Partitioning

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Freed up some space on the C:\ drive so I could create some partitions to install Linux.  That went well, but when I tried to create new volumes, I got an error saying that I could not do this due to there already being the maximum number of partitions already.  What can I do?  Thanks

Will attach a screenshot later once I figure out how to get it out of my admin profile and into my user profile.

 

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here it is

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Larry,

You’re most likely using a MBR disk setup. To get more than 4 Primary Partitions (which you already have and one Logical) you need to switch to GPT.

Check out this article.

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Can you convert MBR to GPT without reinstalling Windows? To the very least it means creating a new EFI system partition and booting by UEFI subsequently. In case it’s available, that is.

You can’t create a fifth – er – fourth plus one primary partition, but you can create new logical drives within the extendend partition (the one in the green frame).

Regards, VZ

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Yeah, that’s definitely an MBR disk. As Volume Z pointed out, the green frame is a tell-tale clue. That indicates an “Extended” partition, which is something GPT disks do not support.

It might help a bit if Larry were to just delete the 39MB OEM partition. Then he could create another primary out of the 80 GB of unallocated space.

An OEM partition of 39 MB is a tell-tale sign of an old Dell disk. 39 and 47 MB were the standard sizes of the old DellUtility partition, which was marginally useful in XP days. It lost all effective usefulness in the Vista and 7 eras, and today serves no real purpose except to take up a slot in the partition table. There’s no harm in just getting rid of it.

Converting from MBR to GPT might be a possibility, but there will be some hurdles. And as Volume Z hinted, if this is an old computer it might not even have UEFI boot capability, anyway.

 

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What program did you use to try to create new partitions?

If it was diskmgmt.msc (as shown in the image), there are much more capable tools.  I used Minitools’ Partition Wizard free edition on Windows, and the go-to standard in Linux is Gparted (GNOME Partition Editor), which is preinstalled on the Mint Live USB.

The Linux installer might be able to handle this too as you install it.

The easiest solution would be to delete the 39MB partition as dg1261 suggested.

Alternately, you can use a partition editor (either of the ones listed above should be fine) and grow the extended partition (the green box) to the left, filling up the unallocated space, then create a new logical partition within the extended partition (after shrinking K: to make room within the extended partition, if necessary).

An extended partition is a container for logical partitions within… right now it only has one logical partition in it, K:, but you can create more of them inside it, and Linux can go in the new one you make.

Dell XPS 13/9310, i5-1135G7/16GB, KDE Neon 6.2
XPG Xenia 15, i7-9750H/32GB & GTX1660ti, Kubuntu 24.04
Acer Swift Go 14, i5-1335U/16GB, Kubuntu 24.04 (and Win 11)

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Yes, I used diskmgmt.msc.  I am trying to create partitions for the Linux OS, home and swap.  I was planning to install Linux Mint Cinnamon 19.2 to the free space I created.  My PC is a Dell laptop from 2012 which runs great.  I was planning to use the “something else” install for the 3 partitions I was trying to create.  Would using the “install alongside of Windows” be able to create all of the partitions I was trying to do?  Thanks

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You can’t create a new primary partition unless you delete another or convert the drive from MBR to GPT.

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They don’t have to be primary partitions.  Logical partitions will be fine.  This is Linux we’re talking about installing!  I know conventional wisdom is that one must boot from an active primary partition, but Linux is more flexible than Windows in a lot of ways.

Here’s a screenshot of a test setup I just did on my 10 year old Asus F8SN laptop, using a MBR disk, with no primary partitions.  It boots and runs fine; the screenshot was taken from within the PC’s own Mint installation.

I am not exactly sure if the Mint installer will be able to figure out that it would need to grow the extended partition and create the new partitions within it.  It doesn’t distinguish between primary and logical partitions, and makes no mention of the extended partition either.  You could try it, but since you’re aware enough of what you want to know the value of having separate partitions, it would probably be easier to use Gparted (which is on the Mint install/live USB) and do the repartitioning there, then tell the Mint installer to use each of the three partitions you just created from the “something else” menu.

Be sure to have a backup of the disk if what is already on it matters to you.  It probably won’t be an issue, but when you are messing with partition tables, bad thing happening are possible.

 

Dell XPS 13/9310, i5-1135G7/16GB, KDE Neon 6.2
XPG Xenia 15, i7-9750H/32GB & GTX1660ti, Kubuntu 24.04
Acer Swift Go 14, i5-1335U/16GB, Kubuntu 24.04 (and Win 11)

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I used Minitools’ Partition Wizard free edition to create the 3 logical partitions on the 80GB of unallocated space.  diskmgmt.msc only gave the option to do partitions as new volumes unless I missed something.  I will save the 39 MB of the Dell utility in case I ever need disk space.  Thanks to all who helped.

The Minitool want to install other software, 2 of their own programs and Avast.  There was no option to not install Avast so I just declined the license and it did not appear to install.

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