DDS doesn't recognise free space!!

I want to create a new, small partition where I could put the files I want to keep, so I can install Vista on my C.

When I open Acronis, there's no problem yet. It displays the correct info about my current C, wich is 107Gb and around 60Gb free space.
But then, I try to split it, it says the operation cannot be performed

E000A0456: Unable to split the partition.

Cannot change the partition's size or create a new partition on the disk.

When I try to create a new partition, selecting the option to use free space of an existing partition, I get the screen where I have to select the drive from wich to use the free space. But all of a sudden, it says with my C that it has no free space on it, despite the 60Gb of free space that is actually on it.

I don't know what to do, and I really would like to create that new partition. Does anybody know how I can fix this?

 

Hi RubenJ,

Have you tried repartitioning the Hard Drive booting the computer from the Bootable Media CD that you create from the Acronis Disk Director Software? Use Safe Version.

 

Have you tried resizing the partition as opposed to splitting or creating from free space? Then you could create a new partition from the new unallocated space.

Perhaps the partition needs defraged. Are there files littered all the way to the end of the partition?

Also try thecreator's suggestion and see if it works from the Acronis Rescue CD. Only I'd try the "full" version first and use it if it works.

Also, it may be helpful to know what version and build of Disk Director you're using.

 

I don't have an empty disk at the moment to try that (will do so later), but I doubt that is the problem.

I also tried partition magic now, and I could make the changes without any problems, but when the changes were applied, it also gave an error.

Now with acronis (I use disk director suite v10) when I look at the properties of my C, it says under the "errors" part: File system error: MFT bitmap corrupted

I'm guessing this might suggest there's some real damage to my disk??

 

Hi RubenJ,

There might not be a problem with the actual Hard Drive, but with the partition table of the Hard Drive. If you have a Second Hard Drive, I would copy the important files onto it from the current Hard Drive.

After you do that, if you have the Windows operating system CD or a good Drive Image, before your current problems, I would use a Windows 98 SE Boot Floppy Disk to run Fdisk to complete wipe the Hard Drive and completely clean it.

Or if you don't have one, use the Software from your Hard drive's Manufacturer's Website to do it and test the Hard Drive, before replacing it.

You can also use the Acronis Software to prepare a clean Hard Drive, I believe.