Windows 7: Extend Windows XP Partition in VMware

I extended the maximum size of my Windows XP virtual hard drive from 20 GB to 25 GB, but then it said that I also have to extend the partition from within the guest OS. I logged on to my Windows XP virtual hard drive and went into Disk Management. When I try to right-click on the primary partition, I don't see an option to extend the partition. Can someone please tell me how to extend it? My searches on Google have yielded nothing of use.



Here's a screenshot of what I'm doing by the way:

You can't extend with any partitioning tool once on a VM or even when the XP Mode is run on the Virtual PC. This is why you see the option for fixed or expandable when first going to create a new VHD or during the install of the XP Mode itself. The program used offers the choices there for this.

I've used partitioning software on a virtual machine's hard drive in VMWare before under Win 2000. It should work in XP as well. However, I believe I had used a fixed size disk and not the dynamic sized disk.

Here's a link to some instructions: Resize a VMWare disk

With XP as a rule as well on the XP Mode the DM lacks the ability to resize any partition to start with let alone the virtual C drive itself. The option for using the DM to resize partitions came with Vista.

For VHDs when using the self expanding option as you continue to add files the partition will actually grow in size over time. Essentially a vhd is a drive image being mounted where you can add files to it like you would with a backup image being mounted as a drive for incremental backups growing in size.

With the fixed disk option you simply run out of space unless following a guide like the one there. Good catch on that one! strollin Now to see if there's one like that for VBox.

Thanks, I'll give that a try. One question though: it asks for the volume number. Where can I find that?

If I remember correctly, it said the VHD would expand over time if I added more files, but it also told me to set a maximum size that I would allow the XP partition to expand to. I originally put 20 GB, but after installing MS Office 2007, I noticed I only have 3-4 GB left.

That's the drawback when setting the maximum a self expanding vhd will see. If this had been a fixed sized vhd you would have been able to use the guide strollin pointed to in order to expand the virtual C primary.

For adding a large volume of files as well as numerous programs you would need to set up a new larger self expanding one setting it to let's say 100gb to cover various expansions as well as leaving extra capacity available for more later. That wouldn't take up 100gb of drive space however only allow room to expand out to that.