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I have some 34GB of unused space on my Windows 7 system. However, when I try to create a new volume to use this space I get this error message:

There is not enough space available on the disk(s) to complete this operation.

I think this has something to do with an old Ubuntu I had dual-booting on my system.

Any ideas on how to get this space available? I'd like to use it and install Ubuntu dual-boot again.

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Does it matter what size the volume is? Have you tried doing a 33GB volume as an example? – Everett Jul 23 '12 at 21:55
Try Gparted on a Ubuntu Live Disk. But if you are comfortable using command line, I would advice using cfdisk or fdisk to remap your partitions. – darnir Jul 24 '12 at 4:20

2 Answers

up vote 4 down vote

Windows have troubles with partition ordering.
Your last partition is an extended one (thus it can contain several partitions).

A Windows disk can have:
- 0 to 4 primary partitions
- 0 to 1 extended partition (1 extended only if 0 to 3 primary)
- the extended partition can contain 0 to 63 partitions

They are 4 partitions slots into the boot sector.
The primary partitions have to be the first ones (this is a limitation for Microsoft products only). Then comes the extended partition.

Seems your Windows used slot 1 and 2 for your first partitions (both primary) and slot 3 to store your extended partition's informations. So slot 4 is empty. So you cant have another primary partition because its slot has to be before the extended on.

You can try with a live Linux CD. Most of then include a graphical partitionning utility. And I never had any issue with them.
With a little chance this utility will remap the slots correctly.
Else you have to use some command line tool. Read manual, etc.

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technically, there can be 4 primary partitions in case you don't want an extended partition – tumchaaditya Jul 24 '12 at 8:33
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I edited to correct the error pointed by tumchaaditya. – Gregory MOUSSAT Jul 25 '12 at 9:57
up vote 1 down vote

It looks like thats an old partition their , that you'd have to delete first , then recreate a new partition . But i'd say to use a live usb stick, boot into the live Ubuntu installer, and then use gparted . For a few reasons, first its never wise to work on a hard drive( as it changing partitions around , while its mounted/ in used . ) , second Gparted does a MUCH better job at recognizing partitions then windows disk management ( g parted can at least see about every filesystem know to man . )

But ...BACK UP YOUR DATA FIRST , BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING to your hard drive

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