View Full Version : Shrinking a partition using Win 7 inbuilt software
I've just done exactly that on a Win 7 Home setup (to allow the insertion of a second partition). I was surprised to find how little I could shrink it. The original partition was 285gig, with about 45 gig used. The most I could shrink it was by 127 gig.
Even after moving all the data (about 11 gig) off the original partition and into the new partition, it still would not allow me to shrink it any further. I'm now left with a C drive of about 150 gig where I'd be happy with one of about 50 gig, as I prefer to have just programs on the boot partition and all data on a separate partition.
I've used Acronis True Image to do this on earlier (XP) setups, but my version of True Image is not compatible with Win 7. Since Windows 7 (supposedly) provides inbuilt partition-creating software, I thought I might get away without having to buy the new version of True Image. Can anyone tell me if I'm missing something, or should get out the credit card?
spannersatcx
2nd Aug 2010, 08:33
I had a similar scenario on my daughters laptop when I upgraded the hard drive, I used this (http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm) worked a reat and best of all free.
Loose rivets
2nd Aug 2010, 16:41
We've had quite a lot of post on this during this year.
I did not want to use a utility outside W7, so was determined to make the change using MS product only.
It seems W7 plonks some files up at that end, and there they stay. I finally stripped the disk and changed it before the OS had been re-installed. Needles to say, I wasn't worried about the data on the other partitions.
Here's one of many.
Determined to clean-install W7, and even more determined to have 100gig C drive plus two others, I fitted a second hard disc and attacked the main drive with the XP that I was now running on. Cleaned out C by deleting the partition and making a new one c 100gigs. Fine. But...
When W7 installed, I'd hoped to expand D into the space. Totally barred from creating a new primary drive cos the 100mb system file was counted it seems - and this barred me cos of the total count exceeding 4. (had to leave F for a while) LSS I shoved data about so that I finally got the drives I wanted. C D and E. However, it soon became apparent that a great deal of data was simply missing.
Often, when we move files from folder to folder, the data is not really moved- just the addresses reset. . . or so I gather. But when the data is going from one partition to another, I'd assumed that it was really rewritten, indeed the HD light was flickering fit to bust. If the data wasn't truly rewritten, then when I removed the partition to meld it into the other unoccupied space, the data would have been lost I assume.
This is a bad effort. #3 post is very confusing - even I can't understand what I was getting at.:ugh:
However, there may be a few clues there.
http://www.pprune.org/computer-internet-issues-troubleshooting/413719-copying-true-moving-files-just-addresses.html#post5665922
Thanks to you both for the answers. To clarify my first post: with XP, I used Partition Magic to re-size the partitions, and not True Image. (It's my version of PM that's incompatible with W7.)
Has anyone used the latest version of Partition Magic with W7, and if so, any comments?
Bushfiva
3rd Aug 2010, 02:39
Wasn't PowerQuest bought by Symantec and closed down a while back? I've used Easeus and Parted Magic recently with reasonable results.
When I got my new laptop with Windows 7 I booted off a Linux Live-CD and used gparted to shrink the Windows partition. So that's an option if you don't mind running non-Windows software.
Loose rivets
3rd Aug 2010, 04:58
I tried all sorts of things to move the offending files down the hill a bit. I think Bush suggested what was causing the problem, but nothing I dared do would budge them.
Using XP was the answer, but as I said, it was a radical solution. However, the files on D and E were shuttled about, enabling me to format each drive in turn without resorting to backup DVDs.
One thing that was a happy byproduct of all this was the resolution of a very tedious problem with the elaborate sound card (On the MB.) The Full format must have removed some detritus from the C drive. From that time on, the bewilderingly elusive fault on the audio, just disappeared, and this was after reloading the drivers scores of times and trying MS and the maker's software turn about turn.
Just goes to show how important starting with a clean sheet of paper can be sometimes.
themidge
3rd Aug 2010, 12:18
No credit card necessary. I've used this for XP, not for Windows 7 but it does say it's compatible. I found it very user friendly, worked a treat. Let me know how you get on.
Easeus Partition Master Home Edition - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com (http://download.cnet.com/Easeus-Partition-Master-Home-Edition/3000-2248_4-10863346.html)
spannersatcx
3rd Aug 2010, 15:39
No credit card necessary. I've used this for XP, not for Windows 7 but it does say it's compatible. I found it very user friendly, worked a treat. Let me know how you get on.
Easeus Partition Master Home Edition - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com
See post 2!
themidge
3rd Aug 2010, 15:52
Ha! Sorry dude. I skim read the thread and missed that. I would probably have noticed it had you mentioned the name of the software in your post.
Loose rivets
3rd Aug 2010, 17:20
Also, this issue of not using anything outside the OS.
I cheated by using XP to get over the problem of W7 not being able to format over system files. So, drive C was greyed out for format. However, I used an MS product which I hope is not veering too far off the ideal.
I know that these partition programs work, it's just that I got the feeling they were somehow simulating the task with instructions lying about in hidden places. I recall coming to that conclusion, but not the exact reason.
Wasn't PowerQuest bought by Symantec and closed down a while back?I think you're right. Pity. I found Partition Magic to be a very easy program to use and quite useful.