Shrinking a partition

  • Thread starter Thread starter Christoph Boget
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Christoph Boget

My C: drive is 136gb total size and has 33gb free. I want to shrink the
partition by half the free space and create a new partition that is approx
16gb.. When I go in to Computer Management -> Disk Management, right click
on the drive and select "Shrink Partition", the most it will allow me to
shrink by is 1.6gb (1674mb). Why won't it let me shrink the size more than
that? I have significantly more that that free.

Any suggestions or pointers appreciated.

thnx,
Christoph
 
Hi Christoph,

It occurs because there is a locked immovable file at that point in the disk
structure. Until it is moved, you won't be able to shrink beyond that point.
This generally needs to be done with a third party partitioning product, as
the file cannot be moved while Windows is running.

I would caution against reducing space on that volume any further, as
Vista's defrag routine has a free space requirement of about 15%, and you
may also run into issues of the virtual memory if it is not able to resize
itself sufficiently. You'd be better off adding an additional drive to the
system.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
It occurs because there is a locked immovable file at that point in the
disk structure. Until it is moved, you won't be able to shrink beyond that
point. This generally needs to be done with a third party partitioning
product, as the file cannot be moved while Windows is running.
Click to expand...

So it wouldn't matter if I had 125gb free, if there is an unmovable file at
that point in the disk, I'd still only be able to shrink by 1.6gb?
I would caution against reducing space on that volume any further, as
Vista's defrag routine has a free space requirement of about 15%, and you
may also run into issues of the virtual memory if it is not able to resize
itself sufficiently. You'd be better off adding an additional drive to the
system.
Click to expand...

Well, I can free up another 27gb (to a total of approx 60gb free) by
ditching a lot of mp3s I don't really need. But if I'm still only going to
be able to shrink only 1.6gb, it probably won't be worth it. As for adding
a new drive, that's easier said than done -- this machine is a laptop. I'm
trying to create a partition big enough to install Ubuntu for dual boot.

thnx,
Christoph
 
Try running Disk Cleanup, and removing your restore points, then
defragmenting the drive before you attempt to shrink it.

You could use Wubi http://wubi-installer.org/ to install Ubuntu within
Windows as if it were an application.
 
Try running Disk Cleanup, and removing your restore points, then
defragmenting the drive before you attempt to shrink it.
Click to expand...

Ok, I ran the Disk Cleanup utility and was able to clean 2.5gb worth of
junk. That, along with deleting all my mp3s, I now have 68.5gb used and
67.9gb free on my disk. I also went to the "More Options" tab in the
utility and clicked the "Clean up..." button in the "System Restore and
Shadow Copies" section. I clicked the "Delete" button so that it would
remove all but the most recent restore point. I then defragged my drive
using AusLogics disk defrag utility.

However, even after doing all of that, when I go into Disk Management and
tell it that I want to shrink my partition, it's still showing that it can
only shrink it by 1.67gb. That's just insane. Is there anything else I can
do to get Vista to allow me to shrink it by approx 30gb? Or am I going to
have to go with a 3rd party app?
You could use Wubi http://wubi-installer.org/ to install Ubuntu within
Windows as if it were an application.
Click to expand...

I'd rather set it up for dual boot.

thnx,
Christoph
 
Christoph said:
Ok, I ran the Disk Cleanup utility and was able to clean 2.5gb worth of
junk. That, along with deleting all my mp3s, I now have 68.5gb used and
67.9gb free on my disk. I also went to the "More Options" tab in the
utility and clicked the "Clean up..." button in the "System Restore and
Shadow Copies" section. I clicked the "Delete" button so that it would
remove all but the most recent restore point. I then defragged my drive
using AusLogics disk defrag utility.

However, even after doing all of that, when I go into Disk Management
and tell it that I want to shrink my partition, it's still showing that
it can only shrink it by 1.67gb. That's just insane. Is there anything
else I can do to get Vista to allow me to shrink it by approx 30gb? Or
am I going to have to go with a 3rd party app?


I'd rather set it up for dual boot.

thnx,
Christoph
Click to expand...

You can use the Ubuntu Live CD to do your partitioning.

Alias
 
Alias said:
You can use the Ubuntu Live CD to do your partitioning.

Alias
Click to expand...

You don't need to use Ubuntu anything. Vista is great except I don't
understand how to use it.
 
You can use the Ubuntu Live CD to do your partitioning.

