Repartioning - Why Can't I Shrink More

I have an 80 GB hard disk, partioned at C: 40 GB and D: 40 GB.

I want to shink the D: drive from 40 GB to 30 GB (so that I can increase D:
from 40 to 50), but the system will only let me Shrink it by 4 GB. Why
would this be? There is only about 5 GB used on the D: drive.

Would defraggging help? I did have some big data files on there before,
which I deleted or copied off.

It says that the size of the available shrink space can be restricted if
snapshots or pagefiles are enabled on the volume. Could that be the
problem? How to I disable snapshots and/or pagefiles?

Thanks,

Boolean1

The last unmovable system file determines the amount of shrink available.
Defragging will not move such a system file but it will move other files.
If the last file on the volume can be moved then you may gain additional
space. As soon as the last file on the volume is an unmovable system file
you have reached the max shrinkage attainable. Defrag and analyze again.
It is hard to decipher what you mean by
"shink the D: drive from 40 GB to 30 GB (so that I can increase D:..."
There is a typo so please clarify.
You cannot change the size of the current active volume. If C: is your
system volume, you cannot change it.

"Boolean1" <Boolean1@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:58CdnVrVdPcCduXYnZ2dnUVZ_t-mnZ2d@comcast.com...
>I have an 80 GB hard disk, partioned at C: 40 GB and D: 40 GB.
>
> I want to shink the D: drive from 40 GB to 30 GB (so that I can increase
> D: from 40 to 50), but the system will only let me Shrink it by 4 GB. Why
> would this be? There is only about 5 GB used on the D: drive.
>
> Would defraggging help? I did have some big data files on there before,
> which I deleted or copied off.
>
> It says that the size of the available shrink space can be restricted if
> snapshots or pagefiles are enabled on the volume. Could that be the
> problem? How to I disable snapshots and/or pagefiles?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Boolean1

I offloaded all the folders off the D: drive in an attempt to re-format the
D: drive. But I was unable to format it. Error -- Windows cannot format
the system partition on this disk. Why does Vista Disk Management think the
D: drive is the system partition?

Also, can't delete a file that belonged to Virtual PC...Destination Folder
Access Denied - You need permission to perform this action / Try Again / Try
Again...

So I can't format, I can't offload all the files, I can only shrink a 40 GB
drive by 4 or 5 GB. What else can I try? Maybe just log on to machine as
administrator and go to dos mode to format D:.

Thanks,

Boolean1


"Boolean1" <Boolean1@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:58CdnVrVdPcCduXYnZ2dnUVZ_t-mnZ2d@comcast.com...
>I have an 80 GB hard disk, partioned at C: 40 GB and D: 40 GB.
>
> I want to shink the D: drive from 40 GB to 30 GB (so that I can increase
> D: from 40 to 50), but the system will only let me Shrink it by 4 GB. Why
> would this be? There is only about 5 GB used on the D: drive.
>
> Would defraggging help? I did have some big data files on there before,
> which I deleted or copied off.
>
> It says that the size of the available shrink space can be restricted if
> snapshots or pagefiles are enabled on the volume. Could that be the
> problem? How to I disable snapshots and/or pagefiles?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Boolean1

Defrag the drive.

From the command prompt window run chkdsk on the drive with the /f option
(ex: chkdsk c: /f). Reboot the computer to allow this to run. Boot back into
Vista and try to resize again.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!


"Boolean1" <Boolean1@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:58CdnVrVdPcCduXYnZ2dnUVZ_t-mnZ2d@comcast.com...
>I have an 80 GB hard disk, partioned at C: 40 GB and D: 40 GB.
>
> I want to shink the D: drive from 40 GB to 30 GB (so that I can increase
> D: from 40 to 50), but the system will only let me Shrink it by 4 GB. Why
> would this be? There is only about 5 GB used on the D: drive.
>
> Would defraggging help? I did have some big data files on there before,
> which I deleted or copied off.
>
> It says that the size of the available shrink space can be restricted if
> snapshots or pagefiles are enabled on the volume. Could that be the
> problem? How to I disable snapshots and/or pagefiles?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Boolean1

The C: partion is the system drive.

The D: partion is the one I'm trying to shrink.

I logged onto command promt as administrator and tried to format, but got
error - System Partition is not allowed to be formatted.

I will defrag again

and will try

chkdsk d: /f

Thanks

Boolean1

"Colin Barnhorst" <colinbarharst@msn.com> wrote in message
news:Oc5WvcoGHHA.1252@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> The last unmovable system file determines the amount of shrink available.
> Defragging will not move such a system file but it will move other files.
> If the last file on the volume can be moved then you may gain additional
> space. As soon as the last file on the volume is an unmovable system file
> you have reached the max shrinkage attainable. Defrag and analyze again.
> It is hard to decipher what you mean by
> "shink the D: drive from 40 GB to 30 GB (so that I can increase D:..."
> There is a typo so please clarify.
> You cannot change the size of the current active volume. If C: is your
> system volume, you cannot change it.
>
> "Boolean1" <Boolean1@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:58CdnVrVdPcCduXYnZ2dnUVZ_t-mnZ2d@comcast.com...
>>I have an 80 GB hard disk, partioned at C: 40 GB and D: 40 GB.
>>
>> I want to shink the D: drive from 40 GB to 30 GB (so that I can increase
>> D: from 40 to 50), but the system will only let me Shrink it by 4 GB.
>> Why would this be? There is only about 5 GB used on the D: drive.
>>
>> Would defraggging help? I did have some big data files on there before,
>> which I deleted or copied off.
>>
>> It says that the size of the available shrink space can be restricted if
>> snapshots or pagefiles are enabled on the volume. Could that be the
>> problem? How to I disable snapshots and/or pagefiles?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Boolean1
>

Will try that.

