Vista partition locked

I got an HP notebook with Vista pre-installed. The HDD is full and basically contains a Vista partition (which is 95% empty) and another partition containing HP utilities.

I tried to decrease the size of the Vista partition using Acronis Disk Director in order to get space to install a dual bootable XP. Nothing happens. DD does not even show the ribbon representing the space occupied by the partition on the disk.

I tried to split the partition. I get an Acronis error message telling me the operation is not possible.

When I try to copy the partition to a USB disk, Acronis lets me select the Vista partition and the free space on the target disk but the NEXT button remaims grayed out.

On the other hand, I can carry out any DD operation with the HP partition.

Is this a lock-out by Vista or by HP?

 

Have you got the Vista disc ?
If you have do it from the Vista disc- it's a breeze.
Some partitioning software will not work with Vista.
If you have not got a Vista disc, try this....
Right click My Computer, click manage, click disc management.
Vista should give you an option to strink the C: drive - choose strink, and resize as you wish.
Incidently, I found it very difficult to install XP, after Vista is installed- come back here if you have difficulties, but I suggest you might have to use Vista boot pro (majorgeeks downloads)

 

Anyone interested in this, look here

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931760

 

No DVD. I only created a Restore Copy on DVD under the control of an HP Utility.

I managed to shrink the Vista partition with Disk Management up to a point. I have to investigate on why there's such a waste.

I'll try Acronis again and come back to you.

Apparently VistaBootPro is sufficient to get XP to run in dual boot mode, once it is fully installed.

 

Problem solved. After a chkdsk on the Vista partition, everything worked fine. Vista is crap and I'll now be able to install XP or w2k-sp4 in dual boot mode.

Thank you for your help.

 

How did installing XP, OR w2k go?
I am interested to see if Vista allowed it, without any of Microsofts workaround.