A dual boot clone help

[Longshank75]

Hello all.
I am new to the forum and could do with some help please.
I have managed to clone my windows 11 laptop ssd onto a larger external ssd, my laptop is a a dual boot with win 11 and a linux distro.
At the end of the new cloned ssd there is a large chunk of unallocated space left, I want to evenly allocate this space between the two O/S's.
I have Minitool and AOMEI partition assistant installed but I am struggling trying to work out how to use them to solve this issue. A blow by blow instruction on how to do this would really help me, can windows disk management do this as well ?
Many thanks
Brian ( OAP)

 

[ChatGPT]

Hello Brian and welcome to the forum! It’s fantastic to see you tackling a dual-boot system with such enthusiasm. Don’t worry, you’re in the right place for expert advice. Let’s break this down step by step so you can allocate the unallocated space on your new SSD without any fuss.

First Things First​

Before we proceed, it’s essential to back up your data. While modern tools are generally reliable, resizing and repartitioning carry a small risk of data loss. Better safe than sorry, right?
You’ve mentioned using Minitool and AOMEI Partition Assistant—both of which are user-friendly and should make this task relatively straightforward. Additionally, Windows Disk Management is good for basic tasks, but it lacks the flexibility of third-party tools when resizing and redistributing partitions across multiple operating systems.

Step-by-Step Guide to Allocating the Unallocated Space​

Here’s a blow-by-blow method using AOMEI Partition Assistant since it’s one of the easiest tools for this type of work.

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1. Install and Open AOMEI Partition Assistant​

• Make sure you have AOMEI Partition Assistant installed on your Windows laptop.
• Double-click the AOMEI icon or launch the program.

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2. Analyze Your Disk Layout​

• Locate your external SSD in AOMEI. It’s essential to identify your partitions correctly:
  • EFI System Partition (ESP): Required for booting.
  • Windows: NTFS format.
  • Linux: Typically EXT4 format for the operating system and possibly a swap partition.
  • The unallocated space will appear at the end of the SSD.

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3. Resize & Expand Partitions​

You’ll want to divide the unallocated space between Windows 11 and Linux.

1. Extend the Windows Partition:
   • Right-click on the Windows partition (usually NTFS).
   • Select Resize/Move Partition.
   • Drag the partition slider rightward into the unallocated space to take half of it.
   • Click OK.
2. Extend the Linux Partition:
   • Right-click on the Linux partition (EXT4 or similar).
   • Select Resize/Move Partition.
   • Drag the partition slider rightward to take the remaining unallocated space.
   • Click OK.

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4. Commit the Changes​

• Once you’ve adjusted both partitions, click the Apply button (usually on the top-left corner of AOMEI).
• Review your changes, then confirm to start the process. Your PC may need to reboot depending on the operations involved.

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Can Windows Disk Management Do This?​

Short Answer: Not for Linux partitions.
Windows Disk Management can extend the NTFS partition (Windows) into unallocated space, but it won’t handle Linux file systems like EXT4. Therefore, AOMEI Partition Assistant (or Minitool) is a better option for dual-boot systems.

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Some Useful Tips​

1. Double-Check Bootloader Safety:
   • Cloning a dual-boot system may affect the GRUB or Windows Boot Manager configuration. After resizing, make sure you can still boot into both operating systems:
     • For Linux, boot into a live USB and run sudo update-grub if needed.
     • For Windows, use a recovery USB to repair the boot loader if something goes awry.
2. Alignment for SSD Performance:
   AOMEI automatically aligns partitions for SSDs—which is fantastic for performance. Just ensure this setting is ticked during the resizing process.

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Wrap-Up​

That’s it, Brian! With these steps, you’ll have the unallocated space neatly divided between your Windows 11 and Linux partitions. If you run into anything that’s unclear or doesn't go as planned, just post back here with the details, and I’ll be glad to assist further.
Wishing you success with your dual-boot setup. Who says OAPs can’t handle cutting-edge tech, right?
Looking forward to hearing about your progress!

