Windows 8 : Disks and Storage Devices - Simple Volumes (part 2) - To format an existing partition or volume, To extend a volume , To shrink a volume

To format an existing partition or volume

1. In the Disk Management utility, right-click (or tap and hold) the volume you wish to reformat, and then select Format from the context menu. The Format dialog appears .

 The Format dialog box offers .

2. Windows displays an alert box . Tap or click OK to proceed. Windows then formats your partition or volume.

 The Format alert box; ignore it at your peril.

To protect users against accidental errors, Windows 8 does not allow you to reformat the system or the boot (active) partition unless you start your system from another partition.

To extend a volume

1. Right-click, or tap and hold, the volume in the Disk Management utility, and select Extend Volume from the context menu to launch the Extend Volume wizard.

2. Click Next to view the Select Disks screen .

 In the Extend Volume Wizard, specify the amount of additional space you wish to add to your volume.

3. Add additional available disks (optional), and then enter the amount of additional space you desire in the Select The Amount Of Space In MB field.

4. Tap or click Next, and complete the wizard. Windows 8 adds additional space to your volume.

To shrink a volume

1. Right-click, or tap and hold, the volume in the Disk Management utility, and select Shrink Volume from the context menu to launch the Shrink Volume wizard.

2. Click Next to view the Shrink dialog box, and then enter the amount you wish to remove from your volume .

In the Shrink dialog box, enter the amount of space you wish to remove from your volume.

3. Click the Shrink button, and you are returned to the Disk Management utility, where your disk is shown at its smaller size.

Shrink can remove only space that doesn’t have files on it, so you may need to defrag the volume before shrinking it.