Windows says I have 250 gb free but can only partition 15gb

[tmray]

I am trying to partition my guitarist's computer to add Ubuntu Studio. His computer is using Windows 11 I believe. His Windows system says that it has over 250 GB free on it. But when I try to partition his drive to install Ubuntu Studio it says that there is only 15 GB free to partition for the Linux system.

He has tried defragging his Windows system to see if that might be it but that didn't work.

We've partitioned all the other members of the band's computers with no problems. His computer seems to be the only one that doesn't seem to want to let us use any of the free space the Windows side says it has.

Any ideas about what is causing this and how I can expand the partition for Ubuntu Studio?

[LAM]

Maybe is because Ubuntu Studio is looking for not partitioned space (15G) while the "free space" (250GB) is inside the Win11 NTFS partition and is not usable by the Ubuntu Studio installation. If that's the case you first need to shrink the Win11 NTFS partition to the desired size (make a backup of the important data, just in case something goes wrong), and then install Ubuntu Studio giving it the not partitioned space.

You can use any recent Linux live iso from usb to check the disk and partitions and then do any necessary partition resize operation.

A quick way to check is using a GUI program like gparted or parted from commandline with:

Code: Select all

sudo parted
print free

[sunrat]

Windows disk resize should be achievable with Windows built-in Disk Management. Sometimes however there will be unmovable files which prevent it from working, you may need a third party partitioner for the job. EaseUs is pretty good from what I hear, and they have a page that may help you - https://www.easeus.com/partition-manage ... ition.html

[glowrak guy]

Please, just get an extra external drive case, put an SSD in it, install your linux, and let windows remain in blissfull isolation.
You're messing with two operating systems neither of which have displayed serious successful ongoing capabilities of dealing with each other.
Save yourself from future trouble, while using each system for what you find it is good at.
Cheers

[sunrat]

@glowrak guy I have installed and used Windows and Linux on the same disk for many years on several computers. If Windows is on a separate partition, which of course it must be, it is already in blissful isolation.
Running on an external disk is a valid option but there are downsides. It can be troublesome to get a bootloader eg. GRUB installed to be able to boot from both disks. Possible but not as easy as with a single OS disk. Also for using for audio production there is the overhead of running the OS via the USB bus.
I have also resized the Windows partition several times using Windows Disk Management, and the used a Linux partition manager like Gparted to resize the Linux partitions.
OP's problem is annoying but not insurmountable if the correct methods are employed.

[tmray]

Maybe is because Ubuntu Studio is looking for not partitioned space (15G) while the "free space" (250GB) is inside the Win11 NTFS partition and is not usable by the Ubuntu Studio installation. If that's the case you first need to shrink the Win11 NTFS partition to the desired size (make a backup of the important data, just in case something goes wrong), and then install Ubuntu Studio giving it the not partitioned space.

You can use any recent Linux live iso from usb to check the disk and partitions and then do any necessary partition resize operation.

A quick way to check is using a GUI program like gparted or parted from commandline with:

Code: Select all

sudo parted
print free

I have been trying to do this with the Ubuntu Studio live distro USB. I even tried it using the Gparted live distro. When it shows the available space to create a new partition there is only 15 gb available on the whole drive and it won't let me resize the Windows space on the drive because it says it is all full. But if I boot up Windows it says there is 250 gb of unused space.

[tmray]

Windows disk resize should be achievable with Windows built-in Disk Management. Sometimes however there will be unmovable files which prevent it from working, you may need a third party partitioner for the job. EaseUs is pretty good from what I hear, and they have a page that may help you - https://www.easeus.com/partition-manage ... ition.html

That is the way I went about this. But for some reason when I booted up the Gparted live USB to resize the partition that is when I got this problem. Gparted and the Ubuntu Studio live USB's all say the windows partition can't be resized for some reason. But on windows Disk management it says there is 250 gb free.

And You made me realize I forgot to mention the Windows built-in disk management won't let me resize there either. Even though it says it has 250 gb of free space.

