How to Convert Primary Partition to Logical or Logical to Primary in Windows 11 [2024 Guide]

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Are Logical Partitions Better Than Primary Partitions? A Comparison between Primary and Logical Partitions

Main Partition

In the primary partition, you can divide your disk into four partitions at most. One of them is the primary partition and the other three are logical drives. However, you can install Windows on any partition. But always keep the boot files in the primary partition.

Logical Partition

A logical partition, also known as an LPAR, is an extended portion of a hard disk that can be further divided into multiple logical partitions. As such, a personal computer can have several logical partitions, with each one capable of hosting a different operating system and allocation of hardware resources. In enterprise settings, these partitions can also function as hosts for multiple server environments within a single large piece of equipment.

Primary and Logical Partitions

• Allocation: Most systems assign primary partitions to the first few letters, such as Drive C and D. The remaining letters, like E, F, and G, are used for logical drives.
• Bootable: A primary partition can boot an operating system, while a logical drive cannot support any operating system.
• Number of Partitions: You can create a maximum of four primary partitions, but with logical drives, you can create an unlimited number of partitions, although the hard disk's memory is the only limiting factor.

The Point of Logical Partitions and Primary Partitions

In short, the primary partition is used for booting and operating systems. Hence, it's recommended to keep enough storage space on the primary partition for optimal performance. However, if you have an HDD with 500GB or 1TB storage, you can further partition the storage. But this is not recommended for users with smaller HDDs. Having too many partitions directly affects your computer's performance.

How to change the primary drive to a logical drive or vice versa in Windows 11?

There are two different methods provided by Windows 11 to convert a primary partition to logical or vice versa.

1. #1. Partition Converter Software - tools Partition Master
2. #2. Using CMD Command Prompt

If you have important data and wish to convert its type without losing any, you should opt for Method 1. This is one of the safest and most reliable solutions to convert a primary partition to a logical partition without losing data.

In contrast, Method 2 has some limitations. CMD cannot convert a logical partition to a primary one, or vice versa. Instead, it will delete the old partition and create a new one based on your selection.

Regardless, we shared the methods to convert IME to legacy or vice-versa on Windows 11, and you should choose the one that suits you the best.

Method 1: Use Partition Conversion Software to Convert Primary Partition to Logical Partition or Logical Partition to Primary Partition

tools Partition Master Professional is a free tool that can be used to convert primary partitions to logical partitions or logical partitions to primary in Windows 11. It can change the partition type without formatting data and is compatible with all versions of Windows from 7 to 11. Most importantly, it features a user-friendly design for easy use.

Thus, to convert a primary partition to logical or logical to primary, you need to follow these simple steps, which will change your partition type.

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

Step 2: Right-click the partition you want to convert, and click "Advanced." Select the conversion option:

1. Main to Logic 2. Logic to Main

Step 3: Click the "Run 1 Task" button and select "Apply" to start the conversion.

0:00 - 0:30 Convert primary partition to logical; 0:31 - 0:50 Convert logical partition to primary.

Here are some useful features of the Partition Master tool:

Delete and format partitions

Data Undamaged Partition Type Conversion

• Combine Two SSD Drives

Support for up to 8 TB hard disk capacity (free version)

Supports all Windows operating systems

Method 2: Convert Primary Partition to Logical Drive or Logical Partition to Primary Partition via CMD

If you want to convert a primary partition to a logical drive, or vice versa, Windows 11 offers a straightforward process. You'll need administrator access and to follow these steps. However, you must delete the original partition and create a new one of your chosen type. This will erase all data stored on the drive.

Thus, you should back it up to another drive or save it in the cloud to make sure you don't lose important data.

Step 1: Open the Start menu as an administrator and run the Command Prompt (CMD).

Step 2: Now, put all these commands in the same command prompt, making sure not to alter their order.

• Diskpart - This command will allow you to access more sub-commands.
• List Disk - It will display all disks along with their total size and free space.
• Select Disk X - In this command, 'X' is the number of the disk you want to convert.
• List Partition - It will display all partitions along with their partition type.
• Select Partition X - In this command, 'X' is the number of the primary or logical partition you want to convert.
• Delete Partition - It will delete all data within the selected partition.
• Create Partition Primary/Logical - Typing "Create Partition Primary" will convert the selected partition from logical to primary. To convert a primary partition to logical, type "Create Partition Logical."

At this point, you should be back at the main fdisk menu, and your partition has been converted. With these commands, you can create or delete primary partitions, as well as logical partitions within extended partitions.

Conclusions

Using Command Prompt and Partition Master tools are effective ways to convert primary to logical or vice versa in Windows 11. However, using Command Prompt poses the risk of losing crucial data, even with a backup, and adds extra steps. Furthermore, it lacks a user-friendly interface. In contrast, Partition Master offers an intuitive interface that ensures no data loss and allows you to merge partitions and reformat Windows 10. Therefore, if you're seeking a safe and efficient method, we highly recommend utilizing the Partition Master tool.