Alias
Click to expand...

Second time in a week I have to add you to my kill file and you say
your hardly ever change your stats!

Your proving my point about you being annoying.
 
Dave Cox said:
Second time in a week I have to add you to my kill file and you say
your hardly ever change your stats!

Your proving my point about you being annoying.
Click to expand...

It took two tries to put Alias into your kill file? Maybe it's too
complicated. Better ignore messages instead. Just FYI.
 
Christoph Boget said:
Ok, I ran the Disk Cleanup utility and was able to clean 2.5gb worth of
junk. That, along with deleting all my mp3s, I now have 68.5gb used and
67.9gb free on my disk. I also went to the "More Options" tab in the
utility and clicked the "Clean up..." button in the "System Restore and
Shadow Copies" section. I clicked the "Delete" button so that it would
remove all but the most recent restore point. I then defragged my drive
using AusLogics disk defrag utility.

However, even after doing all of that, when I go into Disk Management and
tell it that I want to shrink my partition, it's still showing that it can
only shrink it by 1.67gb. That's just insane. Is there anything else I
can do to get Vista to allow me to shrink it by approx 30gb? Or am I
going to have to go with a 3rd party app?


I'd rather set it up for dual boot.

thnx,
Christoph
Click to expand...


For an easy to use partition manager, Acronis Disk Director is the best
currently available..


--
Mike Hall - MVP
How to construct a good post..
http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to use the Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups..
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=newswhelp&style=toc
Mike's Window - My Blog..
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/default.aspx
 
Brontosaurus said:
You don't need to use Ubuntu anything. Vista is great except I don't
understand how to use it.
Click to expand...

Considering I didn't write "You *need* to use the Ubuntu Live CD" ....

Alias
 
Dave said:
You can use the Ubuntu Live CD to do your partitioning.

Alias
Click to expand...

Second time in a week I have to add you to my kill file and you say
your hardly ever change your stats!

Your [sic] proving my point about you being annoying.
Click to expand...

Do you think you'll get over it or should we call the suicide squad?

Why don't you try using self control and ignore my posts?

BTW, the reason I am nymshifting is so that the good folks reading the
MS web forums can benefit from my advice. It has nothing to do with you
so stop flattering yourself.

Alias
 
Mike said:
For an easy to use partition manager, Acronis Disk Director is the best
currently available..
Click to expand...

"Best" is a subjective opinion. Perhaps you should have worded it
differently.

Alias
 
You need a third party defragmentation utility so that you can do a boot
time defrag, which should move most files up.

Alternatively, you can download a trial version of, say, Acronis Disk
Director or True Image Home which should be able to manage moving files
within partitions. The standard Vista utilities can't do either of these,
which is why you can't shrink the partition.
 
Mike said:
For an 'easy to use' partition manager, Acronis Disk Director is the best
currently available..
Click to expand...

Both "easy to use" and "best" are subjective opinions, not facts.

Alias
 
Ok, I ran the Disk Cleanup utility and was able to clean 2.5gb worth of
junk. That, along with deleting all my mp3s, I now have 68.5gb used and
67.9gb free on my disk. I also went to the "More Options" tab in the
utility and clicked the "Clean up..." button in the "System Restore and
Shadow Copies" section. I clicked the "Delete" button so that it would
remove all but the most recent restore point. I then defragged my drive
using AusLogics disk defrag utility.

However, even after doing all of that, when I go into Disk Management and
tell it that I want to shrink my partition, it's still showing that it can
only shrink it by 1.67gb. That's just insane. Is there anything else Ican
do to get Vista to allow me to shrink it by approx 30gb? Or am I going to
have to go with a 3rd party app?


I'd rather set it up for dual boot.

thnx,
Christoph
Click to expand...

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...ows-vistas-shrink-volume-inadequacy-problems/
 
Dave said:
Christoph Boget wrote:
Try running Disk Cleanup, and removing your restore points,
then defragmenting the drive before you attempt to shrink it.
Ok, I ran the Disk Cleanup utility and was able to clean 2.5gb
worth of junk. That, along with deleting all my mp3s, I now
have 68.5gb used and 67.9gb free on my disk. I also went to
the "More Options" tab in the utility and clicked the "Clean
up..." button in the "System Restore and Shadow Copies"
section. I clicked the "Delete" button so that it would remove
all but the most recent restore point. I then defragged my
drive using AusLogics disk defrag utility.

