Extend or Expand SSD C Drive Across Disks Like An Expert in 2022

Applies to: Expand SSD C drive across disks, extend SSD C drive to another disk; no data loss, no boot issue.
Complex Level: Easy
Supported OS: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7, Vista/XP, and Windows Server systems.

In this article, you'll learn:

When to Extend C Drive from Another Disk
#1. Prepare or Add a Second Drive to PC
#2. Download Reliable Disk Partition Manager to Extend SSD C Drive Across Disks
#3. How to Expand SSD C Drive Across Disks
Tips to Optimize SSD and Computer Performances After Extending C

"Can I expand SSD C drive across disks in Windows 11/10?"

Yes, as long as you have a second hard drive installed on your computer, you can successfully expand the system c drive to another disk.

Are you looking for a guide that can help you to extend C drive from another disk? On this page, we'll be showing you the complete procedure in expanding SSD system drive to another drive without losing any data or booting issues.

Let's get started here.

When to Extend C Drive from Another Disk

In some of Qiling's previous articles, we mainly discussed how to fix the listed issues here with free or unallocated space on the same disk:

Extend C drive without formatting
Extend C drive in Windows Server 2019/2016
C drive is out of space
Merge C drive with D drive
Merge disk 0 to disk 1, etc.

You can efficiently resolve the problem by extending the C drive with unallocated or free space or increasing the system drive. When there is no unallocated space or free space on the target disk, you can even convert two disks to dynamic and merge them as one to fix the problem.

However, when you are with the listed case here, you'll need a solution to expand SSD C drive across disks:

SSD has only one system partition.
There is no unallocated space left on the system SSD disk.
The SSD C drive is running out of space.
SSD C drive becomes read, or computer warns with low disk space error.

So how to expand C drive from another HDD or SSD? Follow the full guide below, and you'll successfully get rid of the SSD C drive full issue with ease.

#1. Prepare or Add a Second Drive to PC

Note that if your system has a second disk configured on the computer, you can directly jump to the second part and continue.

However, if your computer only has one SSD configured as the system C drive, you'll need to add and set up a second hard drive or SSD. And here are the steps:

Step 1. Purchase a new hard drive or SSD.

Note that the second hard drive or SSD should own equal or even bigger storage space than the system SSD drive.

Step 2. Install and configure the new HDD or SSD to your PC.

Move the computer case, insert the new disk to the PC via the SATA and power cables.

Close computer case, enter Disk Management, right-click the new disk, and select "Initialize Disk".
Configure the disk type as the same as the source system SSD - MBR or GPT.

#2. Download Reliable Disk Partition Manager to Extend SSD C Drive Across Disks

After configuring the second drive on your computer, it's time that you turn to reliable disk manager software for help. Qiling Partition Master, with its newly released feature - Expand C Drive is here to help.

With this feature, you can effectively expand SSD C drive across disks, moving essential and bit Windows programs and files to a second HDD or SSD to free up more space on the OS drive. Qiling Partition Master securely generates a new partition on the second new disk, then configures programs and system files working as the same as they were in the original location.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

To extend the system C drive across disks, you can directly download and install this software on both Windows and Windows Server computers.

#3. How to Expand SSD C Drive Across Disks

Now, you are good to go and change the location of System programs and files to the second disk so to expand SSD C drive on your PC.

Here are the steps that you can follow:

Step 1. Click partition C, select Disk management, and click Resize/Move

Step2: Drag the C: partition end into the unallocated space so to add it to the C: drive. And click "Proceed" to start.

Once the process completes, remember to restart your computer so to keep all the changes. After the computer boots up, you can open Windows File Explorer and find an Expanded C drive is created. And you can also view that the SSD c drive is now with more free space left in Disk Management.

Tips to Optimize SSD and Computer Performances After Extending C

After expanding the C drive with the second disk, your computer should work faster to read and write data. However, it still matters that you take good care of your SSD and the computer.

Here are some tips that you can follow to optimize SSD and computer performances:

#1. 4K Alignment SSD

To ensure that your SSD is configured to the best performance, you can apply Qiling Partition Master to 4K alignment SSD so to make sure it's at the peak reading and writing speed.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

Here is how to do so:

Step 1.Select the SSD disk that you want to align, right-click it and choose "Resize/Move".

Step 2.Click "Proceed". Then, the SSD drive partitions are all 4K aligned with all sectors on it.

#2. Take Good Care of the Expanded C Drive

When you see the expanded C drive, you need to take good care of the drive. As it contains the system files and program files, you don't want to delete or remove any included files inside.

Instead, you should be very careful every time that you need to make changes in the folder. Just one thing here:

You are supposed to do nothing with this new volume if you want everything to work as well as before.

#3. Clean-Up System Junk Files Regularly

Note that the Windows system would generate some useless junk files or large temporary files while surfing online or working on it.

In case your system C drive gets full of useless large junk files, we suggest that you clean up junk files regularly. Reliable Windows clean tool - Qiling CleanGenius is good for you to try.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

Step 1. Download and install Qiling Partition Master Suite on your PC. Click to download PC Cleaner on panel.

Step 2. Install Qiling CleanGenius on your PC. To begin with, navigate to "Cleanup" and click "Scan."

Step 3. Qiling CleanGenius will start immediately to scan all the useless files, select system junk files and invalid entries, and click "Clean" over all your PC.

Step 4. Once completed, you can see clearly how many MBs or GBs of data are cleaned. Click "Done" to finish the process.

Conclusion: You Can Extend SSD C Drive to Another Disk Like an Expert with A Powerful Tool

On this page, we explained why and when do you need to expand C drive across disks in Windows 11/10/8/7. To do so, you'll first add a second disk, configure it, and then extend the C drive with a reliable disk partition manager tool.

Qiling Partition Master, with its Expand C Drive feature, can help you execute the operation and allow you to expand C drive across disks like an expert.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

Aside from this, you can also apply Qiling Partition Master to manage hard drive partitions, convert MBR to GPT or vice versa, merge disks or partitions, and even migrate OS to HDD/SSD without reinstalling Windows.