Solved Why cant I shrink Drive C more than 16GB?

[laungst]

I want to shrink my Drive C by 100GB~ so I can create a new partition and install the pre-release of Windows 8.

My drive C is 906 GB total and it has around 55% (Surprisingly exactly 500GB) of free space.

I go into "Computer Management" and then go into the "Disk Management" under the "Storage" tab. I right click on "(C" and click on "Shrink Volume". After it finishes "Querying Volume for Available Shrink Space" it says the following

"Total size before shrink in MB: 928267 (906GB)
Size of available shrink space in MB: 16814 (17GB)
Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB: (Gives me box to type in)
Total size after shrink in MB: (Goes up and down with above box)
You cannot shrink a volume beyond the point where any unmovable files are located. See the "defrag" event in the Application log for detailed information about the operation when it has completed."

In the "Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB" box, it wont let me go over 16814 MB- About 17GB, even though I have EXACTLY 500GB free. If I can, how can I fix this?

Note: The first thing I did when I saw this was Defragment my harddrive. Nothing changed. The numbers were exactly the same.

Thanks for your help

 

[Kaktussoft]

Use Partition Wizard home edition Free download Magic Partition Manager Software, partition magic alternative, free partition magic, partition magic Windows 7 and server partition software - Partition Wizard Online

How to Move/Resize Partition with partition manager? Partition Wizard Move/Resize Partition Video Help.

 

[kado897]

I want to shrink my Drive C by 100GB~ so I can create a new partition and install the pre-release of Windows 8.

My drive C is 906 GB total and it has around 55% (Surprisingly exactly 500GB) of free space.

I go into "Computer Management" and then go into the "Disk Management" under the "Storage" tab. I right click on "(C" and click on "Shrink Volume". After it finishes "Querying Volume for Available Shrink Space" it says the following

"Total size before shrink in MB: 928267 (906GB)
Size of available shrink space in MB: 16814 (17GB)
Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB: (Gives me box to type in)
Total size after shrink in MB: (Goes up and down with above box)
You cannot shrink a volume beyond the point where any unmovable files are located. See the "defrag" event in the Application log for detailed information about the operation when it has completed."

In the "Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB" box, it wont let me go over 16814 MB- About 17GB, even though I have EXACTLY 500GB free. If I can, how can I fix this?

Note: The first thing I did when I saw this was Defragment my harddrive. Nothing changed. The numbers were exactly the same.

Thanks for your help

The reason is that windows has placed files it considers unmovable near the end of the partition. Do as kactussoft recommends and use Partition Wizard. You may need to use the bootable version to accomplish what you need if the files are in use.

 

[Kaktussoft]

I want to shrink my Drive C by 100GB~ so I can create a new partition and install the pre-release of Windows 8.

My drive C is 906 GB total and it has around 55% (Surprisingly exactly 500GB) of free space.

I go into "Computer Management" and then go into the "Disk Management" under the "Storage" tab. I right click on "(C" and click on "Shrink Volume". After it finishes "Querying Volume for Available Shrink Space" it says the following

"Total size before shrink in MB: 928267 (906GB)
Size of available shrink space in MB: 16814 (17GB)
Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB: (Gives me box to type in)
Total size after shrink in MB: (Goes up and down with above box)
You cannot shrink a volume beyond the point where any unmovable files are located. See the "defrag" event in the Application log for detailed information about the operation when it has completed."

In the "Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB" box, it wont let me go over 16814 MB- About 17GB, even though I have EXACTLY 500GB free. If I can, how can I fix this?

Note: The first thing I did when I saw this was Defragment my harddrive. Nothing changed. The numbers were exactly the same.

Thanks for your help

The reason is that windows has placed files it considers unmovable near the end of the partition. Do as kactussoft recommends and use Partition Wizard. You may need to use the bootable version to accomplish what you need if the files are in use.

Bootable version not needed!! It does the task on reboot.

 

[kado897]

I want to shrink my Drive C by 100GB~ so I can create a new partition and install the pre-release of Windows 8.

My drive C is 906 GB total and it has around 55% (Surprisingly exactly 500GB) of free space.

I go into "Computer Management" and then go into the "Disk Management" under the "Storage" tab. I right click on "(C" and click on "Shrink Volume". After it finishes "Querying Volume for Available Shrink Space" it says the following

"Total size before shrink in MB: 928267 (906GB)
Size of available shrink space in MB: 16814 (17GB)
Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB: (Gives me box to type in)
Total size after shrink in MB: (Goes up and down with above box)
You cannot shrink a volume beyond the point where any unmovable files are located. See the "defrag" event in the Application log for detailed information about the operation when it has completed."

In the "Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB" box, it wont let me go over 16814 MB- About 17GB, even though I have EXACTLY 500GB free. If I can, how can I fix this?

Note: The first thing I did when I saw this was Defragment my harddrive. Nothing changed. The numbers were exactly the same.

Thanks for your help

The reason is that windows has placed files it considers unmovable near the end of the partition. Do as kactussoft recommends and use Partition Wizard. You may need to use the bootable version to accomplish what you need if the files are in use.

Bootable version not needed!! It does the task on reboot.

Ah thanks. That's good to know.

 

[DeaconFrost]

I want to shrink my Drive C by 100GB~ so I can create a new partition and install the pre-release of Windows 8.

