Alex Ruben
How to Fix the Greyed Out “Mark Partition as Active” Option in Windows 11
If you are unable to set a partition as active due to the greyed out “Mark Partition as Active” option in Windows 11, you’re not alone. This guide will walk you through the steps to resolve the issue, including converting a logical partition to a primary partition and uninstalling problematic Windows updates.
Step 1: Mark the Partition as Primary
Before you can make a partition active, it must be a primary partition. If you find that your desired partition is logical instead of primary, follow these steps to convert it using the Diskpart utility:
- Press the Windows key and type
Command Promptin the search bar. - Right-click on
Command Promptand selectRun as administrator. ClickYeswhen prompted by User Account Control. - In the Command Prompt window, type
diskpartand press Enter. - Type
list diskand press Enter to check the available disks. - Select the disk containing the partition you wish to modify by typing
select disk n(replacenwith the disk number) and pressing Enter. - Next, type
list partitionand press Enter to view all partitions on the selected disk. - Select the partition you want to change by typing
select partition PartitionNumber(replacePartitionNumberwith the actual number of the partition) and press Enter. - To delete the selected partition, type
delete partitionand press Enter. Make sure to back up important data before doing this, as it will remove all data from the partition. - Finally, create a new primary partition by typing
create partition primaryand press Enter.
Step 2: Uninstall the Windows Update
Sometimes, updates to the Windows operating system can cause issues with the partition settings. If you suspect this is the case, consider uninstalling recent updates:
- Navigate to Settings by pressing Windows + I.
- Select
Update & Security. - Go to the
Windows Updatesection. - Click on
View update history. - At the top, click on
Uninstall updates. - Select the updates you wish to uninstall and follow the prompts to complete the process.
After uninstalling updates, check if the “Mark Partition as Active” option is still greyed out.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Here are some additional tips to make the process smoother:
- Ensure that you are operating with administrative privileges when using Diskpart.
- Be careful while deleting partitions, as this will erase all data stored on them.
- If problems persist, consider performing a system restore to revert to an earlier state where the issue was not present.
Conclusion
By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue of a greyed-out “Mark Partition as Active” option in Windows 11. Understanding the distinction between primary and logical partitions, as well as being cautious of OS updates, can help maintain the functionality of your system. For more tips and troubleshooting guides, stay tuned to WindowsBasic.
