Hard Drive Partitioning Paradox

[artfgt]

I've been trying to install my [legit] virtual copy of Windows 7 for a while now...like a lot of people I'm running into hard drive problems.
The Short:
The system partition I installed XP on is too small to hold 7.
I got a secondary hard drive to house 7 on; only the drive is "Dynamic" and therefore 7 will not install on it.

I can't boot from disk [no disk]. Of course I can't make the system drive bigger, but neither can I make it smaller without deleting XP...which since I can't boot from a disk I can't delete XP.

I have a feeling the simplest solution is to fork over money for a physical disk...but I'd rather not [college student woes; the virtual copy was from a student promotion.] So if anyone has a good way to make this work with what I've got; that would be lovely...

 

[Nibiru2012]

I got a secondary hard drive to house 7 on; only the drive is "Dynamic" and therefore 7 will not install on it.

I can't boot from disk [no disk]. Of course I can't make the system drive bigger, but neither can I make it smaller without deleting XP...which since I can't boot from a disk I can't delete XP.

First, unplug the drive that has XP on it. The other hard drive just re-format it. Once you do that it will no longer be dynamic drive but a primary drive.

You say you can't boot from disc. Does that mean you don't have a Windows 7 install disc? PLEASE be more specific!

 

[artfgt]

You say you can't boot from disc. Does that mean you don't have a Windows 7 install disc? PLEASE be more specific!

Yes; I have a virtual copy of the installation program. I got it via the win741.com promotion; so it's not like, a crack or anything.
Therefore I need my current OS [XP] to access the installer, and can't just wipe everything and install fresh; which probably would have been what I would have done if I had the installer on a physical disk.

I'll try your suggestion maybe later on today. If you think it's still applicable in this situation [seems like it might be...but I've never really fussed with hard drives and partitioning, so not my forte.]

 

[Nibiru2012]

Is it Windows 7 Professional? Which version are you using and is it x32 or x64?

 

[catilley1092]

How large is your hard drive? You said that your XP partition is too small for Windows 7. What else do you have on it? I have Win 2K Pro and Windows 7 installed on a 40GB hard drive. And something else. What is a "virtual" copy of Windows 7? I've heard of virtual machines and virtual players (I have two of those), but I've never heard of a virtual copy of Windows 7. One last thing, please post some specs of your computer, and you will get a little more advice.

 

[DallasDad]

How large is your hard drive? You said that your XP partition is too small for Windows 7. What else do you have on it? I have Win 2K Pro and Windows 7 installed on a 40GB hard drive. And something else. What is a "virtual" copy of Windows 7? I've heard of virtual machines and virtual players (I have two of those), but I've never heard of a virtual copy of Windows 7. One last thing, please post some specs of your computer, and you will get a little more advice.

I was wondering the same thing. Problem is, they never stick around to "translate" their questions into English. Haha

 

[Thrax]

The virtual copy is probably the $30 downloaded version offered to students by Digital River.

 

[shiny521]

hi, maybe a free hard drive partition software could help you , try thisartition Assistant.