1 (edited by marsgorski 2011-07-18 03:34:46)

Topic: [SOLVED] Problem resizing NTFS partition

Hi,

I used a live CD to repartition my NTFS partition to make room for an Ubuntu installation. I get the following error when Applying the modification:

GParted 0.8.1

Libparted 2.3

Shrink /dev/sda2 from 70.09 GiB to 52.86 GiB  00:00:15    ( ERROR )
        
calibrate /dev/sda2  00:00:00    ( SUCCESS )
        
path: /dev/sda2
start: 9359280
end: 156340799
size: 146981520 (70.09 GiB)
check file system on /dev/sda2 for errors and (if possible) fix them  00:00:07    ( SUCCESS )
        
ntfsresize -P -i -f -v /dev/sda2
        
ntfsresize v2.0.0 (libntfs 10:0:0)
Device name : /dev/sda2
NTFS volume version: 3.1
Cluster size : 4096 bytes
Current volume size: 75254534656 bytes (75255 MB)
Current device size: 75254538240 bytes (75255 MB)
Checking for bad sectors ...
Checking filesystem consistency ...
Accounting clusters ...
Space in use : 42126 MB (56.0%)
Collecting resizing constraints ...
Estimating smallest shrunken size supported ...
File feature Last used at By inode
$MFT : 50640 MB 0
Multi-Record : 71332 MB 85990
$MFTMirr : 37628 MB 1
Compressed : 71318 MB 86388
Ordinary : 70768 MB 87686
You might resize at 42125266944 bytes or 42126 MB (freeing 33129 MB).
Please make a test run using both the -n and -s options before real resizing!
shrink file system  00:00:05    ( ERROR )
        
run simulation  00:00:05    ( ERROR )
        
ntfsresize -P --force /dev/sda2 -s 56753168383 --no-action
        
ntfsresize v2.0.0 (libntfs 10:0:0)
Device name : /dev/sda2
NTFS volume version: 3.1
Cluster size : 4096 bytes
Current volume size: 75254534656 bytes (75255 MB)
Current device size: 75254538240 bytes (75255 MB)
New volume size : 56753160704 bytes (56754 MB)
Checking filesystem consistency ...
Accounting clusters ...
Space in use : 42126 MB (56.0%)
Collecting resizing constraints ...
Needed relocations : 4393 (18 MB)
Schedule chkdsk for NTFS consistency check at Windows boot time ...
Resetting $LogFile ... (this might take a while)
Relocating needed data ...
ERROR: Extended record needed (1088 > 1024), not yet supported!
Please try to free less space.
check file system on /dev/sda2 for errors and (if possible) fix them  00:00:03    ( SUCCESS )
        
ntfsresize -P -i -f -v /dev/sda2
        
ntfsresize v2.0.0 (libntfs 10:0:0)
Device name : /dev/sda2
NTFS volume version: 3.1
Cluster size : 4096 bytes
Current volume size: 75254534656 bytes (75255 MB)
Current device size: 75254538240 bytes (75255 MB)
Checking for bad sectors ...
Checking filesystem consistency ...
Accounting clusters ...
Space in use : 42126 MB (56.0%)
Collecting resizing constraints ...
Estimating smallest shrunken size supported ...
File feature Last used at By inode
$MFT : 50640 MB 0
Multi-Record : 71332 MB 85990
$MFTMirr : 37628 MB 1
Compressed : 71318 MB 86388
Ordinary : 70768 MB 87686
You might resize at 42125266944 bytes or 42126 MB (freeing 33129 MB).
Please make a test run using both the -n and -s options before real resizing!
grow file system to fill the partition  00:00:00    ( SUCCESS )
        
run simulation  00:00:00    ( SUCCESS )
        
ntfsresize -P --force /dev/sda2 --no-action
        
ntfsresize v2.0.0 (libntfs 10:0:0)
Device name : /dev/sda2
NTFS volume version: 3.1
Cluster size : 4096 bytes
Current volume size: 75254534656 bytes (75255 MB)
Current device size: 75254538240 bytes (75255 MB)
New volume size : 75254534656 bytes (75255 MB)
Nothing to do: NTFS volume size is already OK.
real resize    ( ERROR )
        
ntfsresize -P --force /dev/sda2
        
ntfsresize v2.0.0 (libntfs 10:0:0)
Device name : /dev/sda2
NTFS volume version: 3.1
Cluster size : 4096 bytes
Current volume size: 75254534656 bytes (75255 MB)
Current device size: 75254538240 bytes (75255 MB)
New volume size : 75254534656 bytes (75255 MB)
Nothing to do: NTFS volume size is already OK.

I appreciate all the help!

2

Re: [SOLVED] Problem resizing NTFS partition

You might try the tips listed on the FAQ page to improve your ability to resize NTFS file systems.

3

Re: [SOLVED] Problem resizing NTFS partition

gedakc wrote:

You might try the tips listed on the FAQ page to improve your ability to resize NTFS file systems.

Thanks. The only useful advice I found (here) is to delete some entries from the registry key, but that did not make a difference. The instructions there are unclear though. Any other ideas?

4

Re: [SOLVED] Problem resizing NTFS partition

Did you defragment the file system?
Did you move huge files to a different partition?

5

Re: [SOLVED] Problem resizing NTFS partition

Yes, the first thing I did was to defragment the disk. I did not move any files around since I don't have any files larger than 50MB in this machine. I do feel like the Windows defragmenter didn't do a good job (I tried to attach a screenshot but didn't figure out how.) Should I try to defragment a second time or try a different defragger (if so, which one)?

6

Re: [SOLVED] Problem resizing NTFS partition

You could try to defragment another time.  Another suggestion is to try shrinking the partition by a smaller amount.  Then if this works try shrinking it a little bit more.

As always I highly recommend that you have a backup of your data before editing partitions just in case something goes wrong (i.e., software bug, hardware failure, power outage).

7

Re: [SOLVED] Problem resizing NTFS partition

Thanks. I was finally able to shrink the partition. I used the windows defragger a second time in safe mode but didn't do it. I then used CCleaner to clean up the disk a little and used Smart Defrag to defrag the disc a third time. I also shrunk the partition by a smaller amount like you suggested and tried GParted again and it finally worked. Thanks.

8

Re: [SOLVED] Problem resizing NTFS partition

'Glad to hear you were successful with you task.   smile

To help others you can mark the post as solved by editing your initial post and prefixing SOLVED in front of the title.