Expanding Windows Disk space

N

NewJoizey

Bit poster
I have reviewed several discussions of the Parallels Image tool where people are trying to do something similar to me, but nothing really mirrors the problem I am having.

Running Parallels Desktop 5 (5.0.9310 rev 546799)
Host OS = Mac OSX 105.8
Virtural OS = WindowsXP - SP3 - NTFS

1. I start Parallels Image Tool by: G0>Applications>Parallels>Parallels Image Tool - Screen title is "Introduction"
2. Hit 'Continue'
3. prompted to 'Specify the path to your virtual disk image file' - I choose what I think is the appropriate .hdd file, which is located in the pvm bundle at path /%ComputerName%/Documents/Parallels/My Boot Camp.pvm/Hitachi(disk0).hdd
4. Click 'choose'
5. Click 'continue' -

ERROR: 'Image Tool is unable to process the file. The specified hard disk image file is either a read-only file or is in use by another application. Make sure that you have the permission to write to this file and it is not used by another program'

I made sure the VM is off. I'm pretty sure I should have permission to write to this file, (but how do I double check this).

How now?
 
You can not expand BootCamp disk image file. This disk image is based on physical (BootCamp) partition, that can not be expanded.

If you need additional disk space in BootCamp VM, you can add one more new disk image to this BootCamp VM, but this disk image space will not be accissible when you boot into Boot Camp natively.
 
I'm sorry to appear ignorant, I don't have a lot of experience with BootCamp/Parallels.

I don't understand your response that the disk image file can't be expanded. Isn't that exactly what this KB article is demonstrating?

http://kb.parallels.com/5010 - Titled "Increasing the size of the virtual hard disk"

I am trying to allocate more hard disk space to my WinXP installation. Right now it only sees 32GB. The tutorial seems to be showing someone expanding their allocation from 32GB to 122GB.

Isn't "increasing the size of the virtual hard disk" exactly what I want to do?
 
There is the difference between ordinary disk image and BootCamp based disk image.

BootCamp based disk image refers to physical partition (i suppose it is disk0s3 in your case).
This makes limitations to use and modify such BootCamp disk image properties (like size).

/%ComputerName%/Documents/Parallels/My Boot Camp.pvm/Hitachi(disk0).hdd
I suppose BootCamp disk image is your case.

http://kb.parallels.com/5010 - refers to ordinary disk image (not BootCamp based).
 
Last edited:
Thank you for your quick response.

I see - so in my case then can you tell me what is the recommended course of action? I need more than the 32GB of disk space allocated to my windows partition. Can you perhaps point me towards a similar KB article or some other documentation that discusses the steps to be taken?
 
Hi, yes, I am already using the psf and it is very helpful. Thank you for suggesting it.

I think I have moved most of the big files on my system to be stored on the mac side which is larger in terms of storage.

However, even with this, I still seem to be maxing out close to 32GB of data stored on my windows install, which I think is causing my win XP performance issues. I think this is due to the fact that I have a lot of resource heavy apps installed on my windows side, like a CMS, VS2008, SQL Server, and the like. I thought if there was a relatively simple way to allocate my windows side 20-30 more gigs, then that would be the easiest solution. But that does not seem to be the case.


Are there any other options you can think of?

Also, just for argument's sake can you answer me this:

Assuming I absolutely need the extra space on the windows side, then what is the course of action I need to take?
 
Ok, i see.
You can not simply enlarge physical BootCamp partition, because there is no more room on you Mac hard disk drive.
You choosed size of your BootCamp partition when installed BootCamp (using Apple Boot Camp Assistant application, i suppose).

Check these options :

1. Using second physical hard disk drive (USB storage).
You can add another disk image, based on this USB storage, to BootCamp VM.
As result you will get second hard disk on Windows side.

2. Add second Parallels disk image to BootCamp VM.
This will create new disk image.
As result you will get second hard disk on Windows side, but this disk will not be accessible when you boot Boot Camp directly (not using VM).
 
