A program for reading a hard disk via USB. Six best hard disk split programs

Hard disk keeps all the files on your computer. The work of each program and even the operating system itself depends in many respects from the work of your hard disk. Therefore, it is important that it is in perfect condition and was optimized.

Optimization of the hard disk operation in Windows 7

Disk optimization is a complex process that includes several actions. These actions differ depending on whether you use SSD or HDD.

Extended disk cleaning in Windows 7

The first step in optimizing the disk operation should be clean. Temporary files and other garbage will smoke with time on the disk and slow down its operation. To remove them, we use the system utility "Cleaning the disk". We do the following:

In addition, you can delete additional files in the "Clear System Files" section. But that's not all. You can access the extended disk cleaning using the command input to the command line. For this:

Disk defragment in Windows 7

Defragmentation of the hard disk is the basis of its optimization. If over time your disk started working slower than before, and the response when opening files and launch programs has become much larger, then your hard disk needs defragmentation. By itself, this process is to move the fragments of files to each other for faster access to them. The need for defragmentation occurs in the case when these pieces are actively using the disk are recorded in different sections of this disk.

In the process of defragmentation, all red areas will be nearby, providing quick access to the file

Disk defragmentation should be carried out as needed. Before defragment, you should allow the utility to analyze the fragmentedness of all sections and issue a report. If the share of fragmented files will be 10% or more, then it is necessary to defragment them, but less than 10%, then with defragmentation you can postpone.

By default, automatic defragmentation is enabled in the Windows 7 operating system. It is configured on Wednesday and turns on at night. Nevertheless, depending on your schedule, the computer may not be enough or the defragmentation process may be interrupted by you. In this case, it is necessary to run it manually. This is done as follows:

It is worth mentioning that defragmentation is a rather long process. You may have to spend waiting for several hours.

Video: How to perform disk defragmentation on Windows 7

SSD Optimization on Windows 7

If you have a SSD drive, the situation is somewhat different. It does not require defragmentation, and the system takes into account this. Automatic defragmentation will not be carried out when using an SSD disk. But in the case of a similar drive, there are a number of other actions that may contribute to an increase in the speed of the disk. And instead of using the SSD setting of the drive manually, it will be easier to use a special program - SSD Mini Tweaker.

After downloading the program from the Internet and download it the following:

Complex setting up your SSD drive was made. Of course, you can set up most of these options yourself, but it will take much more time. And you can also get information about each option that this program changes if you read the reference data.

In the Help you will find information about all SSD Disc Settings

Video: How to configure the SSD system using SSD Mini Tweaker

Utility "Disk Management"

To configure the disk you may need access to the disk management system. With it, you can change the disconnecting disk, divide the disk to the virtual volumes or, on the contrary, combine them together, which can be convenient to create a separate partition under the operating system. In the future, this can help avoid loss of important data and provide the possibility of formatting a section without the risk of deleting the necessary files.

To interact with the disk, use the context menu: it is called by pressing the right mouse button

To open the disk management manager in Windows 7, it suffices to call the "Run" menu by pressing the Win + R keys and enter the command "diskmgmt.msc" there.

Enter the "diskmgmt.msc" command and click OK

Actions in the dispatcher itself are produced mainly using the context menu. That is, it is enough to choose the desired disk and call the menu by pressing the right mouse button.

Fixing errors with a hard disk

Let's figure out how to solve the most common mistakes from those that may arise with your hard disk.

The disk is defined as a dynamic foreign (indefinite)

If you have found in the controller that the disk is defined not as a basic, but as dynamic with the assicious "indefinite" or "foreign", then, most likely, you will not be able to access the data on this disk.

Dynamic foreign disk will not properly work

You can fix this error using special programs. To correct, we will need to convert a dynamic disk back to the basic, and this can be done using the free TestDisk program or a paid Acronis Disk Director. The possibilities of a paid program, of course, wider, and on its example, we will analyze this process. Make the following actions:

Of course, if the malfunction arose on a disk with an installed operating system, you will not be able to access it. The solution here is simple - insert the disk into another computer as an additional and make all the steps you need, and then return it to the place when the disc work is restored.

Video: Working with Acronis Disk Director

Windows 7 detected a hard disk malfunction

If, with any verification, the system issued a message about malfunctions in the work of the hard disk, the first thing you should do is back up the required files. While your disk is still functions, copy all the necessary files from the disk to another drive or fill them into the cloud. In the future, it can help you save these files if the problems are aggravated.

