My First VM
I was able to create a clone copy of my laptop. There were off course some bumps along the way, but it was successful. I am unhappy with how my computer is setup but it is not because of something VM did. The computer has a hard drive of 250 GB. This is just way to big for my desire simple OS. However with they way Gateway/Windows has the preconfigured OS I couldn't change the partition to my satisfaction.
The Hard Drive Partition Problem
Gateways restore DVDs for this computer does not allow a customized install of Vista. Gateway's management systems doesn't allow for any way to have partition the stocked hardware computer. I could buy a new laptop hard drive and be able to get the resources to install the OS. However, the hard drive is 250 GB which is already on the large end of reasonably priced laptop hard drives. So with this line of thought ended, I return to maximizing the shrink function on the Vista Home Premium that was already install.
Total size before shrink in MB: 228233
Size of available shrink space in Mb: 100848
Used Space 20GB
My Solution
I started the process by deleting trial software and software I wouldn't need. I then used the stock Windows clean up tools to delete other temporary files. This got me down to 14 GB used and up to 101.7 GB of shrink space.
I next deleted Automatic Restore Points function with in the System Properties. Vista automatically sets aside a certain about of free space for this function. Now we are at 14 GB used and up to 110.7 GB of shrink space.
Next I used a trial version of Perfect Disk 2008 to defrag the hard drive. I chose this because the stock and most freeware defrag programs do not have the capability to move the Master File Table (MFT) and other system files that are normally locked when Windows is operating. Perfect Disk fixes these problems before Windows is booted. The following link was used to get through some of the sticking points: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/working-around-windows-vistas-shrink-volume-inadequacy-problems/. 13 GB used and and up to 112.3 GB of shrink space. However I think I did not properly delete the pagefile.sys file from the hard drive.
As I expected I didn't successfully handle the pagefile.sys file. Instead I used the more simplified protocol on this blog http://requiem4adream.wordpress.com/2007/02/01/pagefilesys-how-to-safely-delete-pagefilesys-or-use-it-on-windows-xp/. I then did the Consolidate Free Space defrag option with PerfectDisk again. 13 GB used and up to 113.9 GB of shrink space.
I still have same metadata stick out at the 114 GB position. I decided to take the shrink option. I know I have not made the progress I wanted but I'm thinking that the Metadata is setup as fraction of partition size. By shrinking it and then doing a boot-time defrag I may be able to move it.
As I expected, the remaining Metadata was moved based on disk size partition. I used the shrink function again I am still at around 13 GB used but up to 166.9 GB of new partition.
Repeated the boot-time defrag and shrink volume. I'm still at 12.8 GB used, but my C: is at 28.1 GB and my new unallocated drive space is at 194.77 GB.
Now is when I got to be the impatient Noob that I am. I repeated the boot-time defrag. I noticed that the Metadata was moved to about half way in the disk partition. That was fine on the other attempts. However on this cycle that the attempt to move the metadata to the halfway point was on top of existing OS data. The defrag looked like it stalled. I cancelled out because of my impatience. I analyzed the partition with PerfectDisk and saw a whole bunch of fragmented files. I attempted a defrag but it was stalling on the the pagefile.sys file. Again impatiently I stopped the defrag. I returned to the boot-time defrag and let it go. It really didn't take that long just a few minutes longer than before.
I decide that this was enough work for now on creating a slinder, manageable primary partition. I ended up with a my 250GB hard drive with a 10.00 GB partition for factory recovery, a 28.11 GB partition for my primary C: OS drive, and a 197.77 GB partition that I formatted as my D: drive with NFTS file system.
Bottom Line
The biggest problem with this disk shrink was with moving the metadata and MTF. These files can not be moved while Windows is running. A better disk management system is needed to move these files before booting. Perfect Disk 2K does this satisfactorily and at $30 dollars for the professional liscense probably worth it (I didn't purchase it because 1) Broke college student as stated in previous post and 2) I'm currently a month behind in rent). Richard Urban commented on this post http://forums.techarena.in/vista-help/1036249.htm that he used Acronis Disk Director when he was trying to shrink his hard drive. I'm assuming that the pattern I saw of the metadata being moved halfway in the partition was how Perfect Disk 2K was set up and Acronis Disk Director would have just moved it to where the user wanted.
Alternatives
I wish I could have just partitioned the drive with a fresh install of Vista. However, I could have installed a copy of XP or a Linus Distro as my host OS. I was timid to so because of driver support for my new laptop. That is why we use VMs in the first place. Also, a different disk manager such as Acronis Disk Director could possibly been used. I just don't know.
I hope that this post can help some people with the shrinking of their hard drive and eliminate some of the frustration people have with the current Windows/OEM strangle hold on OS installs.
Any questions, comments, recommendations for next time?
I think it's time for a beer. Cheers!
