Very Low Free Disc Space.

[jontye]

Whoops forgot about the driver, I didn't install the driver at the time of the popup message, so how do I go about doing that now. Jontye

[Plastic Nev]

If everything is working OK, it may have installed the driver anyway so possibly no need to worry about it. If it pops up the message next time you reboot, allow it then.

Best to run the sfc /scannow before expanding the partition, just on the very rare chance it didn't fully install, it would be back to square one if having to do it all again after doing the partition.

I did edit that post as I gave the wrong set of letters to put in the search bar, it should be CMD, not sfc.

 

Nev.

[jontye]

Nev, I've run the sfc /scannow and this is the result.

Jontye.

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]

Copyright © 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.

Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of th

em.

Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example

C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log

C:\Windows\system32>

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, and drat, however lets not panic just yet, sometimes SFC can correct faults the second or third time when run again. I know it takes a bit of time of course but run the SFC three or four more times, or until it reports all is OK. If after four times it still reports files it cannot repair let us know please.

 

Nev.

[jontye]

You are correct again Nev, result of second scan below.

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]

Copyright © 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.

Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

C:\Windows\system32>

[jontye]

I've now downloaded and installed EaseUs Partition Master and ready for the next step.

Jonyte.

[Plastic Nev]

OK John, that is great, we can look at the partitions next and I am just waiting now for Ken to come back and get in touch.

 

However, although never having used the Windows own partition manager myself I have found a full tutorial on the How To Geeks here ;_

 

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/resize-a-partition-for-free-in-windows-vista/

 

Any problems with that let us know

 

Nev..

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, just realised you posted as I was writing my last that you had installed the EaseUS, with you being short of room I was reluctant to ask you to take up more by installing it.

However have a read of that Howtogeek page first and see if you can follow it OK, if not let us know and I will help you with the EaseUS Partition Manager.

 

Nev.

[KenB]

Hi jontye

 

I am back on line. :)

 

Vista should be able to do what you want without using Easeus.

The link Nev provided explains quite well.

 

Please ask if you need more information.

[jontye]

I've read the HowtoGeek page and I'm unsure which box to action, the disc management page shows me as having three disc's. 1)showing as Primary, but no name with 5.73gb free, 2) Primary Vista C with 31.98gb ntfs free, 3) Unallocated with 894.25 gb free.

I downloaded the EaseUs, because after the cloneing I had by some miracle 2.25gb of free space, so I can try either system to do the partition.

Jontye.

[KenB]

Hi jontye

 

Can you let me know exactly what you wish to do with your partitions please.

I can then better advise you .

 

I am guessing that you want the 894Gb to be allocated a drive letter and accessible ?

[jontye]

Hi Ken, Yes I would like to make full use of the new hard drive I installed, so I presume extending the partitions is what I have to do, to make use of the 894gb that is not allocated at the moment. I didn't want to go ahead and guess what action to take and mess up the whole procedure. Regards Jontye.

[KenB]

Hi jontye

 

Let's do one thing at a time.

( I think 31.98Gb is too small for your C: drive - we will deal with this later )

 

Do the following please:

 

Start > type in ....diskmgmt.msc ...ENTER

Right click on the unallocated space > click on "New Simple Volume" > the New Volume Wizard will pop up.

Use the defaults offered and click Next in each case.

 

You will be offered a drive letter.

Make sure that this does not clash with anything else on your system.

You can select a letter of your choice in the process.

 

Also check that the File System is NTFS - ( this should be the default )

 

The process should complete showing the new drive letter in the partition and confirming that the File System is NTFS.

 

This should now show up in "Computer" as a drive with the allocated drive letter :)

 

============

Although it doesn't look it .... I am on-line .....so as soon as you post your reply I will answer :)

 

============

[jontye]

Wow, that took a long time to format, 3hrs 25m. Both the new drive(D) and the C drive show as NTFS, so, how do I make the new drive D the default drive.

One more question, if you don't mind,how do I clean the old HardDisk (the one removed from the laptop) to use as an external usb disk.

Thank you both very much for your help.

Regards Jontye.

[KenB]

the new drive(D) and the C drive show as NTFS, so, how do I make the new drive D the default drive.

 

C: is the "default" drive - this is the partition with the Windows Operating System on it.

 

The new drive D: - - - - this is confusing me.

Do you have a CD DVD Drive ? This is usually D:

 

It took a long time to format as the drive is so big - I would have expected it to be a bit quicker than it was though :)

 

Does the new partition show up in Computer ?

What are ALL of the drive letters there ?

We now need to divide the new partition into 2 then make the C: partition bigger by expanding it into one of the 2 newly created partitions.

 

Please do not save anything to the new big partition yet.

 

===============

,

how do I clean the old HardDisk (the one removed from the laptop) to use as an external usb disk.

 

You need to get a USB enclosure for it and connect it to a computer.

The hard drive and enclosure can then be accessed like a memory stick.

You can format it from here.

 

Laptop drives are 2.5 inches

Desktop drives are 3.5 inches.

 

You need to know if the drive is SATA or IDE. ( IDE is old now )

take a look here - click here

 

I have a E-System ei 3102 laptop with a 40gb s-ata HDD hard drive.

