After shrinking drive C, cannot allocate the new partition

After I shrunk the C drive, I got an empty 53,57 unallocated space on drive 0.
When I choose the "new simple volume" option, It proceeds normally until the
last step and then I end up with the following error report:

"There is not enough free space on the disk to complete this operation"

Anybody can help ?

By the way, I'm trying to install "Windows 2000" on a 2nd partition
(actually its the fifth partition). I want to run programs that do not run
properly under Vista.

Thanks, Mike

You can only have four partitions on a drive. If you want more then one of
the four partitions has to be an extended partition which can then be
divided up into logical drives.

--
Kerry Brown
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
http://www.vistahelp.ca


"Mighty_Mike" <MightyMike@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:45113CB9-4332-4583-9299-9FA7CE54BB39@microsoft.com...
> After I shrunk the C drive, I got an empty 53,57 unallocated space on
> drive 0.
> When I choose the "new simple volume" option, It proceeds normally until
> the
> last step and then I end up with the following error report:
>
> "There is not enough free space on the disk to complete this operation"
>
> Anybody can help ?
>
> By the way, I'm trying to install "Windows 2000" on a 2nd partition
> (actually its the fifth partition). I want to run programs that do not run
> properly under Vista.
>
> Thanks, Mike

Mighty_Mike wrote:
> After I shrunk the C drive, I got an empty 53,57 unallocated space on drive 0.
> When I choose the "new simple volume" option, It proceeds normally until the
> last step and then I end up with the following error report:
>
> "There is not enough free space on the disk to complete this operation"
>
> Anybody can help ?

57.3 what? K, M?

If the system says it's too small, maybe it just is.
The "last step" is usually formatting: try FAT instead of NTFS, see if
that will fit.


> By the way, I'm trying to install "Windows 2000" on a 2nd partition
> (actually its the fifth partition). I want to run programs that do not run
> properly under Vista.

Is it the 5th partition the system says there's no free space for, and
is it a basic disk?

You can only have 4 primary partitions on a disk. If you want more
partitions, you'll have to make the 4th partition an extended one
containing all the remaining space, and create the additional
partitions in that extended partition.

Mike:
Be advised that installing an older OS (eg W2K) after you've installed a
recent OS (eg Vista) will mean your computer won't recognize the Vista boot
manager, and you won't be able to start Vista.

The W2K boot manager will stomp on the Vista boot manager--it won't know
what Vista is and will claim boot manager duties for itself, so to speak,
which is why for multiboot scenarios MS recommends installing the
oldest/earliest OS on the box first, and then later ones. (Windows is
designed to recognize earlier versions of itself on the disk and let them
be.)

If you decide to proceed and you get in a jam, you can try running Startup
Repair from the Vista disc, but it's not guaranteed to work. Others on the
forum may also point you to third-party solutions, or you can refer to the
Knowledge Base for help, e.g. KB 919529. Good luck.

--
Andy Sweet
Windows User Assistance team
Microsoft Corporation

No, I have a 160 gB disk, of witch at 20 gig (at the most) is occupied.
Thanks, Mike

"Lucvdv" wrote:

> Mighty_Mike wrote:
> > After I shrunk the C drive, I got an empty 53,57 unallocated space on drive 0.
> > When I choose the "new simple volume" option, It proceeds normally until the
> > last step and then I end up with the following error report:
> >
> > "There is not enough free space on the disk to complete this operation"
> >
> > Anybody can help ?
>
> 57.3 what? K, M?
>
> If the system says it's too small, maybe it just is.
> The "last step" is usually formatting: try FAT instead of NTFS, see if
> that will fit.
>
>
> > By the way, I'm trying to install "Windows 2000" on a 2nd partition
> > (actually its the fifth partition). I want to run programs that do not run
> > properly under Vista.
>
> Is it the 5th partition the system says there's no free space for, and
> is it a basic disk?
>
> You can only have 4 primary partitions on a disk. If you want more
> partitions, you'll have to make the 4th partition an extended one
> containing all the remaining space, and create the additional
> partitions in that extended partition.
>
>

Thanks Andy,
Maybe I should then reformat the whole disk, install Windows 2000 and then
reinstall Vista ? I hope I don't have problems reinstalling Vista (with the
reinstallation disk). Hope it works ok. What do you think ?

"Andy Sweet [MSFT]" wrote:

> Mike:
> Be advised that installing an older OS (eg W2K) after you've installed a
> recent OS (eg Vista) will mean your computer won't recognize the Vista boot
> manager, and you won't be able to start Vista.
>
> The W2K boot manager will stomp on the Vista boot manager--it won't know
> what Vista is and will claim boot manager duties for itself, so to speak,
> which is why for multiboot scenarios MS recommends installing the
> oldest/earliest OS on the box first, and then later ones. (Windows is
> designed to recognize earlier versions of itself on the disk and let them
> be.)
>
> If you decide to proceed and you get in a jam, you can try running Startup
> Repair from the Vista disc, but it's not guaranteed to work. Others on the
> forum may also point you to third-party solutions, or you can refer to the
> Knowledge Base for help, e.g. KB 919529. Good luck.
>
> --
> Andy Sweet
> Windows User Assistance team
> Microsoft Corporation
>

How do I create an extended partition ? Do I have to expand again my C
partition (to go back to 4 partitions) before proceeding ? Btw, the 5
partitions I have now are:

1) 55MB (EISA configuration) - this one appeadered aferte shrinking
2) Recovery (D 10 gB NTSF
3) OS (C 83,43 gB NTSF
4) 53,57 gB unallocated
5) 2 gB free space - This one also appeared after shrinking.

