Re: Why only a small shrink possible in Vista?

Someone had the guts to write:

My plan was to shrink the 120 GB NTFS partition down to about half that, then install Solaris 10 on the other 60 GB and dual boot the laptop.

When I try to resize the partition in Vista, it will allow me to shrink it by 17 GB. Considering there is over 70 GB of free space, I can't see why it will only let me shrink it by a mere 17 GB. What about the other 53 GB?

It's because Windows (XP and Vista) place some unmovable files in the middle and near the end of its partition. Try a google search or MTF files. Ordinary defrag progs can't move those files and the shrinker won't let you resize the partition below the last file.

Solution:
1.) Temporarily disable and delete those files and the mechanism that create them
2.) Use a third party defragger to move the other MTF files. The defragger should be capacble of running 'at boot', that is before windows starts to make those files unmovable. One such defragger is Perfect Disk 8: it has a 30 days free trial and I used to shrink my Vista partition.

As for point 1) I solved by disabling the pagefile, the hibernation file, the shadow copy mechanism, and the boot error log. Most of these cna be disabled via the control panel/system manger tabs. Hibernation needs an admin prompt to issue the command powercfg -h off. (use on to turn it on again); there must be a similar command to reduce to zero the space for shadow copies. Google around and you'll find the solution.

Don't forget to delete the hibernation and paging files under C:\ if they're still there.

Once you've done this, run the defrag program with proper settings (defrag system files, and defrag free space so that you'll have every thing stuffed at the beginning of the disk).

Then you'll be able to shrink all the free space you'd like.

cheers,
Peltio

--
Su www.efunda.com trovi informazioni concise sugli aspetti essenziali dell'ingegneria (specialmente meccanica). Brevi tutorials, formule per il dimensionamento, proprietà dei materiali. Annuncio sponsorizzato dalla LIPSISC. Aut. Min. rich.


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Why only a small shrink possible in Vista?
    ... Considering there is over 70 GB of free space, I can't see why it will only let me shrink it by a mere 17 GB. ... It's because Windows place some unmovable files in the middle and near the end of its partition. ... Ordinary defrag progs can't move those files and the shrinker won't let you resize the partition below the last file. ... The defragger should be capacble of running 'at boot', that is before windows starts to make those files unmovable. ...
    (comp.sys.laptops)
  • Re: Help! HDD Partitioning Inside Vista x64
    ... Now run a manual defrag on the drive you want to shrink. ... If still no joy you will need to perform a boot time defrag that is offered by some 3rd party defrag programs, ... I do all of my partition work by booting from a CD that contains Acronis Disk Director Suite. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.vista.file_management)
  • Re: Vista 32 and 64 bit dual boot
    ... I go about setting a dual boot with Vista 64 bit, ... and I do have two Vista licenses. ... If you just have the one hard drive, with one large partition, assuming you've got the space you can go into Disk Management, and right click on the particular hard drive and select shrink volume. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.vista.installation_setup)
  • Re: Help! HDD Partitioning Inside Vista x64
    ... Then try the shrink process again. ... If still no joy you will need to perform a boot time defrag that is ... Disk Director Suite. ... My issue is that I cannot make a large enough partition from inside ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.vista.file_management)
  • Is this REALLY true?
    ... The only way to defrag the OS X partition is to backup and re-install ... X is a fragmentation mess. ... shows a graphical illustration of your boot HDD! ... Partition containing OS X and the 3rd a purely data disk partition. ...
    (comp.sys.mac.advocacy)