Issues w/ partitioning new hard drive

[numero_uno]

Hey guys, hopefully someone can help me out with this. I am trying to set up a new computer w/ a 2TB drive and Windows 7 and I wanted to set up a small partition for the OS. I am so far only able to cut the size of the drive in roughly half (so now I have 2 partitions not counting the 2 additional partitions the factory had setup - one of which is a backup and the other I don't know anything about). Anyway, I was able to determine that there were unmoveable files preventing me from making my C: drive any smaller. So after much googling I was able to move the paging file to the new partition I created (I called it the R: drive) and I know this will lead to slower performance but it was only meant to be temporary until I could get the C: drive down to a smaller size, at which time I was going to move the paging file back to the C: drive. So after the paging file move I also believe I deleted all the shadow copies from the C: drive and then attempted to defrag and then shrink the C: but it is still not letting me do it because of unmoveable files. So I go into the event logger and locate the 259 errors and find temporary internet files listed as unmoveable (I deleted those) and also the following:

************************************************** ************************************************** **************************************************
A volume shrink analysis was initiated on volume OS (C. This event log entry details information about the last unmovable file that could limit the maximum number of reclaimable bytes.

Diagnostic details:
- The last unmovable file appears to be: \Program Files (x86)\Dell DataSafe Local Backup\Components\Scheduler\STSERVICE.EXE.20120611 230012_1.log::$DATA
- The last cluster of the file is: 0xe8c6272
- Shrink potential target (LCN address): 0x68488b
- The NTFS file flags are: ----D
- Shrink phase: <analysis>

To find more details about this file please use the "fsutil volume querycluster \\?\Volume{7d4af045-b0c3-11e1-8657-806e6f6e6963} 0xe8c6272" command.
************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** *

I have no idea what to do about that or why there would even be any backups there. I am thinking about just uninstalling the program, because when I went into it and tried to delete all the backups it asked me to subscribe and I'm not paying for something I don't even know how to use.

I am pretty close to just giving up and going back to using the C: drive for the OS and everything else, even though I am not crazy about that idea. I did really want to have the option to wipe the C: drive and reinstall windows when the porn viruses overrun my new computer. I guess I could also just make my new R: drive the small drive I wanted and then move the OS over there but I would honestly have no idea how to even go about doing that (although I could go to google on that if you guys think a novice could handle it).

Thoughts?

Any input would be much appreciated. I really don't know what I'm doing. I am just good at googling and pretending to know what I'm doing. So far I haven't messed anything up and I do want to keep it that way.

Thanks for reading this mess of a post.

[Scabtree]

I would try to create a boot disk containing partitioning software; for example Hiren boot cd has Partition magic; and with that you should be able to create/resize an NTFS partition. You can download the boot disk from here: http://www.demonoid.me/files/details/2939957/5151657/

Just be sure to backup everything before changing partitions around; and you should be good to go.

If you have any troubles just let me know and I would be glad to help

[Gymrat45]

Just install a partition manager and create or change whatever you want.

Do a search for "Minitool Partition Wizard"

[Bryan2]

scabtree has the best advice. You need to do it outside of windows.

Acronis disk director is a great program for this as well.

Download one of these programs, burnt to disc and boot to it. you won't have any issues outside of windows...

[numero_uno]

Hey guys, thanks for the advice. After messing around with this for so many hours last night, I just decided to quit messing around with it today and to use the factory set up. Unfortunately, when I went to undo what I did last night, it wouldn't let me increase the size of the C: drive to fill in the unallocated space created when I deleted the R: partition. Ultimately, I downloaded "GParted" and ran it from a boot disk. I was then able to resize the C: drive to the full volume of the disk. Seems to be working fine now. Hopefully I didn't screw anything up.

So, all told, I have lost at least 6 hours of my time and at best I accomplished absolutely nothing. That will teach me to mess around with stuff I don't understand.

[Bio-Active]

I use a live cd called gparted. Its a free linux distro kind of. You get get it at distrowatch.com