Unable to access partition to shrink

[Yusuf Khan]

Hello people,

When I try to shrink a partition using Vista’s Disk Management feature, I get the message "Logical disk manager - Access denied." The error occurs after I select the partition, choose shrink. How to fix it? Can anyone help?

Thank you.

[Dr. V]

I restored my PC to its faculty settings (using the recovery image that came with the computer), and was then able to access the partition without the access denied error. So, a program that I installed must have been locking down the partition.

[MrChris-]

Try in the master administrator account. In the command line, type "net user administrator /active: yes" without quotes. Then log out and try in the master administrator account. The process can easily be reversed by typing the same thing.

[Devasis]

Windows Vista’s Disk Management tool can be quite deceiving. It allows you to work with partitions at ease in a presentable GUI format - but with problems. There is an alternative way to work with partitions, allowing you to easily resize, delete, and create partitions. Diskpart.exe does a very good job at working with partitions.
First of all Backed up all important files and do not run diskpart.exe with Dynamic Disks.
Click start menu and run 'diskpart.exe'. It will open one window like command prompt. Then type select disk <disk number> to select the disk you want to work with. After selecting a disk To obtain this list, type 'list volume'. Select the desired volume by typing: select volume or select partition. Try this.

[hrinkSartitionP]

Hi, I can't seem to shrink my partition, no matter what I do.

I want to create some unallocated space so that I may install (dual boot) Kubuntu Linux with Windows Vista. I'd rather totally uninstall Vista but at the moment I am a little short on cash and can't afford to buy an external hard drive to back up all my files.

However, I am denied access right after I tell Windows how much I want it shrunk. I tried both MrChris-s' and Devasis' methods, and neither work. Apparently the command line command "net administrator /active: yes" does not exist, and when I typed "net help" nothing relating to "Administrator" appeared. I am the Administrator, so I have no idea why it's not letting me do it in the first place!
Devasis' method of using DiskPart.exe didn't work, either. Even there I am denied access:

DiskPart has encountered an error: Access is denied.

That's just plain funny. Perhaps I should just ask for money for Christmas and buy an EHDD as my only gift (that, and RAM for my laptop for my birthday). Then I'll wipe Windows off the map, and that will teach it who's boss!