However, even after doing all of that, when I go into Disk
Management and tell it that I want to shrink my partition, it's
still showing that it can only shrink it by 1.67gb. That's
just insane. Is there anything else I can do to get Vista to
allow me to shrink it by approx 30gb? Or am I going to have to
go with a 3rd party app?

You could use Wubi http://wubi-installer.org/ to install
Ubuntu within Windows as if it were an application.
I'd rather set it up for dual boot.

thnx,
Christoph
You can use the Ubuntu Live CD to do your partitioning.

Alias
Click to expand...

Second time in a week I have to add you to my kill file and you
say your hardly ever change your stats!

Your [sic] proving my point about you being annoying.
Click to expand...

Do you think you'll get over it or should we call the suicide
squad?

Why don't you try using self control and ignore my posts?

BTW, the reason I am nymshifting is so that the good folks reading
the MS web forums can benefit from my advice. It has nothing to do
with you so stop flattering yourself.

Alias
Click to expand...


No the reason you keep changing your information is to be annyoing.
People who want your advice wont put you on a kill file therefore no
reason to change your information.

I'll re add you to yet another kill file but I doubt it will last 2
days.

BTW kill files are for people to ignore posts. I think the better
question is why don't you use some self control and try to remain on
one account.
 
Dave said:
Dave said:
Christoph Boget wrote:
Try running Disk Cleanup, and removing your restore points,
then defragmenting the drive before you attempt to shrink it.
Ok, I ran the Disk Cleanup utility and was able to clean 2.5gb
worth of junk. That, along with deleting all my mp3s, I now
have 68.5gb used and 67.9gb free on my disk. I also went to
the "More Options" tab in the utility and clicked the "Clean
up..." button in the "System Restore and Shadow Copies"
section. I clicked the "Delete" button so that it would remove
all but the most recent restore point. I then defragged my
drive using AusLogics disk defrag utility.

However, even after doing all of that, when I go into Disk
Management and tell it that I want to shrink my partition, it's
still showing that it can only shrink it by 1.67gb. That's
just insane. Is there anything else I can do to get Vista to
allow me to shrink it by approx 30gb? Or am I going to have to
go with a 3rd party app?

You could use Wubi http://wubi-installer.org/ to install
Ubuntu within Windows as if it were an application.
I'd rather set it up for dual boot.

thnx,
Christoph
You can use the Ubuntu Live CD to do your partitioning.

Alias

Second time in a week I have to add you to my kill file and you
say your hardly ever change your stats!

Your [sic] proving my point about you being annoying.
Click to expand...
Do you think you'll get over it or should we call the suicide
squad?

Why don't you try using self control and ignore my posts?

BTW, the reason I am nymshifting is so that the good folks reading
the MS web forums can benefit from my advice. It has nothing to do
with you so stop flattering yourself.

Alias
Click to expand...


No the reason you keep changing your information is to be annyoing.
People who want your advice wont put you on a kill file therefore no
reason to change your information.

I'll re add you to yet another kill file but I doubt it will last 2
days.

BTW kill files are for people to ignore posts. I think the better
question is why don't you use some self control and try to remain on
one account.
Click to expand...

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzt wrong! The idiots at the MS web forums keep censoring me
so I have to change my nym if the good folks there want to be able to
read my advice.

My advice for you is to just go f*ck yourself.

Alias
 
Christoph Boget said:
So it wouldn't matter if I had 125gb free, if there is an unmovable file
at that point in the disk, I'd still only be able to shrink by 1.6gb?
Click to expand...

Right. Until that file is moved, you cannot shrink past it. Most times, it's
part of the MFT, so cannot be moved while Windows is running, hence the need
for a third party product. The bootable disk from the demo mode of BootIT NG
can do this without installing.
Well, I can free up another 27gb (to a total of approx 60gb free) by
ditching a lot of mp3s I don't really need. But if I'm still only going
to be able to shrink only 1.6gb, it probably won't be worth it. As for
adding a new drive, that's easier said than done -- this machine is a
laptop. I'm trying to create a partition big enough to install Ubuntu for
dual boot.
Click to expand...

You hadn't mentioned that it was a laptop, so yes, you're right that the
suggestion is not a viable alternative. The above mentioned product can be
used, as can several bootable linux utilities without paying for something
you're likely to use only once. In fact, several versions of linux can
handle the partition resizing as part of setup.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
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