Thanks,

Boolean1

"Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:OxI7PioGHHA.4904@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Defrag the drive.
>
> From the command prompt window run chkdsk on the drive with the /f option
> (ex: chkdsk c: /f). Reboot the computer to allow this to run. Boot back
> into Vista and try to resize again.
>
> --
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>
> Quote from George Ankner:
> If you knew as much as you think you know,
> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>
>
> "Boolean1" <Boolean1@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:58CdnVrVdPcCduXYnZ2dnUVZ_t-mnZ2d@comcast.com...
>>I have an 80 GB hard disk, partioned at C: 40 GB and D: 40 GB.
>>
>> I want to shink the D: drive from 40 GB to 30 GB (so that I can increase
>> D: from 40 to 50), but the system will only let me Shrink it by 4 GB.
>> Why would this be? There is only about 5 GB used on the D: drive.
>>
>> Would defraggging help? I did have some big data files on there before,
>> which I deleted or copied off.
>>
>> It says that the size of the available shrink space can be restricted if
>> snapshots or pagefiles are enabled on the volume. Could that be the
>> problem? How to I disable snapshots and/or pagefiles?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Boolean1
>
>

But you can neither expand nor shrink the system volume. You cannot change
the size of C:. You cannot do this with diskpart by booting with the dvd
and you cannot do it from Disk Manager.

"Boolean1" <Boolean1@comcast.net> wrote in message
newsJ-dnWmQMtVLZOXYnZ2dnUVZ_tGsnZ2d@comcast.com...
> The C: partion is the system drive.
>
> The D: partion is the one I'm trying to shrink.
>
> I logged onto command promt as administrator and tried to format, but got
> error - System Partition is not allowed to be formatted.
>
> I will defrag again
>
> and will try
>
> chkdsk d: /f
>
> Thanks
>
> Boolean1
>
> "Colin Barnhorst" <colinbarharst@msn.com> wrote in message
> news:Oc5WvcoGHHA.1252@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> The last unmovable system file determines the amount of shrink available.
>> Defragging will not move such a system file but it will move other files.
>> If the last file on the volume can be moved then you may gain additional
>> space. As soon as the last file on the volume is an unmovable system
>> file you have reached the max shrinkage attainable. Defrag and analyze
>> again. It is hard to decipher what you mean by
>> "shink the D: drive from 40 GB to 30 GB (so that I can increase
>> D:..."
>> There is a typo so please clarify.
>> You cannot change the size of the current active volume. If C: is your
>> system volume, you cannot change it.
>>
>> "Boolean1" <Boolean1@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:58CdnVrVdPcCduXYnZ2dnUVZ_t-mnZ2d@comcast.com...
>>>I have an 80 GB hard disk, partioned at C: 40 GB and D: 40 GB.
>>>
>>> I want to shink the D: drive from 40 GB to 30 GB (so that I can increase
>>> D: from 40 to 50), but the system will only let me Shrink it by 4 GB.
>>> Why would this be? There is only about 5 GB used on the D: drive.
>>>
>>> Would defraggging help? I did have some big data files on there before,
>>> which I deleted or copied off.
>>>
>>> It says that the size of the available shrink space can be restricted if
>>> snapshots or pagefiles are enabled on the volume. Could that be the
>>> problem? How to I disable snapshots and/or pagefiles?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Boolean1
>>
>

"Colin Barnhorst" <colinbarharst@msn.com> wrote in message
news:OfVm%236oGHHA.2632@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> But you can neither expand nor shrink the system volume. You cannot
> change the size of C:. You cannot do this with diskpart by booting
> with the dvd and you cannot do it from Disk Manager.

What a second Colin, I've done it.

I've used computer management to shrink my C drive, create another
partition in the empty space, label it E, use it as needed, then
delete the E partition, and expand the C drive to fill up the disk
again. That was in 5744 I believe.

I haven't had a need to do it since, but I just checked and the option
to shrink is still in RTM.

--
Happy Holidays!

How would this apply to the following situation: the active boot partition is
C, the Vista system partition is D. Then, which one can't be resized: C, D or
both? Sven



"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> You cannot change the size of the current active volume. If C: is your
> system volume, you cannot change it.

Then clearly I am mistaken. I still remember the chat with the team when
diskpart was discussed. There was lively discussion about how diskpart and
defrag work together. The team kept remarking that there were issues (not
bugs, but how the system works) that prevent a boot volume from being
resized. That chat was six months ago, so perhaps they resolved the issues.
I hope so.

"Bill" <bill@c.a> wrote in message
news:wvadnYzdtMc5m-TYnZ2dnUVZ_rednZ2d@golden.net...
> "Colin Barnhorst" <colinbarharst@msn.com> wrote in message
> news:OfVm%236oGHHA.2632@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> But you can neither expand nor shrink the system volume. You cannot
>> change the size of C:. You cannot do this with diskpart by booting with
>> the dvd and you cannot do it from Disk Manager.
>
> What a second Colin, I've done it.
>
> I've used computer management to shrink my C drive, create another
> partition in the empty space, label it E, use it as needed, then delete
> the E partition, and expand the C drive to fill up the disk again. That
> was in 5744 I believe.
>
> I haven't had a need to do it since, but I just checked and the option to
> shrink is still in RTM.
>
> --
> Happy Holidays!
>