Windows 7 - Partition wizard query

Not sure if this is the right place or if this is a stupid question, but I want to be sure before running anything. First I'll explain what I have been up to. I've been having some trouble shrinking my volume to create a new partition capable of duel booting XP, at first the volume allowed 20gb (but i was greedy, wanted at least 60-80) -note, i have 596gb with 479gb free space, after deleting and uninstalling a few things. So I tried this tool called PerfectDisk 12.5 that said it had features to move files and create more volume shrinkage. After running that my allowance dropped to 5gb... So after that failed I went looking around and found this Partition Wizard (that i've seen mentioned and basically endorsed in some parts of these forums) but in all the download options to that PWBD there is no link for "ultimate", says only home, professional, enterprise. Do any of these versions still work with ultimate? or am I boned and just have to deal with the fact i'll never be able to duel boot.

Also, is it possible that a fresh install of windows 7 will allow more shrinking? i mean 20 gig, and 5 gig seems absurd out of 596.... That's my last idea if I can't use PWBD

Thanks for your time.

Welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

Partition Wizard will work with all versions of Windows 7, including Ultimate.

Please check this tutorial: Dual Boot : Create Partitions Using PWBD

Thanks for the quick reply, much appreciated. There's 1 more thing im having trouble with, if you could help. I installed XP onto a smaller partition i made following the guide, and the guide says do not add volume letter, just the label so i didnt, just made the label as "windowsXP". installed it and loaded XP. I then went ahead and got easyBCD 2.1.2 so i could switch between OS's at startup. I tried to add a new entry of the Windows 7 partition from its drive letter C:/ (i should note, i noticed in my computer on xp that drive C was Windows 7 and drive D was winxp) i had trouble getting the Windows 7 selection to show at start up, i deleted entries and redid them untill it finally worked. BUT, i notice in the boot paths in view settings of BCD that both xp and Windows 7 boot paths are coming from drive C:/ this is confusing me.. I ignored this and launched into Windows 7 to see if it would work and it loaded up, i went to my computer to see if drive letters were the same as on winXP and they're not... Windows 7 is still drive C but winXP is now drive E (in my computer view) as apposed to being D back on XP. i did the same thing here and now but adding a new entry of XP to read from E drive and the same thing happens, says succesful, i then check settings view and see its boot path is coming from C still. Is this a major problem? how do i fix this? (i havent tried booting back into xp yet, was just glad i finally got access back into my Windows 7 desktop) i hope this wasn't too confusing, was confusing trying to explain lol. Basically to summarize it, the boot paths on BCD are coming from C/ drive for both OS's somehow on 2 different partitions, windows XP shows XP is on D drive, windows7 shows XP is on E drive.

hope this is an easy fix. the bumps and grinds getting everything going today is giving me a headache :/

Cheers in advance for your time.

Both Windows 7 & Win XP boot file should be on C:, all OK.

Thanks for the quick reply mate, good to know it's all okay, pheww lol. So the whole XP showing its on D drive on XP mode, then on windows 7 showing XP is on E drive is okay too?

Yes. yhat's OK. Any time you have more than one Windows installation, whichever one you boot into will be C, the others will be another letter.

Thanks for the answers guys, much appreciated, i was worrying for nothing then

Had you installed XP first then it would also show as C when booted into it, but there's no prob with it being D now.

If you release D in Windows 7 it will likely take that letter when you're booted into Windows 7. The letter simply isn't available now so XP takes the next available letter.