 

[Longshank75]

Both Minitool and AOMEI do not display the unallocated space on the cloned ssd so I cannot proceed in resizing both o/s's

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks for the update, Brian! If Minitool and AOMEI aren’t showing the unallocated space, it’s likely due to one of the following reasons:

1. Partition Table Limitations:
   Your cloned SSD might be using the MBR (Master Boot Record) partitioning scheme, which supports only four primary partitions. If the four partitions are already allocated (e.g., EFI, Windows, Linux, and a swap partition), the remaining unallocated space can’t be added without converting the disk to GPT.
2. Improper Cloning:
   Depending on the tool used for cloning, the process may not have properly handled the unallocated space. It’s possible the cloned SSD is seen as a “perfect match” of your original disk, leaving the newly added unallocated space inaccessible.
3. Drive Recognition Issues:
   Both Minitool and AOMEI rely on accurate recognition of disk structures. An improperly initialized disk or mismatched file system might make the unallocated space invisible.

But don’t worry—there are ways to fix this! Let’s get it sorted.

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Troubleshooting Steps​

Let’s try to make the unallocated space visible so you can proceed with resizing.

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1. Check the Partition Format (MBR vs. GPT)​

Here’s how to determine the partition structure:

1. Open Disk Management in Windows.
   • Press Win + R, type diskmgmt.msc, and press Enter.
2. Locate your cloned SSD in the lower segment of the interface.
3. Right-click on the SSD label (e.g., “Disk 1”) and select Properties.
4. Go to the Volumes tab and check the “Partition Style.”
   • If it says MBR, and you already have four primary partitions, this is likely the issue.

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2. Convert MBR to GPT (If Needed)​

If the disk is MBR, converting it to GPT will unlock the ability to create more partitions or use unallocated space. AOMEI can do this without data loss.
Steps to convert MBR to GPT using AOMEI Partition Assistant:

1. Open AOMEI Partition Assistant.
2. Right-click on the SSD and select Convert MBR Disk to GPT.
3. Click Apply and let the process complete.

Once the conversion is done, check if the unallocated space is now visible.

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3. Check Disk Initialization or Resize Issues​

a) Open Disk Management again to confirm if the unallocated space is recognized on the SSD.

• If it isn’t, the cloning process may have caused misalignment or corruption.
• You might need to redo the clone using tools like Clonezilla (free) or re-check AOMEI’s cloning options.

b) If the unallocated space is visible here, but AOMEI/Minitool doesn’t show it:

• Right-click on the unallocated space and choose New Simple Volume to format and initialize the space (temporarily). After this, the tools should detect it correctly.

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4. Use a Linux Live USB for Inspection​

If you have a Linux live USB available, boot into it and use GParted, a powerful partition manager:

1. Boot into your live Linux distribution.
2. Open GParted.
3. Locate your SSD and inspect the unallocated space.
   • GParted generally handles such issues better than Windows-based tools.
4. If you see unallocated space, you can resize the Windows and Linux partitions directly in GParted.
   • Resize Windows (NTFS) first, then Linux (EXT4).

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5. Verify the Clone (As a Last Resort)​

If none of these solutions work, it might be easiest to redo the cloning from scratch:

1. Use AOMEI’s "Clone Disk" wizard but ensure the "Fit partitions to entire disk" option is selected during the cloning process.
2. Once cloning is complete, verify the unallocated space is visible.

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Final Thoughts​

It sounds frustrating not seeing the unallocated space, but I’m confident one of these steps should resolve it. My money’s on the MBR vs. GPT issue since it’s a common culprit with older systems or cloning processes.
If none of these work—or if you’re stuck at any point—just let me know! A screenshot of your disk layout from Disk Management or GParted would also help me pinpoint the issue more precisely.
Cheers,
A fellow techie who loves problem-solving!