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Cloning disk shrinks 8 TB WD Easystore drive partition to 2 TB, the size of the source drive

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I ran out of space on the 2 Tb WD Elements USB drive that stores my Acronis True Image 2020 Backups.  I bought a WD Easystore 8 Tb drive and followed Acronis suggestion and cloned my 2 Tb disk to my 8 Tb disk. 
Using ATI Clone Disc Utility, Clone Disk Wizard directions and chose the “Automatic” method.
I had an unwelcome surprise after the process was finished.   My H: Easystore 8 Tb drive had been changed to H: Elements and repartitioned as a 2 Tb drive (with almost 6 Tb of unallocated space!)  Windows Disk Management won’t let me shrink the 6 Tb unallocated portion of my disc, nor will it let me expand the 2 Tb portion that was cloned.
What can I do to expand my cloned (and functional) 2 Tb partition to enable Acronis TI 2020 to use my entire 8 Tb USB HDD?   Perhaps I should have used Manual mode?
Best, Ed

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Looks like when cloning that ATI assumed that you wanted to use MBR on the WD Easystore rather GPT (which is needed for partitions larger than 2TB). Also, when you do a clone any diskname is also cloned, in this case to Elements. The only permanent damage is that you have lost any backup software on the drive, but you should be able to download it for the WD www site. You can correct the disk name by slecting it, right click slect properties and change the name in the appropriate place.

The Minitool Partition Wizard Free can be used to do the conversion from MBR to GPT (I am assuming that it is available in the free version as it allowed me to select the option). You can also check out Microsoft procedure here. The process should be non-destructive, but you still have the WD Elements drive in the unlikely event that something goes amiss.

Ian

 

Thank You Ian!

You were right, ATI cloning switched my GPT disc to MBR.  I did as you suggested and looked into "MiniTool Partition Wizard Free."  While reading about the "MiniTool Partition Wizard Free" I failed to see where the free version would let me switch back to GPT so I bought the "MiniTool Partition Wizard Pro" version.  It was worth $129 for me to be sure I would get the use of my 8 TB drive back, have assurance of priority Tech Support AND learn something about partitions, etc.  Maybe more than I cared to know but we're "social distancing for Covid-19" anyway so I have the time to spare. 

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge, Ed

 

Hi Ed, thanks for the update. Glad you have got it sorted.

Ian