Disk Management:shrink volume = 1/2 GB, free space = 19 GB

[Xtremeacecow124]

Hello,
I am using Windows 7 32-bit SP1 and have a Seagate laptop hard drive with a storage capacity of 111 GB. I have around 19 GB of space free. I want to shrink my Windows C: primary partition 17 GB. It is formatted to NTFS. Here's the catch. When I go to Disk Management and tell to shrink the volume, it queries shrink space for a long time and says that I have 425 MB available of shrink space! How do I fix it so the 17 GB of free space can be used as a separate partition instead of the 425 MB?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Reyaz123]

You cannot shrink so much space from the drive that you have installed windows on as it has important system files on it


If you want more space to use, use a program called ccleaner to clean your temporary internet folders and delete restore points

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

You cannot shrink so much space from the drive that you have installed windows on as it has important system files on it

Why isn't 90 GB enough?

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

Can I use a live OS to partition it?

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

You cannot shrink so much space from the drive that you have installed windows on as it has important system files on it


If you want more space to use, use a program called ccleaner to clean your temporary internet folders and delete restore points

I'm fine with space, I just want to partition it.

 

[USAFRet]

1. Your drive is fragmented. Shrinking the partition requires that all bits be in a contiguous space.

2. Why are you shrinking the partition on a 120GB drive? That drive is already small.

 

[Reyaz123]

The windows disk management restricts the number of space to shrink so that it doesn't corrupt certain files.

Unfortunately what I know for sure is that you cannot force it to shrink any amount it doesn't allow you to

You could try shrinking a difference partition and create a new one.

Would be better off purchasing a larger hard drive though.

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

1. Your drive is fragmented. Shrinking the partition requires that all bits be in a contiguous space.

2. Why are you shrinking the partition on a 120GB drive? That drive is already small.

So I just need a defrag...
And BTW don't ask why but my windows is in a complicated situation so that's why I want to partition it.

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

The windows disk management restricts the number of space to shrink so that it doesn't corrupt certain files.

Unfortunately what I know for sure is that you cannot force it to shrink any amount it doesn't allow you to

You could try shrinking a difference partition and create a new one.

Would be better off purchasing a larger hard drive though.

There aren't any more partitions, but I will try defragging and see if that works.

 

[USAFRet]

1. Your drive is fragmented. Shrinking the partition requires that all bits be in a contiguous space.

2. Why are you shrinking the partition on a 120GB drive? That drive is already small.

So I just need a defrag...
And BTW don't ask why but my windows is in a complicated situation so that's why I want to partition it.

Attempting to do something like this guarantees someone asking 'why'.
Like I did.

There are very, very few good reasons to do this.

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

1. Your drive is fragmented. Shrinking the partition requires that all bits be in a contiguous space.

2. Why are you shrinking the partition on a 120GB drive? That drive is already small.

So I just need a defrag...
And BTW don't ask why but my windows is in a complicated situation so that's why I want to partition it.

Attempting to do something like this guarantees someone asking 'why'.
Like I did.

There are very, very few good reasons to do this.

Who said it was a good reason?

 

[USAFRet]

Well, if you want to cripple your system...be my guest.

 

[Reyaz123]

Normally shrinking the windows installation partition can cause unforeseeable issues in the future, which is why it can't be a good idea. But back to your question: did defragmenting mentioned by USAFret allow you to create a new partition?

Oh and if not, get a new hard drive. I would prefer this one as it gives 1TB of space, and is dirt cheap
http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Desktop-7200rpm-Internal-Drive/dp/B0088PUEPK/ref=zg_bs_1254762011_1

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

Well, if you want to cripple your system...be my guest.

Normally shrinking the windows installation partition can cause unforeseeable issues in the future, which is why it can't be a good idea. But back to your question: did defragmenting mentioned by USAFret allow you to create a new partition?

It is still defragging.

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

Well, if you want to cripple your system...be my guest.

The Windows 7 I'm running on it is already crippled because of reasons and I'm using the other partition for a temporary Windows (10 TP) until I reinstall Windows 7 again. Don't bother telling me to use Linux.

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

Good thing you recommended a WD because Seagates are not as good at the consumer level. I'm not planning on getting a new hard drive.

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

This defrag is pretty long. I'm running it on a Vista workstation

 

[Reyaz123]

Normally when defragging it will take long. But imo, a program like defraggler is best for doing the job much more efficiently than the windows defragmentation tool (this is for if you are using the window tool)

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

Normally when defragging it will take long. But imo, a program like defraggler is best for doing the job much more efficiently than the windows defragmentation toll (this is for if you are using the window tool)

I forgot to install it on this computer and there is no point after waiting so long so far. It is on Pass 9: 60%
If there is a significant difference after the defrag, I'll install it and defrag again.

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

Should I stop it in the middle since it is Pass 9 already?

 

[Reyaz123]

Let it run for about 30 more mins and check if it is progressing

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

Let it run for about 30 more mins and check if it is progressing

ok

 

[USAFRet]

Well, if you want to cripple your system...be my guest.

The Windows 7 I'm running on it is already crippled because of reasons and I'm using the other partition for a temporary Windows (10 TP) until I reinstall Windows 7 again. Don't bother telling me to use Linux.

'because of reasons'....
OK, we'll go with that...lol

 

[Xtremeacecow124]

Well, if you want to cripple your system...be my guest.

The Windows 7 I'm running on it is already crippled because of reasons and I'm using the other partition for a temporary Windows (10 TP) until I reinstall Windows 7 again. Don't bother telling me to use Linux.

'because of reasons'....
OK, we'll go with that...lol

If you REALLY want to know, I modded Windows and can't unmod it. It also probably has a lot of useless old program files lying around also

 

[USAFRet]

And shrinking that partition will help this how, exactly?