>> On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 1:38 AM, greg wm <tclugl at whitleymott.net> wrote: >>> unfortunately ntfsresize wouldn't complete. i'll try again after the >>> defrag completes. >>> >>> meanwhile perhaps i might take an interest in suggestions i've heard >>> about somehow installing linux within the existing ntfs. i believe i have >>> heard mention of (a) creating a contiguous file that works like a partition, >>> and (b) linux files cohabitating in the windows filesystem. pointers >>> anyone? When the linux NTFS tools don't quite do the job, I whip out a Windows 7/Windows 2008 install disk. The installer has a handy NTFS resizer gadget (now supports shrinking!) that seems to work well. Of course, always make sure you run chkdsk before and after any partition resizing activities, regardless of the tool. As far as cohabitating, I've played with coLinux a bit, which uses a single contiguous file. It creates a file (or multiple files) then starts the kernel in a usermode-type scenario. This is the only time I'd consider cohabitating, because in this scenario the Windows kernel is handling the NTFS file locks, and the user mode linux kernel is free to do what it wants to inside its file. You can boot linux natively as well, however you'll be using the linux NTFS driver to handle the file locks on the linux files which could present some interesting results. Brian