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How to shrink a partition with unmovable files in Windows 7

http://www.brandonchecketts.com/archives/how-to-shrink-a-partition-with-unmovable-files-in-windows-7

Says that the way to do it: 1- Disable System Restore (Right click on Computer => Properties => System Protection => System Restore) 2- Disable Virtual Memory (Right click on Comptuer => Properties => Advanced System Settings => Performance (Settings) => Advanced Tab => Virtual Memory (Change) => No Paging File => Set. 3- Run Disk Cleanup to get rid of Thumbnails, Temporary Internet Files, and a bunch of other files that it makes no sense why they are immovable. 4- Restart the computer to have #1 and #2 take effect

Try to shrink the volume again. If it still is unreasonably large, you will then have to look at Event Viewer to find which file is at the boundary. 1- Right click on Computer => Manage => Event Viewer => Windows Logs => Application. 2- Click on Filter Current Log, and put ’259′ for the Event ID 3- Click on the latest event and look through the detail to find the problematic file. You can then attempt to delete that file (or set of files) manually. You may have to restart into safe mode to delete some files

It took me about 5 loops of doing the above before I was finally able to shrink my volume to the size that I wanted. After successful, you can then re-enable the features that you want (namely System Restore and Virtual Memory)

The problem is the file that's problematic for me is:
\System Volume Information\{4ebf1c32-6152-11e2-95c2-1078d23b5db1}{3808876b-c176-4e48-b7ae-04046e6cc752}::$DATA
 - The last cluster of the file is: 0x1dc204a
 - Shrink potential target (LCN address): 0x1604d70
 - The NTFS file flags are: ---AD
 - Shrink phase: <analysis>

I think it's too complicated. Not to mention that system volume information is a prety important file.

My plan is to do defragment before boot.

Will that help?

Can i do that?

1 Answer 1

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Defraggler has an option to move all data to the beginning of a partition. But you have to boot it from a live media (eg. Hiren's Boot CD, works also from USB).

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    defraggler do not have an option to create bootable CD Feb 28, 2013 at 2:13
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    there is a boot time defrag but it doesn't fix the issue. Feb 28, 2013 at 2:14
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    You need a 3rd-party CD with Defraggler on it, like the Hiren's Boot CD I mentioned. Boot Mini XP from HBCD, then in launcher choose Optimizers -> Defraggler and from menu select Action -> Advanced -> Defrag freespace.
    – gronostaj
    Feb 28, 2013 at 9:13

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