Determine with what kind of disk you have a problem, you can, carefully examining the error message. There will be an alphabetic designation of the virtual disk section.

At the bottom of the notification you will see a disconnection of the disk

The error could arise for the following reasons:

problems appeared directly with the drive itself. This may be a consequence of its physical damage or contamination. In this case, it is recommended to give your drive to a service center for diagnosing and troubleshoot;
problems with the operating system. In case of damage to certain system files with viruses, the error may appear by itself without reasons for the disk side. In this case, it is recommended to check the system with antiviral programs, and then recover damaged files using the installation disk.

Regardless of the cause of the problem, the best thing you can do is save your files in advance. If the error message continues to appear, and you want to get rid of it, you can disable the disk diagnostic system. This is done as follows:

Disc formatting to install the Windows 7 operating system

For more efficient disk operation, when Windows is reinstalling Windows, it is recommended to format it, that is, a complete cleaning of the disk from files on it. You can format the disc directly during Windows 7 installation. Be sure to back up all the necessary files, since when formatting, they will be completely removed. To start formatting:

Thus, formatting is carried out quickly and without special delights. In addition, it is possible to format using special programs. For example, this feature is in the Acronis Disk Director program mentioned above. The program must be recorded on the disk, and the disc itself is selected as the loading device. This can be done in the Boot BIOS menu or by pressing the appropriate key when the computer is turned on (depends on the version of your BIOS).

As the first boot device, install CD / DVD

After the program with the program is loaded, we do the following:

Disc Work Programs

There are many programs that can help you with optimization, cleaning or other actions with your drives. We will analyze the possibilities of some of them.

CCleaner Disk Cleaning Program

Cleaning the disk includes deleting temporary files and installed applications for user selection. A good cleaning program can delete your browser cache and temporary files of various programs, to diagnose the system. And one of the best programs in this area is CCleaner. This program has the following features:

automation of system cleaning;
fully harmless and secure cleaning of temporary files, as well as analysis of the registry damage and its correction;
work with all popular browsers.

The program interface is simple and convenient, suitable for beginners who wish to regularly clean their computer from garbage. In addition, the free version of the program is not trimmed in functionality and has the same opportunities as paid.

Ccleaner will help you configure the autoload of applications, which will also speed up the computer.

CCleaner - Popular Disk Cleaning Program

Video: CCleaner program and its basic functions

Easeus Disk Copy Cloning Program

Under cloning in this case, the transfer of information from a single disk to another is implied. It can be extremely useful when reinstalling the system. The Easeus Disk Copy program is an excellent free solution for this task. It is different:

the ability to work with any operating system;
disc support volume to terabyte;
high cloning speed;
simple interface for novice users;
support dynamic disks.

In general, it copes perfectly with the task for which it was created, and its only serious minus can be called the absence of Russian language in the program.

Easeus Disk Copy - Disk Cloning Program

Restoring disk partitions using Starus Partition Recovery

In case of damage to the hard disk partition, one of the special recovery programs can help - Starus Partition Recovery. She copes well with this task. The main features of this program:

deep disc scanning for damage;
restoration of sections that were damaged or removed;
restore information on any type of media;
comprehensive analysis of the disk.

The program is considered simple and efficient in the circle of users.

Starus Partition Recovery can restore damaged sections of your disk

Disk Drive Emulation Program Daemon Tools

If you are gathered to reinstall the system, you can not do without a flexible tool to create virtual disks. Daemon Tools Lite or other version of the Daemon Tools program will help you create an installation disk or make virtual disks. The program also makes it possible to create several virtual drives immediately and their simultaneous use.

It is easy to work in this program, and the limitations of the free version of the program are not too noticeable.

Daemon Tools - Program for creating and using virtual disks

Video: Review of the program Daemon Tools Lite

It is important to know how to configure your hard disk for efficient work. The disk optimization process is not one-time and the actions to improve its operation should be made from time to time throughout the life of the device. Now you know how easy it is to easily improve your disk with the Windows 7 operating system.

The hard disk in the computer and the disk icon in the My Computer window are different concepts. For example, one hard disk can be installed on the computer, while there may be several of them in the "My Computer". The reason for such a strange inconsistency is that the hard disk can be divided into the so-called sections. This is called the logical marking of the disc.

