Can we make partitions after a Windows OS has been installed? I only know how to make partition while I'm formatting.

I think partitioning after Windows OS installation can be done but its a bit tricky and if not done well can damage the files.

Yeah it can be done. Its not too risky if you are partitioning a drive with a lot of empty space, but still it is wise to back up everything before you begin and that you are ready to reinstall the OS if needs be.

There's some great software out there that will walk you through the process of partitioning your hard drive even after you've installed your operating system. But as already mentioned, just be sure to back up your data.

Thanks for affirming that I can do partition after the OS was installed. Can you please recommend a good program for this?

By the way, how many partitions is recommended for a hard disk? Does the number of partitions depend on the size of the hard disk?

Yes it is size dependent, I mean you wouldn't have ten 1GB partitions, it just wouldn't make sense. One that is just a little bigger than your OS, and then split the remaining for media or documents/photos would be enough for me.

Yes I think it depends on the size of the hard disk and the purposes of using your computer. For general use, we usually partition the hard disk into three partition: C partition for programs, D partitions for data, and E partition for other usages.

Thanks for the information and advice. So, besides the data loss, what is the worst risk you will face if something goes wrong during the partitioning process? Can the process harm the programs you have installed on your computer?

Reindeer, there is the possibility that partitioning will affect the installed programs. That is why there is an advice of defragmenting your hard drive before you make partitions.

SevenAngel and greenstone, your comments are right. I have a 1 TB hard drive and I only have 4 partitions: operating system, application programs, data from the application programs, and downloaded files.