I'm not sure if this applies in this case, but would it be possible for NewJoizey to use WinClone to increase the size of the Windows hard drive partition?
 
"because there is no more room on you Mac hard disk drive"

well, to be precise, there actually is a lot more space allocated to my Mac hard drive than I anticipated needing. There's about 100gig that the Mac isn't using. I guess another way to state my question is:

How can I (or is it possible to) de-allocate 60gigs of the 100gigs the Mac isn't using on the Mac side, and re-allocate those 60gigs to the windows side without a complete machine reconfiguration?

I probably would have a better idea about this, but I did not configure my MacBook on my own with bootcamp and parallels. It was given to me "as is" so I've just been an ignorant user up to this point, but now I need to dig further for some solutions!

Ok, so now I have three things to check out - WinClone, and Options 1 and 2 offered by Artem. I will look into those.

Is another option to completely wipe out the Windows VM and start again from scratch? If I delete it entirely, and then set it up again, do I have the option to allocate, say, 80 gigs to the windows VM and then rebuild my Windows environment from there?
 
Hi NewJoizey,

"How can I (or is it possible to) de-allocate 60gigs of the 100gigs the Mac isn't using on the Mac side, and re-allocate those 60gigs to the windows side without a complete machine reconfiguration?"

You can use opensource (free) Winclone to do this:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=455515
http://dustyreagan.com/how-to-increase-or-decrease-your-boot-camp-partition/ (an older, but still relevant post)

Another alternative is iPartition:
http://www.coriolis-systems.com/iPartition.php (This is about $50)
 
Using iPartition is probably quicker. Use it to shrink the Mac partition, then use it to expand the Boot Camp partition. Since the Boot Camp partition is at the end of the disk, iPartition will spend some time moving the Boot Camp partition. Once that is completed, boot you Mac into Boot Camp. Windows may then do a disk check because the size changed. When that is done, reboot into Mac OS X, start Parallels Desktop. If the virtual machine doesn't boot, then go into the configuration and remove Hard Disk 1, then add a new Hard Disk 1.
 
Thanks to all of your for this useful discussion. It has been enlightening.

One thing I am not clear on and would like a direct response about this specific question(s):

Is one of my choices to forego a solution like iPartition or WinClone and delete the Windows VM entirely, and then to be able to expand the 32GB of space originally allocated to windows from somewhere within bootcamp?

In other words, If I don't use a tool like iPartition or WinClone, do I have ANY other option whatsoever? I wouldn't mind completely blowing out my windows installation and starting that part of it over, but if I do that, do I then have the desired option to allocate more disk space - or is that option still not available to me at that point?

Thanks for sticking with me here.
 
You can use "Disk Utility.app" (/Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility.app)
Check "Disk Utility" help topic "Partitioning a disk" -> "Enlarging a volume"
 
hmmm. on the surface the screens appears to allow me to do exactly what I need. I have GUI that allows me to visually drag a vertical bar that appears to look like it will in able me to decrease the space on the mac drive, and after I do this I seem to be able to click a visual representation of my windows drive showing current 32Gig of space, and type in a larger number, like 50GB, for example. Then it seems to give me the option to apply the choices I have just made.

It can't possibly be that easy? could it?

I guess there is only one way to find out, but before I do, I'd certainly like to hear from anyone who may recognizes what I describe, verify that I'm on the right path, and perhaps might have done it before
 
Yes it is that almost easy.
The main thing you must remember that such resizing can erase your Boot Camp partition data.
As i remeber when you click "Apply", you will see confirmation dialog with some details.

But if you want change partitions sizes and do not mind to lose you Windows data, there is proper way :
use "Boot Camp Assistant.app" (look at /Applications/Utilities/Boot Camp Assistant.app)
This application will help you to reinstall BootCamp Windows (you will need Windows installation CD).
Run Boot Camp Assistant and do the following :
1. Delete Windows partition
2. Create Windows partition (at this step you will be allowed to adjust paritions sizes)
3. Start Windows installation
 
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