Given your system specs...save yourself a lot of time and grief. Virtualize Windows 8.

I have scanned this site, all recommend partition wizard, not spamming??
against your own policy i think.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean. However, I can tell you, we recommend Partition Wizard because it's a great product and you can't beat the price (free).

 

[kado897]

I want to shrink my Drive C by 100GB~ so I can create a new partition and install the pre-release of Windows 8.

Given your system specs...save yourself a lot of time and grief. Virtualize Windows 8.

There are problems running Windows 8 RP in VirtualBox but they can be overcome and it runs well.

 

[gregrocker]

You most certainly want to use the Partition Wizard bootable CD.

All other disk managers besides Disk Management and PW CD can and will fail! PW installed version can also fail and has before when Users are not advised or ignore using the bootable CD.

Partition Wizard Move/Resize Partition Video Help.

 

[AddRAM]

Partition Wizard works perfectly. By the way, you will hate Windows 8. It`s not worth the effort.

 

[laungst]

Okay thanks everybody. I'm going to try the Partition Wizard/ Partition Wizard Bootable CD. But first I'm backing up my computer, I have not done it in a while and I don't want to lose anything. Ill post my results when everything's done.

 

[laungst]

Okay, I backed everything up and everything was moving nicely. I was about to "shrink" it. I just wanted to move one folder from the program files to my almost- filled external hard drive just to make sure it backed it up. When I did this, I noticed that my R: recovery drive (25GB~) was gone from the hard drive list.

Before this I had not done anything other than look through everything with the partition wizard. I didn't do any changes, I didn't have to wait for anything to be done, I didn't get any please wait message. I don't know what I could have done to make it disappear, but obviously it was because of messing with partitions. So I open up the Partition wizard, and right click on it and click make active or something along those lines. I then looked again and both drives were there with their correct letter.

I shut down my computer to go eat and do something with my family. I come back, press the power button and get the message: "Reboot and Select the proper Boot device or insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key.

I restarted and open boot BIOS like anyone would do. My hard drive was the first boot device in the list and I restored the default settings to be sure, saved, and exited. I rebooted and got the same message. I would insert the windows disc, but I'm afraid that it wouldn't open the correct drive anyway.



And to think that this all came from what should have been a very easy install of Windows 8 -_-

 

[gregrocker]

Why would you randomly mark a data drive Active "or something" as though these settings can be played around with without disastrous consequences? You have a thread open to those who would have told you with certainty that this is not an option. These actions are reckless.

Is the Win7 partition still marked Active? If not boot PW CD to mark it Active, then click on Disk # to highlight it, from Disk tab select Rebuild MBR, Apply.

If that fails to boot Win7 then boot the WIn7 DVD or System Repair Disk to run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

Then post back a camera snap of your full Disk Management or PW CD drive map and listings. Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums - Windows 7 Forums

 

[karlsnooks]

laungst,
How did you backup your system? that is, Win 7 backup and restore, Macrium, Paragon, Acronis or ????

 

[laungst]

Its working again. I used ASUS AI Recovery burner. I have most of my information backed up on my external harddrive, so I didn't lose too much. Right now, its at the stage where it brings me to my desktop, installs/does something, then restarts.

I guess this answers my original question too: Ill now be able to use windows partitioning software now that my HD is wiped clean.

And gregrocker: What I did wasn't random, Im not saying that it wasn't wreckless in any way, but it definitely was not random. A whole drive just disappeared and I wanted it back. And when I said "or something" it wasn't like I just clicked on anything, its just that I didn't remember what the EXACT words were. It was either Make Active, Activate Drive, or Make Drive Active. All implying the same thing.

 

[AddRAM]

Post a shot of disk management b4 you go any further.

 

[karlsnooks]

laungst,
For the record: I agree with GregRocker.

I also agree with AddRAM. We need following:

HOW TO POST A SNAPSHOT OF DISK MANAGEMENT DISPLAY
Run disk management:
WIN | type DISKMGMT.MSC | ENTER
This method gives you a display without the unneeded navigation pane.
WIN=key with Microsoft logo on top.

Maximize the output of Disk Management:
Maximize the output of Disk Management:
ALT-Spacebar key combo | X key (selects Maximize) |
Drag the field separators (such as between Status and Capacity) to show entire field.


Make a snapshot:
WIN | type SNIPPING | ENTER | New
Drag the cursor around the area you want to snip.
File | Save as | select save location and name | Save


Post the snapshot:
Post a File or Screenshot in Seven Forums

 

[laungst]

Here:

 

[AddRAM]

So what`s up with that 25 GB partition ? Is that where you want to install W8 ?
Did you create it ? Why is it to the left of C: ?

 

[laungst]

So what`s up with that 25 GB partition ? Is that where you want to install W8 ?
Did you create it ? Why is it to the left of C: ?

That was my recovery partition. It had Windows files and a few files I put on there. Thats what happened the first time, it wasnt under "computer" so I clicked make active... Then I couldnt reboot. Since the reinstall, I didnt do anything with partitions or drives. You see it as the reinstall put it after I messed it up.

 

[AddRAM]

#1 Did you create a Partition Wizard Bootable CD ?
#2 Did you read up on how to use it ? It`s very easy.