I would say you look into this. It is free and very easy to use. Basicly install this and then you can boot your pc into this and resize the partition to whatever size you want.
The link is: http://speedywap.com/5212/
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Question
shrink partition in Windows Vista
I've been trying to shrink a 285 GB Vista partition to around 40-50 GB all afternoon (currently about 18 GB is in use), but have only succeeded to shrink it to 163 GB (see Disk_Management.png).
The problem seems to be one or more files near the end of the partition that I cannot seem to move towards the beginning of the partition (see the black block in PerfectDisk_analysis.png).
The excluded files are listed in PerfectDisk_excluded.png. I'm not sure which ones of these cause the problem ...
I did disable System Restore, virtual memory, kernel memory dumps and hibernation (and removed the corresponding restore points, pagefile, memory dumps and hibernation file), to give the defragmentation tools the best chance to succeed in moving all data towards the beginning of the partition.
I tried both online and offline (during boot) defragmentation with PerfectDisk ("Consolidate Free Space" actually). It seems that the black block is properly moved when performing the defragmentation offline, but as soon as Vista is started again, the block is back where it used to be.
I don't know what to try next. So, any advice would be very welcome. Thank you !
- PerfectDisk-excluded.png
- 24 KB
PerfectDisk - excluded files
- PerfectDisk-analysis.png
- 151 KB
PerfectDisk - analysis
- Disk-Management.png
- 7 KB
Disk Management
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Answers
http://speedywap.com/5212/
The offer above is valid for only a limited time, so I would say go fast.
>> If Perfect Disk is not able to do this simple thing - then through it to the recycle bin and get normal tool.
The problem seems to be that PerfectDisk is not allowed to move some of the files (see the excluded list in the third attached image). Most of them because they're currently in use by the OS. It can move them when running PerfectDisk offline (during boot), but as soon as Vista is started again after that, those same files are back where they were (even though PerfectDisk just moved them). Could it be that Vista insists on them being at that exact spot ?
>> first of all check the FS of C: drive with CHKDSK c:/f command.
I just ran one, and it didn't find a problem. That would have been surprising, since I just bought the laptop today :)
>> This is the law of Vista partitioning tool. It cannot let you take more than half of existing free space from partition.
Yes, that's what I noticed, and it seems to be due to a few meta files that are always located exactly in the middle of the partition (the 3 grey blocks in the second attached image). I know how to get around that by repeatedly resizing it, so that's not a problem for me.
Well, I initially used the Vista shrink partition myself to create three more data partitions, and it didn't do such a good job of shrinking; I was able to use a shareware program called Boot-It NG.
Boot-It NG is a shareware partition management utility that can be used to manage the shrinking and extending of partitions better than Vista's built-in tool. It has an old DOS style interface, but it works well. You can download a fully functional trial version here:
http://www.terabyteunlimit
A good overall article about the various things you can do with Boot-It NG, together with some screenshots, can be found here:
http://members.shaw.ca/boo
>> Boot-It NG is a shareware partition management utility that can be used to manage the shrinking and extending of partitions better than Vista's built-in tool.
That looks promising. Will it mess up the Vista install though ? Because I read so many warnings against using a different tool than Vista's built-in one, that I'm a bit wary.
I guess I'd better write those restore disks first before trying Boot-It. In that case, I'll do it tomorrow, since it's getting quite late here already (2 AM), and I need some sleep. Hope you don't mind ...
I read also many things recommending to avoid using Vista partitioning tools =)
The data on third image should not be the cause of the problem. I never seen such rules that make you too keep a bunch of files on one specific position of HDD so you could not move them.
You need to image the existing configuration first then perform the resize in boot CD mode. BootIT NG is good but its interface is not quite intuitive for newbie IMHO.
Look at Parted Magic 4.5: http://partedmagic.com/dow
Download and ISO and create boot CD with it. Then boot the PC from this CD and run there partition manager.
Shrink the system volume and then restart to Windows. Does it roll back the changes again?
>> I never seen such rules that make you too keep a bunch of files on one specific position of HDD so you could not move them.
I was just guessing, because They're always there, despite my efforts heh :)
>> BootIT NG is good but its interface is not quite intuitive for newbie IMHO.
I'm not quite a newbie to PC's or Windows. Just new to Vista.
I used BootIt NG, and it succesfully resized the partition, so I'm a happy camper :) Next time I'll pay less attention to this kind of warnings ("Windows does not like an external tool tampering with its partitions") lol, since apparently there are tools around that do it without issues.
Now, on to using that freed up space :)
Thank you all !
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by: noxchoPosted on 2009-09-19 at 15:57:26ID: 25375102
There is nothing to prevent shrink of the volume than error on HDD surface or in file system. For partitioning tool there is no difference where the files are located in file system structure. Carefully written tool always will reallocate all the data to the start of partition. If Perfect Disk is not able to do this simple thing - then through it to the recycle bin and get normal tool.
I have never got the problem described by you while using my Paragon Partition Manager 10: www.partition-manager.com
I highly recommend you looking at it. It helped me even to restore the partition table raped by Perfect Disk.
Now to the problem itself, first of all check the FS of C: drive with CHKDSK c:/f command.
Press Start - type CMD - when found right click on it and Run as Administrator.
Then in DOS like window type CHKDSK c:/f and hit enter.
Follow the instructions and restart the PC.
As check is done go to Windows Disk Management - right click on C: - shrink select half space of free space available and take it off the partition. This is the law of Vista partitioning tool. It cannot let you take more than half of existing free space from partition. So you will have to perform this procedure several times.
Otherwise get a copy of Paragon Partition Manager - create boot CD from it - then take backup of C: and only ofter that boot the PC from Boot CD - Normal Mode -press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + backspace and enter to disk layout menu.
There shrink your system drive as much as it allows (the used space allows). Restart to Windows.