I will tell you why you need such a markup, how to do it correctly (and whether it is necessary to do at all), as well as I will tell you about free programs for such a small procedure.

Why do you need to divide the hard disk to the sections

Reasons to divide the hard disk to sections several:

The hard disk sections are primarily needed for competent storage of information. For example, some users prefer the following division: operating system and software on one disk (usually it is C.), Documents - on the second ( D.), archive photos on the third ( E.) etc. In this case, the hard disk may well be one.
If you have a hard drive, but you want to have two or more operating systems, you have to share a hard disk to sections, since Windows and other operating systems can only be installed on different sections or hard drives.
Manufacturers of laptops (and some computers of eminent manufacturers, such as Acer) have their reason to divide the hard disk sections: on a section that is visible as a disk C, installed Windows, the second ( D.) is absolutely empty, and the third one (which is not visible in the "My Computer" window) keeps a compressed copy of the section C.. This hidden hard disk section is called section of recovery. If something happened to the operating system ("Windows flew" - as some users like to say), then when you turn on the laptop, it is enough to press the keyboard shortcut (what - see the instructions for the laptop) and the special program will cleanse the disk C., Then unpacks the contents of the hidden partition there. As a result, the user will receive a laptop with programs that were on it initially at the time of purchase in the store. Disk D. In this case, it will not be changed. It suggests the conclusion: if on a laptop with such a recovery system all documents to store not on disk c, but only on D., It will be possible at any time to restore the damaged Windows new, while not losing important data for yourself. By the way, such a recovery system can make any advanced user, but I will tell you about it somehow else.
Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating systems when installing on a clean, "unrequited" hard disk create a hidden section of 100-350 megabytes. This small section stores a bootloader designed, oddly enough to download Windows. There will be no this partition or its contents will be damaged - and the computer will not start the operating system by issuing an inscription on the black screen "BOOT FAIL", "CANNOT FIND BOOT DEVICE", "BOOT ERROR", or similar, the meaning of which one - not found boot disk with operating system. Actually, the bootloader can be stored on the disk C:, and / or in the hidden hard disk sectors (outside of sections), but the developers decided to use a separate hidden section in Windows 7/8 to save them to secure the loader from damage by other programs, viruses or user.
There are other reasons for the separation of a hard disk to sections. For example, for the correct operation of the GNU / Linux operating systems, several sections should be created, but this is the subject of a separate article, we will not consider them here.

So, the main reasons for separating the hard disk to sections:for easy storage of information, to install multiple operating systems, to work the recovery system, to store Windows 7/8 bootloader.

A bit of theory: file systems, sections

Section information (i.e. logical disks) is stored in the "Table of Sections". Each logical disk can have its own file system. You can read more about all this in Wikipedia Articles: disc partition, logic disk, file system. The novice user is enough to know the minimum:

If you share a hard disk on logic disks (sections), disk capacity will not increase - Free place to take just nowhere! You can make partitions of any size, but in sum they cannot be larger than the volume of the real hard disk. Here is less - please. Then you get an unblocked free space that is not visible in "My Computer", from which you can get one or more new sections. This question I often get from newbies, so place in the first place.
Exist primary (basic) and extended (Additional) Sections. On a single hard disk there can be no more than four main sections (why so - according to the links above), so invented an extended section - this is a primary partition that may include any sections. As a result, thanks to the extended partition, on the hard disk can be any sections - dozens, hundreds.
Each section can have its own file system. At the moment, only NTFS can be used to install Windows Vista, 7 and 8, and the outdated Windows XP can be installed on disks with FAT32 file system. However, I do not recommend that you do, because at the same time too many restrictions. Make all sections in NTFS - everything will work as it should.
Any hard drive must be posted one way or another. In one or more logical disks - to solve you. When buying a hard disk is usually already marked in one section - I solved the manufacturer. If you are satisfied with this way of organizing information - do not touch.
In the laptops to make disc marking very undesirable - most of them have hidden recovery sections that may be damaged (see paragraph 3 of the previous chapter).
If you bought a hard disk with a volume of 2 terabytes, and in "My Computer" - "just" 1,86 terabytes (1860 gigabytes), then do not rush to run back to the store. The thing is, according to the volume of manufacturers and Windows. More about this is written in the article Hard Disk Wikipedia. The larger the size of the hard disk - the more clearly it can be seen that real gigabytes are less.
Sections can be delete, create, shift (change their physical position on the disk), change their size, format, convert File systems on sections from one to another. Moreover, many programs can do it with the preservation of all data. There are other operations, but novice users most often needed above.
In case of error in the process of changing sections (see paragraph 7) information is almost always lost. Yes, it will be possible to restore (or part of it) by special programs with the participation of specialists, but it is best to save all important information to other discs in advance (not logical, and real discs) or flash drives not to pay money for data recovery.

