Cannot shrink Windows 7 Partition
Currently, I only have windows 7 installed on my computer. I would now like to dual boot it with ubuntu, but am unable to shrink the partition even though I have 60 GB free. I have tried using ubuntu's partitioner, windows disk manager, and gpart. When I tried shrinking it in disk manager, it said it was able to do it, but only 800 MB. So my question is, what is causing this, and is there anything I can do to fix this short of reimanging? Thanks
April 24th, 2009 3:01am

You can try to run a defragmenter, to clean up the free space.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
April 24th, 2009 7:00am

You have to do a disk defragment before trying to change the size as some files may exist at the end of the partition that is causing problems. Another way would be to either uninstall some applications that maybe causing the problem. You could also try booting up from a CD and deleting the pagefile.sys file as it maybe taking up that area at the part of the partition where the resize occurs. Using Disk manager would be the correct way to resize it. Otherwise you can backup all your settings and files and reformat again with a reinstall of win7 and the other Operation System.
April 24th, 2009 7:17am

The problem was indeed that it needed to be fragmented. The built in one isn't good enough, I had to use the free trial of PerfectDisk. There was one system file right at the very end that the built in derangementer didn't see
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
April 26th, 2009 8:35pm

See also:How NTFS reserves space for its Master File Table (MFT)Files Excluded by the Disk Defragmenter Tool Note! NTFS Master File table Mirror (MFTMirr): Usually located in the middle of a volumeRAPID PUBLISHINGpeterno3, please cut-n-paste these links into your post. at least, the reference to MFTMirr. Thx.
April 26th, 2009 9:14pm

I just tried PerfectDisk and it was AWESOME!!! That was a huge help. I tried a free defragger and it put temp files at the end of the partition. I could get it to remove them. I was about to reformat the drive and start over on this brand new PC. The PerfectDisk has an option to consolidate free space while defragging and it moved everything nice and tight together starting from the beginning of the partition. It fixed this whole issue. Awesome product.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
June 20th, 2010 1:49am

We all know that Windows 7 allows us resize partition currently, but it has some limitations. So, resize partition can not work if we only rely on the disk manager in Windows 7, at this time, use Partition Assistant—its free edition can work well.
December 24th, 2010 3:35am

hi peterno3, if u have tired ubuntu's partitioner, windows disk manager, and gpart, and none of them works well to u. i suggest that u download this partition freeware. though this is a freeware, it offers many functions, such as resize partitions, disk copy, convert dynamic disk to basic, copy volumes, and so on. hope it can help.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
March 8th, 2011 8:23pm

first, you need to run a defragmenter, to clean up the free space, second, what is your flag of your partition? primary or logical. You should notice that in disk management you could only use the unallocated space which is get from primary partition to enlarge your system drive, because it is priamry. If you want to use logical partition to enlarge your system partition that can not be acheive in disk management. You can try to use this free partition tool-Partition Assistant , which is more powerful than disk management
March 14th, 2011 2:15am

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics