M1530 Shrink HDD

Hi
I found this link for instaling XP with vista first :

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_...talled_first__the_stepbystep_guide.htm?page=1

but at the first page I choose the first disk and appropriate volume but
when I executed shrink the error apeared and said you couldn't shrink your HDD.
Does anybody know about how could I solve it ?

Thanks

 

Try going into vista, start-> right click on my computer and click manage->goto disc management-> right click on the drive you want to shrink, decide how much you want to shrink it by and let vista shrink it. Then format the unallocated space and ur done , worked on my acer so should work for you

 

One problem though is that Vista only allows 4 partitions per drive. The 1530 already has 4, or at least mine did. (System partition, recovery partition, media direct, and another small partition that probably has the diagnostic tools.) So while I was able to shrink the C partition, it errors out trying create a new partition out of the free space.

I've long since blown mine away and started over, but for a guy with a stock 1530, the shrink/create option might not work.

 

Yup... you'll need to delete (at least) one of the four partitions, before you can change partition sizes, or add a new partition.

If you're happy about installing the OS yourself, the 'Recovery' partition is the one which usually gets the heave-ho first

 

Again, it's not Vista's fault really. It's a limitation of the MBR partition table. There is a way to circumvent this by having 3 primary partitions, an extended partition, and then logical partitions as part of that extended partition. A quick google search will explain this.

 

And this choice work well. THe recovery partition is only 6.8G in size. it will burn nicely to a Dual Layer DVD. Once you have burned it, you have it on DVD if you ever need it. Factory Image and everything. Then you can remove the Recovery partition without actually losing anything.