Enabled "Disk Management" in Windows

Windows has a standard sections change tool - " Disc management". Depending on the version of Windows, the possibilities of this program are changing a little, but in general over the past years (if we talk about Windows Vista, 7, 8) serious changes. Windows XP in this plan looks more modest - except for formatting and changing the letter of the disk, there can be little there.

As an example, I will take Disc management»Windows 7. You can open this program in several ways:

The simplest - press the right button on the line A computer on the menu Start - Select item Control - In a new window, choose Disc management.
Open Control Panel - Administration - Computer Management - Disc management.
Press Start - Perform (or Keyboard keyword + R) - We enter in the window that opens diskmgmt.msc. - Press OK.

Disc managementlooks like that:

Here are visible both physical disks (including DVD drives, flash drives and other devices for storing information) and logical, i.e. Virtual - Hidden section of Windows 7 bootloader, discs C. and D.. On your computer, the number of disks may be different.

The main actions are available by pressing the right mouse button on the desired section:

The list of actions is quite meager:

Points Open, Conductor allow you to see the contents of the disks
Make a section active - Specify on which disk (section) is the bootloader. In Windows 7 and 8, this is a reserved system section. Making an active other section cannot be done - the operating system will stop loading.
Change the letter of the disk or the path to the disk - You can change the letter disk displayed in the "Computer" window or display it as a folder. Yes, sections can be displayed not only as discs, but also as folders on any disk.
Format - You can read about this in the article formatting Wikipedia. The item opens a window with which you can run high-level formatting.
Extend - If there is a place on the hard disk, not labeled as a partition, then you can expand the size of the section due to this free space.
Say - This item allows you to reduce the size of the section. The result will be the formation of an unbalanced space that you can put into the case - to expand the volume of another partition (see the previous item).
Remove Tom - Delete partition. Do not click on the item without thoroughly thinking about the consequences. If you delete the section, the information on it will be able to save only with the help of special programs, and it is not always.
Properties - The properties window will open with the information about the selected disk (section).

Of course, this is not a complete list of possibilities. Disk management. You can create dynamic disks, for example. However, novice users are for nothing, this article is designed for them.

So to create, delete, change the size of the partitions through Disc managementYou need only three menu item: Expand the volume, squeeze the volume, remove volume.

All operations occur in real time, i.e. After pressing the right point and the affirmative answer to the question - whether we want to do this - there are actual action.

Do not forget that there is a risk of failure, because of which we can lose both one section, and that's it. This applies primarily to computers with a large number of unnecessary programs - each of them may be the culprit of deleting all data. And the script when you need to change the section from which Windows is running (usually this disk C.), It is the worst - most often the problems of users arise exactly when trying to change the system partition.

To minimize the risk of failure, There are three methods:

Insert a hard drive to another computer and change the sections from it, running Disc management or any other program to change partitions. Due to the fact that Windows will be launched from another disk, no programs will climb on a foreign disk, interfering with a responsible operation.
Boot with a Live CD disk - the operating system and programs will be launched not from the hard disk, but from CD or DVD, flash drives - again nothing will interfere with changing sections.
Use a program that can work in Native mode to change partitions. For example, check disc C. It always works in this mode - a black window with white text before booting the desktop. In this mode, the minimum of programs is launched, the risk of failure is minimal.

The third option is the easiest, because the user is essentially not necessary to do anything - just restart the computer and wait a few minutes. This is able to two next review programs.

Free for home use program to change the partitions of the hard disk.

By clicking on the section (no matter - on the list at the top, on the bottom of the bottom), you can see the menu (both pop-up and on the left side) with all sought-after actions:

Resize / Move Partition - change the size of the partition and / or move its physical position on the disk. By the way, on the official website it is written that the Easeus Partition Master version of the HOME (free) does not support the change in sections. It is not so - everything works fine.

