with the unallocated space.

1. Right-click the unallocated space and select "New Simple Volume." 2. Click "Next" to proceed, set the size of your new partition, the drive letter, and the file system, then click "Finish." Wait for the formatting process to complete.

Create partitions

This way, you can partition your 1TB HDD/SSD into several sections. You can also change the drive letter after completing the steps.

Change drive letter:

1. Right-click the partition, and select "Change drive letter and paths." 2. Click "Change," and assign a new drive letter to your partition.

Change drive letter with Disk Management

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Additional Tip – What is the Best Number of Partitions for a 1TB Hard Drive?

Generally, depending on the file types and personal habits, a 1TB hard drive can be divided into 2 to 5 partitions. It's recommended to divide it into four sections: the operating system (C drive), program files (D drive), personal data (E drive), and entertainment (F drive).

The C Drive (100 GB - 200 GB) is the main disk that contains the operating system and related system files, so it needs enough space. Usually, the OS and related files take up about 70 GB of space, so you should allocate hard drive space of around 100 GB - 200 GB to the C Drive.

D Drive (around 100 GB) for programs. Installing too many programs on the C Drive can slow down system performance. Thus, it's a good idea to create a separate partition from the 1 TB hard disk to store your programs. Usually, 100 GB of space for programs is enough for most people.

The E Drive (50-100 GB) is usually used for personal files. You can store important individual documents such as work files, study materials, private videos, or photos in this separate section. It's recommended to create a separate partition for these important personal files. 50-100 GB of space is typically sufficient.

F Drive (600-700 GB) – This can be used for entertainment, such as movies and music. These files tend to take up a lot of space, so you can assign as much as you can spare.

Conclusions

Third-party tools or the Disk Management utility can easily shrink, create, or expand partitions. Also, we've provided appropriate suggestions for the number and size of partitions on a 1TB hard drive. Apart from disk partitioning, you can use a disk management tool to merge partitions, migrate your OS, and convert MBR to GPT or GPT to MBR without losing data.

Frequently Asked Questions About Partitioning a 1TB Hard Drive on Windows 11/10

Can the C drive be partitioned? How long does it take to partition a 1TB hard drive? If you have such questions, you can read the following Q&A content.

What is the optimal number of partitions for a 1TB hard drive?

A 1TB hard drive can be divided into 2 to 5 partitions. We recommend dividing it into four: one for the operating system (Drive C), one for program files (Drive D), one for personal data (Drive E), and one for entertainment (Drive F).

How long does it take to format a 1TB hard drive?

About 10 minutes. If your computer runs well, you can create, shrink and extend partitions with Partition Master in minutes.

What is the best way to partition a hard drive?

The Best Way to Partition a Hard Drive

Step 1. Launch the Partition Master Tool

Resize the new partition's size, file system, label, and so on.

Step 3. Confirm the creation of the new partition

How long does it take to format a 1TB hard drive?

Note that, depending on the size of the drive and how much space is already in use, formatting can take anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour. A full format of a 1 TB drive in Windows, for example, may take hours (up to two), and over a USB 2.0 connection, a day or more!