[tmray]

@glowrak guy I have installed and used Windows and Linux on the same disk for many years on several computers. If Windows is on a separate partition, which of course it must be, it is already in blissful isolation.
Running on an external disk is a valid option but there are downsides. It can be troublesome to get a bootloader eg. GRUB installed to be able to boot from both disks. Possible but not as easy as with a single OS disk. Also for using for audio production there is the overhead of running the OS via the USB bus.
I have also resized the Windows partition several times using Windows Disk Management, and the used a Linux partition manager like Gparted to resize the Linux partitions.
OP's problem is annoying but not insurmountable if the correct methods are employed.

Just wanted to confirm this point, the main reason we're running it on the same disk is that it's going to be for audio production. I've tried doing it from an external in the past and it has a tendency not to move fast enough for real-time multi-track recording through a USB port.

[tmray]

I guess the main mystery for me is the fact that Windows says it has all this free space but when I try to use it for a partition, it says "Oh you can't do that it's not available".
Plus, the fact that it's not just the Windows built-in disk manager that won't let me set it free but also when I boot up a live Gparted USB to try and resize it that way.
I've done this for all the other band member's computers with no complications. I've never run into this problem before. It's baffling me

[sunrat]

@tmray Did you read the link to EaseUs I posted above? It explains several methods to solve your problem.

Posting a screenshot from GParted may be helpful. I have encountered an issue where it won't enlarge a partition into preceding empty space. Was a while ago but I think I ended up backing up the data, deleting the partition and creating a new larger one, then restoring the data.

[tmray]

@sunrat Oh sorry! For some reason, I didn't notice that link. Seems promising I will look at that and let you know. Thanks for pointing that out again!

[glowrak guy]

Just wanted to confirm this point, the main reason we're running it on the same disk is that it's going to be for audio production. I've tried doing it from an external in the past and it has a tendency not to move fast enough for real-time multi-track recording through a USB port.

An SSD is much much faster than the spinning drives most people have used. And lacking any moving parts, will be more reliable. Usb3 with an SSD should be fine.
Cheers

[glowrak guy]

@glowrak guy I have installed and used Windows and Linux on the same disk for many years on several computers. If Windows is on a separate partition, which of course it must be, it is already in blissful isolation.
Running on an external disk is a valid option but there are downsides. It can be troublesome to get a bootloader eg. GRUB installed to be able to boot from both disks. Possible but not as easy as with a single OS disk. Also for using for audio production there is the overhead of running the OS via the USB bus.
I have also resized the Windows partition several times using Windows Disk Management, and the used a Linux partition manager like Gparted to resize the Linux partitions.
OP's problem is annoying but not insurmountable if the correct methods are employed.

Hi, the OP is up against an issue. Musicians, in my book, should place themselves in the most stable, and issue-free and time-tested system they can afford, which might not be as slick as the newest code, but hopefully won't let them down in an important season. I've done such mixed installs with few issues in the past, but drive-sharing can lead to unexpected trouble, so data backups are very important. The last few years, I've found new complexities, and had some inexplicable failures that I lack the time and will to diagnose. Today, I won't trust ntfs or ext# usb drives (or grub), with what once were considered safe operations, and normal procedures. (I'll concede that both my hardware, and familiarity with 2023/2024 linux are old and lacking*.) I don't mind performing manual operations instead of testing the utopian automations people hope in.

I have three versions of AVLinux for different uses, one on SSD, one on a sata internal drive, and one on an external usb drive. As well as a Studio 1337 that boots from dvd. All of them record and process audio well, and I always start from the early boot menu. I'll be OK for a while, until some drive or circuit gives out, and another SSD/mobo gets on the team. (Thanks to U-he and Yabridge, I havem't booted windows in years

*audiojunkie and others keep posting about cool new shiny things in the linux OS world, maybe in 2026, I'll be able to catch up a bit. But nobody promised me another Tuesday

[glowrak guy]

Here is a slightly related cautionary topic:

https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopi ... a28b3151ee

[glowrak guy]

Also, dellboy at kvr posted this:
"My main laptop is a nine-month-old Lenovo Yoga 7 16 inch touchscreen which currently has Windows 11 installed. I do not intend to install Linux on that, but I do boot Linux from an external SSD successfully from it."

I think this is better than going under the hood of two operating systems that have few similarities, for convenience sake.
Especially on fairly expensive new hardware.
Cheers