Copy Partition - Copy the section on another disc with all information available on it.

Merge Partitions. - Merge two or more sections. Conveniently, if you need to save information on the hard disk, but reduce the number of sections. Convert to Logical / Primary - Conversion to logical (advanced) / main (primary) section.

Change Label - Change the label of the disk.

CHANGE DRIVE LETTER - change the letter of the disk.

Defragment. - Starting a standard Windows program for disk defragment.

Check Partition - Checking the disk on errors using the standard Windows standard program.

Hide Partition. - Make it so that the partition is not visible in the "Computer" window.

Delete Partition. - Deleting a partition.

Format Partition. - Formatting section.

WIPE PARTITION. - Clearing the contents of the section. All folders and files will be deleted, the partition will remain. Information removed in this way will not be able to restore.

Explore Partition - View the contents of the section.

View Properties.- See how much space on the section is occupied, what is his file system and find out other technical information.

The list of action varies depending on where to press. In the screenshot, I clicked on a non-system section. By clicking on the system partition (where Windows is running), there will be no removal, hide, cleaning items. If you click on the physical disk icon, the list of action will be completely different:

I will list items:

Copy Disk. - Copies the contents of the entire disk: sections, information in them. This requires a second disk of the same or more.

Upgrade Disk. - The function first is needed to transfer Windows to a new hard drive of a larger volume. Copying and increasing the size of the section is proportional to the size of the new hard disk.

Delete All Partitions - Delete all sections.

WIPE DISK. - The same as the previous item, only with special removal algorithms, thanks to which it will be impossible to restore information.

Surface Test - checking the surface of the disk (physical). Allows you to detect bad sectors (the so-called "Bads", "Bad blocks").

View Properties. - Disconnect information.

Yes, knowledge of English is clearly required, especially if you consider that almost every item calls the window with the settings of the action performed. After you produce the necessary manipulations, you need to apply changes to the button by pressing the button. Apply(Apply):

Only then will begin changing sections. This process may take some time - from the pair of minutes to several hours.

Depending on whether the system section is addressed or not, the operations are carried out either immediately in the window, or you will need to restart the computer and start changing the section in Native mode:

The program has a lot of functions, everything is not listed. I recommend to get acquainted with the help of Easeus Partition Master. She is in English, unfortunately, it is possible to use the Google Translator. Translation turns out quite understandable.

Pluses Easeus Partition Master Home Edition:

Very functions.
All Actions "Virtual" before pressing the Apply button. So, you can cancel the operations before this "point of non-return" and try to do something else with sections. Or not to do at all, if changed.
It works stably and predictably. For example, in the testing process during sections, I launched copying files to a section that should be changed. The result - a window appeared that it is not possible to block the section, all operations were interrupted, the data did not disappear anywhere.
The program is free for home use.

Cons Easeus Partition Master Home Edition:

Interface only in English.
Opportunities, perhaps, even too much - it can confuse newcomers.
Serious failure in the process of operation will lead to serious consequences.
For example, if you turn off the computer at the time of changing the partition, the data from the section will disappear. However, it is minus absolutely all programs to change sections.

Output:the program is good. You can use and need, there are no alternatives among free programs.

Paragon Partition Manager 11 Free

Free program for changing sections from a company based in Russia. Unfortunately, the English-language program. What made developers go for such a step - it is incomprehensible. Moreover, the paid version of the Russian-speaking program.

The main window of the program is no different from the window of the hero of the previous review, except that the buttons changed their order:

Separate mention deserves Express Mode.(Simplified mode). By clicking on this button, we will get a window with the list of the most frequent actions:

It would be possible to say that this is the ideal mode for beginners, if it were not for one "but": everything is in English. Moreover, I had a suspicion that English here is some kind of wrong, as if I did not translate a person, but a car.

Pros Paragon Partition Manager 11 FREE:

Many windows have a sufficiently visual appearance to understand the functions.
Some operations are carried out immediately in the program window, part (if required) in Native mode. That is, the program does everything to reduce the chance of data loss.
The program is free to use the house.

Cons Paragon Partition Manager 11 FREE:

English-speaking, and because of the strange construction of phrases is quite difficult perceived.
Simplified Express Mode mode works with accuracy to the opposite: first, the descriptions of operations and the operations themselves have more technical subtleties than required; Secondly, this mode is very capricious and really does not work, issuing meaningless errors.
The program works too slowly. For example, I have a removal of a 38 GB hard disk partition took about 5 minutes - long enough for such a simple operation.

