How to Delete D Drive Without Losing Data Windows 10/11

Oliver updated on Oct 25, 2024 to Partition Manager | How-to Articles

When the C drive is out of space, one of the choices is to delete D drive on your disk. If you are not sure how to do it safely, continue reading this article for the solution.

When your C drive is running out of space, deleting D drive and use the free unallocated space to expand the C drive is one of those smart moves. However, inappropriate operation may lead to data loss. To delete D drive safely and easaily, read on this page from EaseUS. We will offer you a simple guide for this operation.

Can I Delete D Drive on HDD/SSD

Yes, you can remove the D drive on your HDD or SSD without losing data if you do it with a professional disk management tool. Before the deletion, there are a few prerequisites you should check.

  • Check if the D drive is a logical drive: Deleting a logical partition that is part of a larger physical drive is generally safe, as you are just removing a partition or volume from the physical disk.
  • Ensure you have administrator privileges: You may be required to have administrator permission to perform this operation.
  • Back up important data from the D drive: To avoid losing any significant data, it's always recommended to create a backup before such system operations. (You can use EaseUS Partition Master to clone partition D to an external disk for free or create an image backup file.)

After everything is checked, go to the next section to start the D drive deletion.

Read also: Does Deleting a Partition Erase All the Data? | Solid Way to Recover

How to Delete D Drive Without Losing Data

Now that you have all prerequisites checked. Let's learn how to delete the D drive without losing any data.

Way 1. Delete D Drive (or Merge C Drive and Drive) via EaseUS Partition Master

As we mentioned above, EaseUS Partition Master Free can help you clone the D drive to back up all data. Then, you can use it to remove your D drive with its clear and informative interface.

#1. Here's how to delete the D drive from your PC:

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master, and click "Partition Manager".

Make sure that you've backed up the important data before deleting any partition on your disk.

Step 2. Select to delete partition or delete all partitions on hard drive.

  • Delete single partition: right-click on a partition that you want to delete and choose "Delete".
  • Delete all partitions: right-click a hard drive that you want to delete all partitions, and select "Delete All".

Step 3. Click "Yes" to confirm the deletion.

Step 4. Click "Execute xx Task" and then click "Apply" to save the change.

0:00 - 0:26 Delete single volumes; 0:27 - 0:53 Delete all partitions.

If you plan to merge the C drive and D drive, this tool can help you combine them without data loss.

#2. Here's how to merge the C drive and D drive:

Step 1: Select the target partition

Right-click on the partition which you want to add space to and keep, and select "Merge".

Step 2: Select a neighbor partition to merge

Select one partition next to the former selected partition to merge.

And click "OK" to continue.

Step 3: Execute operation to merge partitions

1. Click the "Execute Task" button at the top and then click "Apply".
2. The program will merge space and add files from the second partition to the first partition.

This tool not only can delete or merge partitions but also offers many other features that can help you free up the C drive. Share it with your friends and families if this tool is helpful to you.

 

Way 2. Delete D Drive via Disk Management

To delete a partition on your disk, the Windows built-in utility - Disk Management, usually comes as the first thought in many users' mind. For those who don't know how to delete the D drive in Disk Management, check the following guide.

Step 1. Right-click on the Windows Start menu icon and open Disk Management.

Step 2. Right-click on the D drive and select "Delete Volume."

Step 3. Confirm the deletion.

After deleting your D drive, you might want to expand the C drive with the unallocated space. Just right-click on the C drive and choose "Extend Volume" to move the unallocated space to the C drive.

Way 3. Delete D Drive via Command Prompt

Another way to remove the D drive from your computer is by using Diskpart. However, this method might not be suitable for beginners who are not familiar with Command Prompt, as inputting the wrong command lines may lead to data loss or system corruption.

Step 1. Hit "Windows" + "R" and input cmd. Press "Shift" + "Ctrl" + "Enter" simultaneously to open Command Prompt as administrator.

Step 2. Now, input the following command lines and press "Enter" after each to delete the D partition:

diskpart
list disk
select disk X (Replace "X" with the target disk number)
list partition
select partition Y (Replace "Y" with the D drive number)
delete partition

For those who run into issues while selecting the D drive in Diskpart, check the article below for solutions.

Read also: How to Solve There Is No Partition Selected in Diskpart [Best Ways]

Conclusion

This article covers three practical ways to delete the D drive on your Windows 10/11 PC. If you aim to expand the C drive by deleting D drive, EaseUS Partition Master provides a better option. This tool allows you to merge two partitions directly without losing any data.

Delete D Drive FAQs

Q
1. Is D drive important?
Usually, D drive is used to store personal data and most software. If you plan to delete it, format it, or perform other operations, it is suggested to back up all the data before the task.
Q
2. Is it okay to not have D drive?
Yes, it is OK to not have a D drive and store everything on the C drive. However, if the system becomes corrupted, all your personal data might get lost.
Q
3. How do I reduce my D drive and increase my C drive?
To reduce D drive and add the unallocated space to your C drive, the only way is to use a third-party tool like EaseUS Partition Master. Such a tool breaks the Windows limits and allows you to extend volume with the non-adjacent unused space.