If it were not of the (1) and (5) partitions, I wouldn't have more than 4
partitons. Can I delete them - it would be simpler.

Mike

"Kerry Brown" wrote:

> You can only have four partitions on a drive. If you want more then one of
> the four partitions has to be an extended partition which can then be
> divided up into logical drives.
>
> --
> Kerry Brown
> Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
> http://www.vistahelp.ca
>
>
> "Mighty_Mike" <MightyMike@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:45113CB9-4332-4583-9299-9FA7CE54BB39@microsoft.com...
> > After I shrunk the C drive, I got an empty 53,57 unallocated space on
> > drive 0.
> > When I choose the "new simple volume" option, It proceeds normally until
> > the
> > last step and then I end up with the following error report:
> >
> > "There is not enough free space on the disk to complete this operation"
> >
> > Anybody can help ?
> >
> > By the way, I'm trying to install "Windows 2000" on a 2nd partition
> > (actually its the fifth partition). I want to run programs that do not run
> > properly under Vista.
> >
> > Thanks, Mike
>
>

I don't know what 1 is. It's probably a diagnostic partition from the
manufacturer. I wouldn't delete 1 or 2 as you may need them to get back to
the factory setup. Can you delete 5? This may allow you to combine 4 and 5
to create a 4th partition. You may want to use a more sophisticated
partition management program like Acronis Disk Director or BootitNG.

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing.../diskdirector/

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html

With the disk management console in Vista your options are limited. When you
shrink partitions you may end up with unusable space if there is unallocated
space that is not adjacent etc..

--
Kerry Brown
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
http://www.vistahelp.ca


"Mighty_Mike" <MightyMike@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6CDC9DAA-8F04-4780-A4C7-77DEBDE14651@microsoft.com...
> How do I create an extended partition ? Do I have to expand again my C
> partition (to go back to 4 partitions) before proceeding ? Btw, the 5
> partitions I have now are:
>
> 1) 55MB (EISA configuration) - this one appeadered aferte shrinking
> 2) Recovery (D 10 gB NTSF
> 3) OS (C 83,43 gB NTSF
> 4) 53,57 gB unallocated
> 5) 2 gB free space - This one also appeared after shrinking.
>
> If it were not of the (1) and (5) partitions, I wouldn't have more than 4
> partitons. Can I delete them - it would be simpler.
>
> Mike
>
> "Kerry Brown" wrote:
>
>> You can only have four partitions on a drive. If you want more then one
>> of
>> the four partitions has to be an extended partition which can then be
>> divided up into logical drives.
>>
>> --
>> Kerry Brown
>> Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
>> http://www.vistahelp.ca
>>
>>
>> "Mighty_Mike" <MightyMike@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:45113CB9-4332-4583-9299-9FA7CE54BB39@microsoft.com...
>> > After I shrunk the C drive, I got an empty 53,57 unallocated space on
>> > drive 0.
>> > When I choose the "new simple volume" option, It proceeds normally
>> > until
>> > the
>> > last step and then I end up with the following error report:
>> >
>> > "There is not enough free space on the disk to complete this operation"
>> >
>> > Anybody can help ?
>> >
>> > By the way, I'm trying to install "Windows 2000" on a 2nd partition
>> > (actually its the fifth partition). I want to run programs that do not
>> > run
>> > properly under Vista.
>> >
>> > Thanks, Mike
>>
>>

Mighty_Mike wrote:
> No, I have a 160 gB disk, of witch at 20 gig (at the most) is occupied.

Note that we're not interested in how much is used by files.
We're interested in the size of the remaining space for partitions.

Is that 57.3KB, 57.3MB, or 57.3GB of unallocated space?
If it's 57.3KB or 57.3MB this would explain your problem.

Assuming it's 57.3GB then there's another issue.
You cannot have more than 4 primary partitions on a 'basic' disk. If you
want more than that you'd need to either use an extended partition or
dynamic disk. To make an extended partition you'd need to delete one of
your primary partitions and lose all the data on it, so you might want
to use a dynamic disk - although it means only Win2K, WinXP and Vista
operating systems can read the disk.

Alun Harford

Kerry Brown wrote:

>> 1) 55MB (EISA configuration) - this one appeadered aferte shrinking

> I don't know what 1 is. It's probably a diagnostic partition from the
> manufacturer.

Yes, that's what I think too.

Some years ago (long before the merge with HP), some Compaq computers
used to have their BIOS setup program on harddisk instead of in ROM.

I suspect that this is something similar.


>> 2) Recovery (D 10 gB NTSF

Probably the Vista setup (OEM, including extra drivers etc.),
pre-installed on HD instead of provided on a separate DVD.