If this is the case then you need a 2.5 inch SATA to USB enclosure.

 

examples - click here

 

Check the reviews and also check that what you are looking at is the spec that you actually need .....i.e. 2.5 inch SATA

[jontye]

Hi Ken, I do have a cd/dvd drive on the computer page which is listed as E:,

The new drive/partition shows up in Computer and is lettered D:

I already have an enclosure which I bought to clone the new disc drive, it's 2.5" for my laptop.

The old disc drive is SATA.

So now I need instruction on how to divide the new partition and expand the C: drive partition.

Then wipe clean the old disc drive using the enclosure.

Jontye. :confused:

[KenB]

Hi again

 

I am assuming that you DO want a separate partition to save backups / photos / files etc to ??

Your new hard drive is big enough to do this.

 

Go back to disk management ( diskmgmt.msc )

Right click on the big partition ( D: ) > shrink volume ( you should see something like this below )

 

http://www.techotopia.com/images/f/f2/Windows_server_2008_shrink_volume.jpg

 

[ This is a very small drive - yours will be MUCH bigger numbers ]

 

There will be a number in "Size of Available Shrink Space" - I suggest that we create 2 nearly equal partitions

Half this number.

Where is says "Enter the amount of Shrink in Mb" put this number there.

 

Total size after shrink and the amount to shrink should be something like the same - this is not particularly important :)

 

Click on "Shrink"

 

The new partition will be created and you will need to go through the process of creating a New Simple Volume again.

Again you want NTFS.

 

you should then see something like this ( obviously not exactly )

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1173.vB5-legacyid=2135[/ATTACH]

 

Let me know what yours says now - C: GB NTFS / D: GB NTFS / F: GB NTFS

[jontye]

Hi, My drives now show, C: 31.98 GB NTFS / D: 670.62 GB NTFS / F: 223.63 GB NTFS, all showing in 'Computer' page.

[KenB]

I was expecting D: and F: to be nearer to equal - but this is OK. It means that when we finish C: will be the big partition ( which is probably what you want )

 

We need to take a step backwards now.

 

Go back to Disk Management and right click on the D: 670 GB partition > Delete the Volume

You will get a warning pop up - this is OK

 

Then right click on the "Free Space" that has been created > Delete Partition.

 

You should end up with "670 GB Unallocated"

 

Then right click on the C: 31.98 partition > Extend Volume

The Wizard pops up > click Next

 

You will see something like this:

http://apcmag.com/images/apcapc/howto/dualboot_vista_xp_vista_first/media_1221370103965.jpg

 

The numbers will be different but will show you the MAXIMUM that you can extend the disk size by.

Do not alter this simply accept it and click Next.

Click on "Finish" to complete the process.

 

It is going to take a time again as the size of the partition that you are extending into is so big.

 

When you have finished you should be seeing about 700 GB in C: and 223 GB in F:

 

You can use F: just like you would a memory stick and backup photos etc there.

 

[ Thinking about it ..... we could have done this a little differently at the start and saved a bit of time ..... not to worry ....we got there in the end :) )

 

===========

I haven't forgotten about formatting the old drive - we will do this next :)

[Plastic Nev]

Can I just pop in and say it may be best to leave formatting the old drive until you are absolutely sure all is well with the new drive, fully functioning and no problems.

That way you will still have it available should there be any problem found later. Such things as Windows updates not working correctly, E Mail programs not receiving mail etc. Hopefully none of that but best to be safe.

I only say this because the sfc /scannow did at first find a problem, hopefully cured, but if there is a problem found later the right file to correct it will still be on the old drive.

 

Nev.

[KenB]

Good point Nev ..........proving yet again that 2 heads are better than one :)

[jontye]

Ken, Everything completed, the 'extend volume' section completed almost instantly, is that right as you said in the instruction that it would take some time to finish.

Showing on Computer page, Vista C: 672 GB , / New Volume F: 223 GB, both NTFS. So it looks as if it worked ok.

I read the note from Nev regarding the old drive, I will do as he suggests.

Once again thanks to you both.

Regards Jontye.

[KenB]

is that right as you said in the instruction that it would take some time

I thought it would - however if it is showing up OK and working then nothing to worry about.

 

You treat the F: drive exactly as you would a memory stick.

So you can drag and drop files into it.

You can save files etc. directly to it.

Use it to back-up your data.

 

Once again thanks to you both.

You are very welcome.

Glad it worked out for you :)

 

Just a final note:

Keep an eye on the disk space on C:

If you have 600GB free say - you should still have 600 GB free if you don't add anything to it.

It should not get less.

 

I say this as I think you originally suggested that disk space was being eaten up on a daily basis.

[Plastic Nev]

Good to see it has all worked out OK for you, give things a few days and see how it goes, and if any problems let us know.

 

Once again thanks to you both.

.

 

As Ken said, you are very welcome.

 

Just glad to have helped.

 

Nev.

[jontye]

Hi I'm back again, I hope I didn't speak to soon ....... Just tried to download and install 'Microsoft Money Plus' programme, pop message saying 'AUTORUN.INF file is missing or corrupt ' , how do I fix this ?

Jontye