XP on Vista Dual Boot Problem - not enough space available on the disk(s)

by **ozdagli** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 9:55 am

First of all, thanks a lot for opening such a useful topic - Install Windows XP in a Dual Boot with Pre-installed Windows Vista. I need your help with the dual-booting issue. I follow exactly the same steps that are mentioned here. However, when I want to create a "New Simple Volume" at the last step when I click "Finish" I get the following error:

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

I have shrunk the original volume to the default numbers. I cannot make the unallocated space any larger.

I have a 120GB of HD space which is eventually partitioned as:

55MB Healthy (EISA configuration)

10.00 GB NFTS Healthy (Primary Partition)

54.79 GB NFTS Healthy (System, Boot, Page File,...)

44.95 GB (Unallocated)

2.00 GB Healthy (Primary Partition)

The list before partitioning is the same except that the unallocated space.

I do not know what is going wrong. :confused

However, I know that there are people who managed dual boot with HDs of smaller sizes. (See also the XP-Vista Dual boot topic for a proof.)

Your help is much appreciated. :dontgetit

Here is the images from the Computer Manager

by **Grav!ty** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:24 am

Hi ozdagli and welcome to PROnetworks. I must say I can't figure why you are not able to create a partition from the unallocated space other than that perhaps you have too many partitions on that drive already.

Please post a screenshot of your Disk Management using a hosting site like www.imageshack.us for us to get a better idea of what is going on there.

Have you tried rebooting and then trying again?

by **ozdagli** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:00 am

Grav!ty wrote:Please post a screenshot of your Disk Management using a hosting site like www.imageshack.us for us to get a better idea of what is going on there.

Have you tried rebooting and then trying again?

I have posted the images in the original post. Rebooting does not help. It is true that I might have a lot of partitions but all of them, except the unallocated one, came with the system. I have Dell E1505 with Vista preloaded.

Still looking for help! Thanks a lot!!! :roleeyes

by **Grav!ty** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:40 am

You're at your maximum with four Primary partitions. I'd suggest you create a logical drive within an extended partition (XP will install fine on it), or delete the 2GB Primary partition.

by **ozdagli** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 12:05 pm

Grav!ty wrote:You're at your maximum with four Primary partitions. I'd suggest you create a logical drive within an extended partition (XP will install fine on it), or delete the 2GB Primary partition.

3 issues?

1-How do I create a logical drive?

2- I have also checked the definition of logical drive in Microsof Help. It says, "A volume created within an extended partition on a basic disk. A logical drive can be formatted and assigned a drive letter, but cannot host an operating system." Don't you think that this will keep me from installing XP and dual booting?

3- I do not know what the 2 GB partition is for. The idea that I might loose something after erasing it scares me... :-?

THANKS!

by **yeshuas** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 12:16 pm

ozdagli wrote:
Grav!ty wrote:You're at your maximum with four Primary partitions. I'd suggest you create a logical drive within an extended partition (XP will install fine on it), or delete the 2GB Primary partition.

3 issues?

1-How do I create a logical drive?

2- I have also checked the definition of logical drive in Microsof Help. It says, "A volume created within an extended partition on a basic disk. A logical drive can be formatted and assigned a drive letter, but cannot host an operating system." Don't you think that this will keep me from installing XP and dual booting?

3- I do not know what the 2 GB partition is for. The idea that I might loose something after erasing it scares me...

THANKS!

You aren't 100% correct in your description. The bootloader in the standard MBR won't work but with a boot manager you can boot a OS from a logical volume.

by **Grav!ty** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 12:48 pm

I've installed OS's of all shapes and sizes including Windows XP on logical drives within an extended partition for years without a problem and without having to use any special boot manager.

According to your screenshot there is no data on the 2 GB partition - it's marked as having 100% free space.

by **ozdagli** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 1:05 pm

Grav!ty wrote:I've installed OS's of all shapes and sizes including Windows XP on logical drives within an extended partition for years without a problem and without having to use any special boot manager.

According to your screenshot there is no data on the 2 GB partition - it's marked as having 100% free space.

Logical drives seem to be a good solution. How do I create extended partitions and logical drives? I am using Vista Home Premium.

Thanks a lot! :yesnod:

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