Output:the program works, but somehow unpredictable. I do not recommend using this program, the good has an alternative in the form of Easeus Partition Master Home.

Changing sections during installation of Windows 7, 8, 10

This tool also deserves mention.

We take any installation disk with Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8 or 10, run the installation of the disk, we reach the selection of the section and click Disc Setup:

It seems to be simple: you need to click on the section in the list, then the action button. Unfortunately, there are few actions here: delete, formatting, creating a partition and expansion.

You can, for example, delete the partition and by the released location to increase the size of another partition or partitions (choosing the desired partitions, you need to click the Delete and Extension buttons).

Alas, a very sought-after operation - a decrease in the size of the sections - there is no. You can delete the partition, then re-create a new one with a smaller partition, but, unfortunately, we will lose the data.

All operations occur in real time, i.e. After pressing the button, the action takes place.

Outcome:editing sections during Windows installation is an extremely primitive tool. Works, but performs only a limited list of actions, including the only one that saves data is an increase (expansion) of the size of the section. If you need to install Windows and it does not need to save data on sections, then the tool will be useful.

If suddenly you are inappropriately deleted the section while installing Windows or through any program, do not despair - the partition restore function is in Easeus Partition Master Home Edition.

In order to restore the remote partition of the hard disk, do not touch the sections, immediately boot into Windows (or insert the hard disk into another computer if you deleted the system partition and Windows loading is not possible), then run the aforementioned program, click on the list on the line with the word Unallocated ("Unallocated"), then click Partition Recovery..

The rest, as they say, the case of the Technology - the Master of Action will tell you where to press where to put ticks, then restore your remote disk.

Tip # 2: Installing two or more Windows operating systems for one hard drive

All that is needed for this - several sections. If the hard disk already has a second section, which is visible in the window " A computer"- Ensure that there is a free space of at least 20 GB (more - better), then during Windows installation simply specify this second (third, fourth, etc.) disk. After installation, you can choose Windows using the menu that will appear while turning on the computer.

If you have one disk ( C.), I propose the easiest option: through Disc management First give the section FROM Team SqueezeBy reducing at least 20 gigabytes (and better - more, because except Windows you will install and programs):

Press the right button on the disk with ...

After pressing the button Squeeze Disc size C.reduced, not distributed (free) space appears in the sections map:

Indicate an unoccupied space. The section will create the installer itself.

After installation, you will have two operating systems. You can make more unoccupied spaces or empty disks, specify them for installation.

Thanks to the reader Vladimir, that raised this topic.

You could notice that on the screenshots of the disk management window, all sections are marked with a blue stripe. You can have sections with green stripes. What is the difference between blue and green partitions?

Green strip in disk management is a sign of an extended (additional) section. As I wrote above, there may be "nested" partitions inside, which from the user's point of view are no different from the main (primary). There are one feature in nested sections - if you decrease their size, then due to the free space that has appeared simply to expand the main partition. You must first compress more and the advanced section itself (which stores free space and the decreased partition) to form a free space outside of any partitions, only then you can expand the discs.

Standard disk management does not know how to work normally with advanced disks, so if you see green labels instead of blue, it is better to use free programs above - they will reduce the extended sections, move free space where it is necessary and expand the main disk.

While working with a personal computer, it may be necessary to change, add or remove partitions of a hard disk. If, with the initial installation of Windows 7, the creation of partitions passes in the dialog mode and is intuitively clear, then making changes to the created sections requires a certain skill. Due to the lack of any experience in these issues, the user can incorrectly perform the necessary actions, which will subsequently lead to a complete loss of data or at all to the failure of a hard disk. To facilitate the process of creating and changing the disk partitions will help the "Disk Management" utility.

Utility "Disk Management" and its function

The "Disk Management" utility is a tool for performing various operations with hard drives and their sections.

With it, you can:

create, delete, combine the volume of the disk;
squeeze
format volumes;
assign literas for volumes;
add volumes without rebooting;
manage local and remote disks on the network.

Opening "Disk Management"

You can run the program in several ways.

