Gparted Move Partition Tutorials [Free Alternative Included]

Gpartd Move Partition Windows Alternative Free

Moving partitions using Gparted? Why not using another easier free tool IM-Magic Partition Resizer for Windows that can help easily mange disk partitions even when Gparted failed to move partitions.

Here is a comparsion of what Gparted can do and cannot.

	Gparted (Windows/Linux)	Partition Resizer (Windows)
Move partition when running Windows	NO
Move recovery partition when Running OS	NO
Move mounted partition	NO
Move unallocated space when running OS	NO
Migrate OS	NO
Roll-back protection if anything wrong	NO
Clone disk/partition when running OS	NO
Move linux partition		NO
Price	FREE	FREE
		Download Windows 11-7 (Free) Download Windows Server (Free Demo)

Also read: Gparted cannot move partition

Tutorial: how to move partition using IM-Magic Partition Resizer on Windows 11/10/7

Prepartion: Download the free tool on your Windows computer, install and open it.

• 1, Find the big drive that has a lot of free space, right click it in the software, and go to RESIZE/MOVE partition and then move its border leftword or rightword to create unallocated space.
• 2, Right click the partition, and then go to RESIZE/MOVE to move the whole partition. This following video shows how to move a partition when the OS is running.
• 3, Later options: expand a volume, create partition etc. depending on what you want.
• 4, Click 'Apply Changes' in the end.

Note: If you want to move the boot c drive on Windows using Partition Resizer, you can directly right click C drive and get it moved when there is free space before/after the c drive.

Also read: how to move partition in Windows 11/10, or how to move recovery partition Windows 10

Conditions of Moving Partition Using Gparted

Gparted will only work under certain conditions no matter on Windows or Linux computers. Here are some of them.

#1, Gparted can only move partition in bootable media, ie before booting the pc

Gparted Live USB/CD is needed that you need to run Gparted iso from bootable media and then use Gparted there before the PC boots into regular OS mode.

Step1: Burn Gparted ISO to USB, the essential step to get the work started.

Why Gparted Live USB is required?

Burning GParted ISO to a USB drive is essential for several reasons.

• Firstly, it allows for booting into the GParted environment, which is a standalone operating system specialized in disk partition management. This ensures that no files or system operations are actively running on the disk you intend to modify, reducing the risk of data corruption.
• Secondly, USB drives are portable and easily accessible, enabling you to use GParted on various computers.
• Finally, GParted's ISO image contains all the necessary tools and drivers, ensuring compatibility and functionality when managing partitions, making it a practical and safe solution for moving or resizing partitions on different systems.

Step2: Move partition using Gparted

This following video shows how to move a partition using Gparted.

When there is already some unallocated space on the disk, you may right click the in-between partition, and then type its starting/ending sector bytes to be 0 to get the location changed and then the whole partition will be moved.

#2, Unallocated space required

Moving partitions is based on unallocated space on the disk. There are three ways to add/create unallocated spaces.

• A. Shrink volume to create unallocated space on the same disk
• B. Delete volume to create unallocated space on the same disk
• C. Add new space to pc from another disk with RAID contruction

Note: The disk partitions order cannot be changed. The moving partition only happens between the location of the target partition and the unallocated space. For instance:

Disk with partition C, D, E cannot be moved/changed to partition C, E, D (The drive letter can only be changed when you delete/rename a partition, create a new partition).

Gparted move root partition Linux

Moving the root partition in Linux can be a complex and potentially risky operation, so it should be done with caution and proper backups. Here are the general steps to move the root partition using GParted:

Important: Before proceeding, make sure you have a backup of all your important data. Mistakes during partition operations can lead to data loss.

1. Boot from Live CD/USB: You cannot move the root partition while it's mounted. You'll need to boot from a live CD or USB containing GParted or another partition management tool.

2. Open GParted: Once booted into the live environment, open GParted. If it's not installed by default, you can usually install it using package manager commands like sudo apt install gparted on Debian/Ubuntu-based systems or sudo yum install gparted on Red Hat-based systems.

3. Unmount the Root Partition: Right-click on your root partition (usually mounted at /) and select "Unmount." This will make the partition unmounted and ready for manipulation.

4. Resize the Root Partition: Now that the root partition is unmounted, you can resize it. Right-click on the root partition and select "Resize/Move."

5. Drag the Partition: In the Resize/Move dialog, you can drag the partition to its new location within the available space on the disk. Make sure you leave enough space before and after the root partition for any necessary boot or system files.

6. Apply the Changes: Once you're satisfied with the new partition layout, click the "Resize/Move" button in the dialog. GParted will apply the changes, which may take some time depending on the size of the partition and the speed of your storage.

7. Update the Bootloader: If your bootloader (GRUB, for example) uses the partition's UUID or label to locate the root filesystem, you may need to update its configuration to reflect the new partition location. You can usually do this using commands like update-grub on Debian/Ubuntu or grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg on Red Hat-based systems.

8. Reboot: After successfully moving the root partition and updating the bootloader configuration, you can reboot your system. Ensure that it boots correctly and that all your data is accessible.

Warning: Moving the root partition is a risky operation, and there is a chance of data loss or system boot failure if not done correctly. Always have a backup, and only proceed if you're confident in your understanding of the process.