Protect and organize your files by learning how to partition your hard drive in Win 8 with this guide

When you partition a hard drive, you are setting aside a chunk of space in it that can be used however you choose. There are many perks to partitioning, depending on your point of few, but here are three key potential benefits to keep in mind.

Organization

The easiest thing to do is to keep only the Windows 8 operating system and any downloaded apps on the C: drive, and move everything else to different partitions. Each new partition you make is assigned a different letter, making it easier to organize your stuff.

For instance, you can put documents in one, music in one, and videos in another partition.

Backing up

Backing up your entire computer can take a very long time. If you have partitions, you can choose to back up only certain portions of your hard drive. Therefore, you can focus on backing up the most important files on your PC, instead of having to lump in everything you’ve ever downloaded or installed as well.

Protection

Usually when your hard drive is compromised by a virus, or just dies for some reason, your data is at risk. Dividing your data up into different partitions can help you protect your files.

If you have important files on separate partitions, they are less likely to be ruined if a crash occurs. This isn’t a fail safe, but it should give you some peace of mind.

How to partition a hard drive in Windows 8

Step 1. Press the Windows key + R

Step 2. Type “diskmgmt.msc” into the Run box, and press Enter.

Step 3.  Right click on the C: drive in “Disk Management,” and click “Shrink Volume.”

Step 4- Enter the size you want the partition to be, and click “Shrink.”

Step 5. Right-click on the new partition you just made, and click “New Simple Volume.”

Step 6. Click “Next” in the “New Simple Volume Wizard.” Here, you can specify how big you want the new partition to be. Once you’re done, click “Next.”

Step 7. Assign a letter to the new partition.

Step 8. Click “Next,” then “Finish.” You’re done! You have successfully created a new partition on your hard drive.