Through the "Start" menu

Click on the "Start" menu and press the right mouse button on the computer. Select "Management".
Press the right mouse button on the "Computer" and select "Management"
In the "Computer Management" window that opens, click on "Disk Management".
Select "Disk Management"
The "Disk Management" program window opens.
Window Utilities "Disk Management"

Through the command line

Through the "Control Panel"

Click on the "Start" menu, select the "Control Panel".
Click "Control Panel"
In the search bar, enter "Administration" and click on the "Administration" section.
Click on the section "Administration"
In the list, select "Computer Management".
Select "Computer Management"
In the "Computer Management" window that opens, click on "Disk Management".
Click on "Disc Control"

Why does not open "drives"

There are situations where the "Disk Management" Console does not open or opens, but the console window is empty, and a warning appears "Could not connect to the logical disk manager."

The reasons that caused the appearance of this problem may be different. To exclude their effect on the disk management process, you must perform the following steps:

Conduct anti-virus check. Starting the antivirus program is recommended from an optical disk or with a protected flash drive. After checking, open the "quarantine" of antivirus. If the DMDSKMGR.DLL library found itself in Quarantine, then return it to the place.
Run the Rundll32 SetupAPI command, InstallHinfsection DefaultInstall 132% windir% \\ inf \\ dmreg.inf through the Start menu and the "Run" window.
Pass the "Control Panel" path - "Administration" - "Services" and make sure that "Logical Disk Manager) and" Logical Disk Manager Administration Service Manager "(Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service) are launched. If they are stopped, then turning them on.
Log in to the Basic I / O (BIOS) menu. To do this, while turning on the computer, press Del, F2 or ESC (the key selection depends on the computer manufacturer). If there is no information about the HDD connected information in the starting panel, then check the connecting loops in connecting places to the drive.

How to create a logical disk

The very first hard drives, first created by IBM in 1973, contained 30 cylinders, each of which was broken by 30 tracks. By analogy with automatic rifles using cartridge .30-30 WINCHESTER, such discs were called "Winchesters". Over time, in conversational speech, the word "Winchester" was transformed into the "screw".

Most "Winchesters" are sold already prepared for installation of Windows, i.e., the main section on them has already been created. The remaining operations are carried out during the installation of the system. Installation is carried out from a boot optical disk or a USB device. At one of the installation steps, a window will appear with a proposal to select the space to install the system.

If the "Winchester" before entering the sale was not prepared for the immediate installation of the system, then all operations will have to make the user. This will require a bootable optical disk or USB drive.

Configuring before installing in the BIOS (basic I / O system) download from a DVD or USB drive:

When forming a section on "Winchester", all free space is used, and additional partitions are created after installing Windows 7.

If you have the opportunity, it is better to use the Windows PE boot to which Acronis Disk Director or Partition Magic is built. These utilities are designed to manage the sections of the hard drive.

Windows Presets (Windows PE) is used to prepare a computer to install Windows. It is an embedded element of other means of installing and restoring the system and is not intended for use as the main operating system.

In the absence of such a boot disk, like Windows PE, you can:

Created logical disks need to format using the Format.com utility. Now you can go to install Windows 7.

Management of logical disks "Winchester"

You can control the sections of the hard drive through the context menu of each of them. They contain a set of commands required for work.

Compression section

A logical disk compression command is set in the context menu.

Creating a section

The new section is created in the free region of the hard drive, which has not yet relate to the formatted this. At the bottom of the Console "Disk Management" This space is highlighted with bright green color, and the legend line is indicated as "freely".

Upon completion of the compression section, we right-click on the unoccupied space and select "Create a simple volume" in the context menu.
Right-click on the unoccupied space and select "Create a simple volume" in the context menu.
It will be launched "Wizard of Simple Tom".
After launching a "wizard creating a simple volume", click "Next"
Indicate the size of the new volume.
Indicate the size of the new volume
We assign a CD to the Literature (letter).
We assign the Literature disk (letter)
We are determined with the file system, the size of the cluster and the Tom Tag.
We carry out the formatting of the section.
We carry out the formatting of the section
In the last window, click on the "Finish" button and create a new logical disk.
Click on the "Finish" button

After reformatting, the volume is ready for use.

Change litera section

Combining sections

When there is a need to reduce the number of logical disks, two in one joint logical disk is combined. Before combining, the necessary information from the Logical disk is removed is copied to another disk or removable media.

