How to Free Extend System Partition in Windows Server 2012?

Need to extend system partition Windows Server 2012

We may found when the Windows Server 2012 system partition runs on low disk space, the overall computer performance will slow down consequently. To get rid of this terrible situation, most users will choose to free up the disk space by deleting unnecessary files or uninstalling some programs. But the C drive will get full soon or later. So, the best method is to extend C drive in Windows Server 2012 with unallocated space or free space in other partitions.

Extend volume greyed out in Server 2012 Disk Management

Generally speaking, we can take advantage of the “Extend Volume” feature provided by the Server built-in Disk Management. However, in most cases, you might find the “Extend Volume” is greyed out and not clickable. That’s because “Extend Volume” only can be used with contiguous unallocated space at the right side of the system partition or other partition you wish to enlarge.

If there is no unallocated space, space, we can shrink one existing partition to get, but “Shrink Volume” can only free up space behind the partition we shrink, while moving partition is not supported by Disk Management. To extend system partition Windows 2012 successfully, deleting the partition behind system partition to get an adjacent unallocated space is the only way we can do in Disk Management. It is at the risk of losing data.

Freeware to extend Server 2012 system partition without deleting any partition

If you don’t want to get a contiguous unallocated space by deleting another partition, you can ask some third-party partition manager for help. And the free AOMEI Partition Assistant Lite is a nice choice for Windows Server 2025, 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012 (R2). It can move the partition to make available unallocated space next to the system partition and extend it with ease. You can download the freeware and take the following steps to extend boot partition in Server 2012.

Step 1. Install and run AOMEI Partition Assistant Lite. Right-click the partition in the way of the unallocated space and system partition, and choose “Resize/Move Partition”.

Note: If there is no unallocated space, please first shrink another partition to get one.

Step 2. Next, drag the partition to the right side and click on “Next”.

Step 3. Now, you will find the unallocated space has been adjacent to the system partition. Now right-click on system drive and select “Resize Partition”.

Step 4. Then drag the slider to the right side to add the unallocated space and click on “Next”.

Step 5. Finally, you can preview the Server 2012 system partition has been extended. To realize it, click on “Apply”.

This is how to free extend system partition in Windows 2012. To get easier methods to expand system partition in Windows Server 2012 and other Server environments, you can upgrade to AOMEI Partition Assistant Server Edition. In addition to moving partition, it provides the following features to extend partition more conveniently.

1. Merge Partitions: merge two adjacent partitions into one, or merge unallocated space to another partition no matter the unallocated space locates on the disk.

2. Allocate Free Space: directly transfer some free space from one partition to another partition.

3. Extend Partition Wizard: extend NTFS system partition without rebooting Server or PC.