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How can I get my hard drive working smoothly after removing a delete dual boot option?

How can I get my hard drive working smoothly after removing a delete dual boot option?

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spotDC
Junior Member
36
07-23-2026, 12:28 AM
#1
I had Ubuntu and Windows 11 on my computer at the same time. After I deleted the Ubuntu partition, there was a big empty space left over on my hard drive, but it doesn't show up as free space in the Windows system because Windows can't see it or trust it. When I tried to tell Windows that this extra space is real by extending one of its partitions, the computer said not enough room for another partition right now. Even after I cleaned up the Windows part of the drive and tried making the empty space into a new Windows partition, the computer still didn't say there was enough space. I even tried to make it as small as 10 megabytes and kept getting errors. Now I'm really confused because all my search results talk about merging two separate physical drives instead of using one drive with just different sections on it.
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spotDC
07-23-2026, 12:28 AM #1

I had Ubuntu and Windows 11 on my computer at the same time. After I deleted the Ubuntu partition, there was a big empty space left over on my hard drive, but it doesn't show up as free space in the Windows system because Windows can't see it or trust it. When I tried to tell Windows that this extra space is real by extending one of its partitions, the computer said not enough room for another partition right now. Even after I cleaned up the Windows part of the drive and tried making the empty space into a new Windows partition, the computer still didn't say there was enough space. I even tried to make it as small as 10 megabytes and kept getting errors. Now I'm really confused because all my search results talk about merging two separate physical drives instead of using one drive with just different sections on it.

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Maylo101
Member
143
07-23-2026, 01:57 AM
#2
Hey, could you take a picture on your screen and send it to me? Just let me see the Disk Management box that's open right now. I need to look at what's happening inside.
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Maylo101
07-23-2026, 01:57 AM #2

Hey, could you take a picture on your screen and send it to me? Just let me see the Disk Management box that's open right now. I need to look at what's happening inside.

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kingpin73
Member
80
07-25-2026, 03:43 PM
#3
I forgot to mention it, but I want to fix Disk 1 so it becomes a single whole disk instead of the usual split-up version.
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kingpin73
07-25-2026, 03:43 PM #3

I forgot to mention it, but I want to fix Disk 1 so it becomes a single whole disk instead of the usual split-up version.

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Timoxhy
Member
60
07-26-2026, 02:41 PM
#4
I already set up the file so I won't lose any info. It only had some games, and I can get those back easily.
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Timoxhy
07-26-2026, 02:41 PM #4

I already set up the file so I won't lose any info. It only had some games, and I can get those back easily.

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Burgurmeister
Junior Member
32
07-27-2026, 03:53 PM
#5
Turn off your computer and cut the power from the physical drive. Try starting it again with that drive unplugged; if it boots fine without it, plug it back in. Then delete every existing partition on Disk 1 so everything is blank. Create a new Simple Volume and format it, assign it a letter like "C:."
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Burgurmeister
07-27-2026, 03:53 PM #5

Turn off your computer and cut the power from the physical drive. Try starting it again with that drive unplugged; if it boots fine without it, plug it back in. Then delete every existing partition on Disk 1 so everything is blank. Create a new Simple Volume and format it, assign it a letter like "C:."

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tobuscis7
Member
170
07-27-2026, 10:50 PM
#6
Haha, I'm a fool. Thanks. Yes, the windows are on my second hard drive. I got angry and just couldn't figure out how to put them together. I forgot that's not a good idea. I should have waited till tomorrow. Thanks again.
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tobuscis7
07-27-2026, 10:50 PM #6

Haha, I'm a fool. Thanks. Yes, the windows are on my second hard drive. I got angry and just couldn't figure out how to put them together. I forgot that's not a good idea. I should have waited till tomorrow. Thanks again.

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Nomachio
Junior Member
49
08-08-2026, 09:27 AM
#7
Yes, Windows is on the other drive. I asked for the disconnect test, due to the small EFI partition on Disk 1. It almost certainly is NOT the little boot partition needed, but testing and verification is always best.
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Nomachio
08-08-2026, 09:27 AM #7

Yes, Windows is on the other drive. I asked for the disconnect test, due to the small EFI partition on Disk 1. It almost certainly is NOT the little boot partition needed, but testing and verification is always best.

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iBarambe
Member
160
08-08-2026, 04:17 PM
#8
Disconnect passed and when I tried what you told me to do, I couldn't delete the EFI partition and was still hitting the same error. I just wanted to leave a little note for others if they ever get stuck like this. After running that 'diskpart' command with those options, everything started working again. Thanks for helping out, I had to try something different on the next day instead of getting angry, but I really appreciate your replies.
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iBarambe
08-08-2026, 04:17 PM #8

Disconnect passed and when I tried what you told me to do, I couldn't delete the EFI partition and was still hitting the same error. I just wanted to leave a little note for others if they ever get stuck like this. After running that 'diskpart' command with those options, everything started working again. Thanks for helping out, I had to try something different on the next day instead of getting angry, but I really appreciate your replies.

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ironman2255
Member
133
08-09-2026, 10:11 AM
#9
Yeah. If nothing else helps, just fix it and go ahead! 😊
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ironman2255
08-09-2026, 10:11 AM #9

Yeah. If nothing else helps, just fix it and go ahead! 😊