To combine one disk with another:

We allocate the Tom that we want to attach, and call the context menu. Click on "Delete TOM".
We select the Tom, call the context menu and click on "Delete Tom"
In the opening window, a message will appear that all volume data will be deleted. Confirm deletion.
Confirm the removal
At the site of the remote volume, a section will appear with the "Free" status. Select it and select "Delete Section" in the context menu.
To attach an empty volume to the desired logical disk with the right mouse button on the section to which an empty section will be attached, and select "Expand Tom" in the context menu.
We note the empty volume and perform accession to the main

After completing the combination, restart Windows 7 to avoid errors and loss of information.

Video: Disc Controls in Windows 7

Disk management software

To control disks, except for the standard Disk Management utility, there are several programs. They were widespread due to a clear and user-friendly interface. These programs include:

Acronis Disk Director is a program that provides logical disk management and responsible for service "Winchesters";
Provides management of logical disks and is responsible for servicing "Winchesters"
Partition Magic is a program with a smaller number of functions compared to Acronis Disk Director. This utility is outdated and not supported by the majority of manufacturers, but is included in the software kit on old boot disks;
This utility is outdated and not supported by most manufacturers, but enters the software kit on old boot disks.
Aomei Partition Assistant is a less well-known program for working with Winchester sections. One of the advantages of this program is the ability to convert the main boot record from the MBR format to the GPT format without losing information. This feature can be useful when switching from Windows 7 to Windows 8, and users working with these systems are necessary.
One of the advantages of this program is the ability to convert the main boot entry from the MBR format in the GPT format without losing information

In addition to the specified utilities, on the Internet you can find other developments designed to work with the sections of the hard disk.

Despite all the variety of utilities to work with hard drives, it is better to stop your choice on one, study it and use in work, since the incorrect use of programs can lead to removal of important data accumulated over long years of work. Restoring lost information will take a lot of time and strength, but may not lead to the desired result.

Easeus Partition Master Free 12.9 - a program for splitting a hard disk to sections. This software will help you create local disk partitions directly from the program window. You do not have to do it via BIOS or reinstall Windows.

When buying a computer, there is often such a situation when only one local volume with an operating system has been created on the computer, which takes all the hard disk memory. But for ease of use, properly store system files separately from others. Share the hard disk to the sections will help Easeus Partition Master.

Features Easeus Partition Master Free

When you first start, the program scans your hard disk to detect the amount of free memory and local disks. In the main interface window, scan information will be displayed. That is, local disks, if present, and the remaining non-marked memory area. Below, in the form of bar progress, the occupied and free memory on the disks is displayed.

The main features of the program are made by separate buttons to quickly access them. This is: Creating / Changing Disc Sizes, Delete, Connection, Formatting and Copying. Easeus Partition Master has the ability to convert the MBR disc in GPT and vice versa without data loss.

Each operation can be canceled before its execution. And if you are confident in your actions, a window with a progress indicator will appear by clicking. Depending on the selected operation, it will last from several to a tent of minutes.

Also in the program there are functions of data recovery and creating a boot disk. This software is free, and you can download it without registration, completely free.

Specifications:

Version: Easeus Partition Master Free 12.9
Russian language
Status: Free
Author.

Partition Assistant is a program for controlling disks and partitions of FAT and NTFS formats. With this application, you can check the disk on the error, check the disk surface for failed sectors (Bad Sectors), change the size of the disc (zoom or decrease), combine the disk partitions, create, hide, format and delete the disc partitions. Partition Assistant has a whole and separate disk section of the disk partition and sectors, as well as a disc / partition recovery wizard from the previously made copy. The advantage of Partition Assistant is that this is a free program for private (home) use, and what is known to administer the disc partitions of the disc.

Disk management program

Using Partition Assistant, you can make a bootable flash drive (bootable USB Drive), convert the media from NTFS to FAT32 and vice versa, change the letter of the disk, delete information from the disk without the ability to recover, split the disk, expand the disc partition by the unloaded space or at the expense of another section, Moreover, it is possible to expand or shorten the size of the system partition. The utility will help transfer the current OS from the solid-state (SSD) to the usual HDD and vice versa. Partition Assistant will tell you about all the properties of the disk - information about the file system, the number of physical sectors, the overall size, the first and last used sector, will show the name and point of the volume point. More with this program you can restore the disk MBR.