How to partition external hard disk​？

Partitioning an external hard disk is a critical task that can help you organize your data more efficiently, improve performance, and manage disk space for different purposes. Whether you’re using an external hard disk for backup, file storage, or running multiple operating systems, partitioning is often a necessary process. 

1. What is Partitioning?

Partitioning refers to the process of dividing a physical hard drive into distinct, isolated sections called partitions. Each partition behaves like a separate logical drive, allowing you to manage your data more efficiently. When you partition an external hard disk, you’re essentially splitting it into multiple segments, each of which can be formatted with a specific file system (e.g., NTFS, FAT32. exFAT).

2. Why Partition an External Hard Disk?

There are several reasons to partition an external hard disk:

Organization: By creating separate partitions for different types of files (e.g., documents, media files, system backups), you can easily organize your data.

Performance: Multiple partitions can improve disk performance by reducing fragmentation and speeding up file retrieval.

Multi-OS Setup: If you want to install and run different operating systems (like Linux and Windows) from the same external hard disk, partitioning is essential.

Data Management: Partitioning allows you to store backups and media files separately, making it easier to manage large volumes of data without worrying about accidental deletions.

File System Compatibility: Different operating systems use different file systems. Partitioning allows you to format parts of the disk to be compatible with specific OS requirements (e.g., NTFS for Windows, HFS+ for macOS).

3. Types of Partitions

Before diving into the process of partitioning your external hard disk, it’s important to understand the different types of partitions:

Primary Partition: A primary partition is the main partition on a hard disk and can contain an operating system. It can be used for storage or boot purposes.

Extended Partition: An extended partition acts as a container for additional partitions, known as logical partitions. Extended partitions are necessary when you need more than four partitions on a single hard disk, as the MBR (Master Boot Record) partitioning scheme only allows four primary partitions.

Logical Partition: Logical partitions are created within an extended partition and can be used for storage, backup, or installation of additional operating systems.

4. Choosing the Right File System for Your Partition

The choice of file system depends on your specific needs and the operating systems you’ll be using to access the partition. Here’s a breakdown of the most commonly used file systems:

NTFS (New Technology File System): Best for Windows users. It supports large file sizes, file permissions, and encryption. However, it’s not natively supported by macOS without third-party software.

FAT32 (File Allocation Table 32): Compatible with both Windows and macOS but has a file size limitation of 4GB. It’s ideal for smaller drives or for transferring files between different operating systems.

exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table): A good choice for external hard drives, especially when you need cross-platform compatibility between Windows and macOS. exFAT supports large files and volumes without the restrictions of FAT32.

HFS+ (Mac OS Extended): The default file system for macOS before macOS High Sierra. Best for use with macOS devices but incompatible with Windows without special drivers.

APFS (Apple File System): The newer file system for macOS. It is optimized for flash storage and supports encryption, file system snapshots, and faster performance.

5. Prerequisites Before Partitioning

Before you begin partitioning your external hard disk, make sure you take the following steps to ensure the process goes smoothly:

Backup Your Data: Partitioning a drive often involves formatting, which will erase all existing data on the disk. Make sure you back up important files before starting the partitioning process.

Check the Disk’s Health: Run a disk check to ensure that the external hard disk is in good condition. Tools like Windows’ Check Disk utility, or macOS’s Disk Utility, can help identify and fix potential issues.

Ensure Sufficient Space: Make sure the external hard disk has enough available space for the number of partitions you plan to create.

6. How to Partition an External Hard Disk in Windows

Windows offers built-in tools to partition external hard disks easily. Here’s how you can partition an external hard disk using the Disk Management tool:

Connect the External Hard Disk: Plug your external hard disk into your computer.

Open Disk Management: Press Win + X and select “Disk Management.”

Select the External Hard Disk: In the Disk Management window, find your external hard disk in the list of drives.

Delete Existing Partition (Optional): If the external hard disk has existing partitions that you no longer need, right-click on the partition and select “Delete Volume.”

Create New Partition: Right-click on the unallocated space and select “New Simple Volume.” Follow the on-screen instructions to specify the size and file system for the new partition.

Repeat for Additional Partitions: If you want to create multiple partitions, right-click on the unallocated space again and select “New Simple Volume” to create additional partitions.

Format the Partitions: Windows will prompt you to format the partitions. Choose the appropriate file system (e.g., NTFS, exFAT) and format the partitions.

7. How to Partition an External Hard Disk on macOS

On macOS, partitioning an external hard disk is done through the Disk Utility application. Follow these steps:

Connect the External Hard Disk: Plug your external hard disk into your Mac.

Open Disk Utility: Go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.

Select the External Hard Disk: In the Disk Utility window, select your external hard disk from the list of drives on the left.

Partition the Disk: Click on the “Partition” button in the toolbar.

Add Partitions: Click the “+” button to create a new partition. You can resize partitions by dragging the partition sliders. You can also choose the file system (e.g., exFAT, HFS+, APFS) for each partition.

Apply Changes: Once you’ve configured the partitions, click “Apply” to start the partitioning process.

8. How to Partition an External Hard Disk Using Linux

Linux provides several tools to partition external hard disks. The easiest method is using gparted, a powerful GUI-based partitioning tool. Here’s how to partition a disk using gparted:

Install gparted: If gparted is not already installed, open a terminal and run the following command to install it:

arduino

复制代码

sudo apt-get install gparted

Connect the External Hard Disk: Plug your external hard disk into your Linux computer.

Launch gparted: Open gparted from the application menu or type gparted in the terminal.

Select the External Disk: From the top-right corner of gparted, choose the external hard disk you wish to partition.

Create New Partition Table: If the external disk is unformatted, go to Device > Create Partition Table. Choose the partition type (GPT or MBR) and click Apply.

Create Partitions: Right-click on the unallocated space, select “New,” and configure the partition size and file system type. Click Apply to create the partitions.

Format the Partitions: Right-click on each new partition, select “Format to,” and choose the appropriate file system.

9. Using Third-Party Partition Tools

There are several third-party tools available for partitioning external hard disks. Some of the most popular ones include:

EaseUS Partition Master (Windows)

MiniTool Partition Wizard (Windows)

AOMEI Partition Assistant (Windows)

Paragon Partition Manager (Windows/macOS)

GParted (Linux)

These tools often offer additional features like resizing, cloning, and migration that may not be available in the built-in partitioning tools.

10. Advanced Partitioning Techniques

If you are an advanced user or need more flexibility, you may want to explore more sophisticated partitioning options, such as:

Dual Booting: Partitioning your external hard disk to install and run multiple operating systems, such as Windows and Linux.

Encrypting Partitions: Use tools like BitLocker (Windows) or FileVault (macOS) to encrypt partitions for additional security.

RAID Configuration: Create RAID volumes (e.g., RAID 0. RAID 1) for redundancy or performance improvements, especially useful when using multiple external hard disks.