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decrease hard disk size on a virtual machine

I am not able to decrease the hard disk size on a virual machine, its currently set to 675 gb and when i try to change it from machine settings, i am not able to do it. Its a secondary drive (Non OS) with some really important data on it. The actual size of the virtual drive is 300 Gb and i see the remaining as unallocated space. Whats the best way to do it? Please help.

LVL 1

NishantAsked: 2015-06-30

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LVL 130

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert / EE MVE^2)VMware and Virtualization ConsultantCommented: 2015-06-30

This is to be expected, there is only one supported method to shrink, reduce the size of a virtual machine, and that is to use VMware Converter.

I've written an EE Article here, step by step instructions, with screenshots, tutorial fashion..

Part 13: HOW TO: Shrink or Reduce a VMware Virtual Machine Disk (VMDK) using VMware vCenter Converter Standalone v5.5.2

This was written, when the latest version of Converter was 5.5.2, version 6.0 is now the latest, so download 6.0, and follow the same article.

HOW TO: P2V, V2V for FREE - VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 6.0

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LVL 20

jmcgOwnerCommented: 2015-06-30

Only one way? How about adding a virtual disk of the desired size, copy the data to it, then delete the no-longer-used-too-big virtual disk. This only works when there's space available for the swing disk, but it's more straightforward than bringing in converter.

LVL 130

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert / EE MVE^2)VMware and Virtualization ConsultantCommented: 2015-06-30

@jmcg

only one supported method to shrink

supported!!!!

You could use clonezilla, ghost, symantec backup, but if a Domain Controller, Exchange Server, get's a bit more difficult, many different ways!

you could do it this way, in 15 minutes, but it's not supported....

HOW TO: Shrink a VMware Virtual Machine Disk (VMDK) in 15 minutes

LVL 1

NishantAuthor Commented: 2015-06-30

Andrew, i am following your instructions to decrease the size of the hard drive 2, there is one step that says "Migrate or Copy the virtual machine to another datastore". After i save the file, do i need to move the vm to a different datastore, unfortunately, i just have a single datastore.

Please suggest.

LVL 130

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert / EE MVE^2)VMware and Virtualization ConsultantCommented: 2015-07-01

Andrew, i am following your instructions to decrease the size of the hard drive 2, there is one step that says "Migrate or Copy the virtual machine to another datastore". After i save the file, do i need to move the vm to a different datastore, unfortunately, i just have a single datastore.

Please suggest.

If you are following, my 15 minute article, yes you need to move it to another datastore. If you have a single datastore, the pointers will not be re-written.

Let me check, if you can do it another way.

LVL 62

gheistCommented: 2015-07-01

You can make clone under different name

LVL 1

NishantAuthor Commented: 2015-07-03

Thanks for your help Andrew.