Are there any other ways?
I'm currently using Ubuntu and VMware Workstation 6.5 for linux. I would like to reduce the size of a virtual disk that's used for Windows XP, not only the logic size of the virtual disk but also it's phisical files, since I created the Virtual Disk to use all it's designed space since its creation.
The only things that comes to my mind is use a thrid party backup software inside the guest OS which would create a bootable disk and backup also the MBR and sector 0 of the virtual drive. This software would output a file through the virtual network to the Host OS. Then I would just delete the VM and create a new one with a virtual disk big enough to hold all the resotoration of the VM. I would boot the VM with a disc or an ISO created by the third party software. The third party software is also capable to resize and write all files to the new virtual disk when restoring.
I have done that before and it works, but it takes its time and free disk space on the Host OS or other machine on the network. Is there an easier way or other alternatives?
I wonder if it's possible to resize the partition on the Virtual Disk either by an external tool or with a third party software inside the Guest OS (latter one possible) and then any other VMware tool that can detect unused partitions inside the virtual disk and its resizing.
