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Resize VHD from 200GB to 20gb?

We have Windows Server 2008 R2, Hyper-V R2, 64Bit, etc.

Currently the VHDs are Fixed 200GB.
Desired: knock these down to more realistic 20GBs, and stay Fixed.

I've read that I may need to use a tool from year 2007 called VHDResizer.

Can't I simply within the Hyper-V manager:
1) Convert to Dynamic
2) Compact
3) Then convert back to fixed

Do I really to need to use VHDResizer?
Is there an easier way to reduce disk size of my fixed VHDs?

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Greg Hejl

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kevinhsieh

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jhindson

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JReam

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Thanks for your valuable comments. Note: I disagree with kevinhsieh about using Dynamic disk, most articles I've read strongly recommend Fixed for most production environments, for numerous good reasons.

Here are the steps I used to successfully reduce many of my VHD sizes.

Steps:
1) In VM, in Administrative Tools, Computer Management, Disk Management, Shrink Volume to desired size such as 60GB, leave at least 50% to grow on.
2) Stop VM.
3) Backup VHD File. Zips nicely 90%.
4) Use VHDResizer to reduce the size of the VHD File, for example size to 65GB
5) Swap VHD files, or point Hyper-V manager to new named VHD file.
6) Start VM, verify aok in Administrative Tools, Computer Management, Disk Management. There should be a little unused extra space allocated.
7) Extend the volume partition to allocate the remaining little unused extra space on the VHD. Either do:
7a) In AdTools, Disk Management. Rt Click the Volume | Extend. This works on Win 2008 R2 VM.
7b) In VM, CMD prompt, use diskpart, to extend the partition. C:>DISKPART , List Volume, Select Volume n, Extend.
8) Verify everything aok in Administrative Tools, Computer Management, Disk Management.