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Bootcamp Partition Error: "Files cannot be moved"
- Thread starter watchmainspring
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Anyone come up with a better or proveable fix? Voodoo hasn't worked for me and I'm running out of chicken blood for the sacrifice.
I really don't want to reinstall everything on my MBP as there are so many programs/prefs/fonts that I can't do without and are a real PITA to get right again.
I really don't want to reinstall everything on my MBP as there are so many programs/prefs/fonts that I can't do without and are a real PITA to get right again.
Deleting Parallels VM files works for me.
I had the same problem.
I got Office 2004
and I got everything that matches for NOT-WORKING.
I tried 5GB and more lower, when I had 22Gigs of free space.
BUT, as soon as I got rid of VM files from Parallels, partitioning succeeded.
I had the same problem.
I got Office 2004
and I got everything that matches for NOT-WORKING.
I tried 5GB and more lower, when I had 22Gigs of free space.
BUT, as soon as I got rid of VM files from Parallels, partitioning succeeded.
I'm having this problem at the moment, and it can't partition even at the minimum 5Gb limit...
I *think* this is because when I downloaded and installed the Boot Camp Assistant, I only had about 4Gb free. I then deleted loads of stuff, but this meant that, when I ran the assistant, it couldn't move itself...
I did, however, try deleting and reinstalling it when I had 20Gb free, but that didn't seem to help at all....
Anyone got any suggestions?
(Oh, I'm running on a MacBook Pro...)
I *think* this is because when I downloaded and installed the Boot Camp Assistant, I only had about 4Gb free. I then deleted loads of stuff, but this meant that, when I ran the assistant, it couldn't move itself...
I did, however, try deleting and reinstalling it when I had 20Gb free, but that didn't seem to help at all....
Anyone got any suggestions?
(Oh, I'm running on a MacBook Pro...)
newbie in need
Hi guys
I recently bought my first ever mac (after years of swearing at my pc!) but really need to partition it as some of my software isn't available on mac. I seem to be having the same problems as you. I managed to partition it with a 5gb limit but decided that wasn't going to be big enough and using bootcamp set it back to a single drive.
I am now getting the error about repairing the start up disk but despite doing a disk repair it just won't work.
Is there anything else I should try before re-installing everything? Thanks
Hi guys
I recently bought my first ever mac (after years of swearing at my pc!) but really need to partition it as some of my software isn't available on mac. I seem to be having the same problems as you. I managed to partition it with a 5gb limit but decided that wasn't going to be big enough and using bootcamp set it back to a single drive.
I am now getting the error about repairing the start up disk but despite doing a disk repair it just won't work.
Is there anything else I should try before re-installing everything? Thanks
ashuaria said:
I suspect this is also my problem but how did you find these files? (newbie question, i'm a switcher). I installed Parallels but decided to use Boot Camp instead so I removed Parallels without ever really using it. What's the deal?
shrhaider said:
They're in your Home Folder's Library, in a folder called Parallels. If you've uninstalled Parallels and don't need anything on your Parallels' hard disk, then you should be able to delete the whole folder.
I got this error today. I tried creating a 15 GB partition, no go. I then changed it to a 10 GB partition. It still wasn't happy. I deleted the .iso of Vista RC 1 (I hd it stored on my iPod as well) and restarted. It then worked with a 10 GB partition (I didn't bother trying 15 GB). I don't know what fixed it, whether it was trashing the large file, restarting, opting for the 10 GB partition, or some combination of each. 
I have loads of apps installed (only 22GB free out of 80GB), so I was pretty pessimistic when Partioning started failing, even at 5GB...
But it turned out it WAS Parallels, just as a few of us above!
Moving the HDD files to my USB2.0 external drive did the trick for me.
Partitioning (5GB) worked at last, and installed XP fine!
...then I brought the HDD files back, Parallels seems happy with it too. Not sure why they are unmoveable by the partioning app, as I was able to move them with a simple drap&drop, without even a warning requester showing up.
Oh well... Sorted!
But it turned out it WAS Parallels, just as a few of us above!
Moving the HDD files to my USB2.0 external drive did the trick for me.
Partitioning (5GB) worked at last, and installed XP fine!
...then I brought the HDD files back, Parallels seems happy with it too. Not sure why they are unmoveable by the partioning app, as I was able to move them with a simple drap&drop, without even a warning requester showing up.
Oh well... Sorted!
I'm not sure if the new Bootcamp still suffers from this issue, but I've tried using ProTech Tools or whatever it's called to defrag. But it requires that I do the eDrive backup b4 I can defrag (dumb) and I haven't gotten around to it.
Apparently, reinstalling BootCamp w/ 1 or 2gb less than the initial setup will work, at least for me it did.
Apparently, reinstalling BootCamp w/ 1 or 2gb less than the initial setup will work, at least for me it did.
Solution
Alright peoples, here's my solution to this problem:
I had Parallels installed, my HD was almost full (2GB left) and I wanted to install XP via BootCamp. So, I deleted large files, and uninstalled Parallels. That gave me 18GB free space, but BootCamp still wouldn't work: 'some files can't be moved'...
After trying everything here I thought to myself: What does BootCamp try to do? Yes, it tries to create 5GB (or whatever size you choose for your XP partition) of CONSECUTIVE FREE disk space. Since BC is running from within OS X: if you have programs running that have been installed recently, they're probably stored at the 'end' of your HD, therefore BC tries to move 'em to the 'beginning' of the HD, which won't work if the files are in use. Hence: some files can't be moved.
Solution:
Get iDefrag, and take a look at your HD. In my case, a lot of scattered data was sitting around all over my HD, so it was impossible for BootCamp to create a 5GB partition at the end of the HD, although I had a total of 25GB free space (I deleted whatever I could). Since iDefrag won't work from within OS X (it can't move system files that are in use) you have to get Coriolis CDmaker (Comes with iDefrag if you buy it). This will let you burn a bootable CD with iDefrag on it. Restart from CD, let iDefrag run a Full Defrag (took 8 hours on my 80GB drive) and then you have a beautifully defragmented HD with all the free space at the end of the drive. This will allow BootCamp to set up the new partition in just seconds....
And I'm not gonna tell you where to get the programs, use your imagination
Alright peoples, here's my solution to this problem:
I had Parallels installed, my HD was almost full (2GB left) and I wanted to install XP via BootCamp. So, I deleted large files, and uninstalled Parallels. That gave me 18GB free space, but BootCamp still wouldn't work: 'some files can't be moved'...
After trying everything here I thought to myself: What does BootCamp try to do? Yes, it tries to create 5GB (or whatever size you choose for your XP partition) of CONSECUTIVE FREE disk space. Since BC is running from within OS X: if you have programs running that have been installed recently, they're probably stored at the 'end' of your HD, therefore BC tries to move 'em to the 'beginning' of the HD, which won't work if the files are in use. Hence: some files can't be moved.
Solution:
Get iDefrag, and take a look at your HD. In my case, a lot of scattered data was sitting around all over my HD, so it was impossible for BootCamp to create a 5GB partition at the end of the HD, although I had a total of 25GB free space (I deleted whatever I could). Since iDefrag won't work from within OS X (it can't move system files that are in use) you have to get Coriolis CDmaker (Comes with iDefrag if you buy it). This will let you burn a bootable CD with iDefrag on it. Restart from CD, let iDefrag run a Full Defrag (took 8 hours on my 80GB drive) and then you have a beautifully defragmented HD with all the free space at the end of the drive. This will allow BootCamp to set up the new partition in just seconds....
And I'm not gonna tell you where to get the programs, use your imagination
Had bootcamp running slick and fine on my Powerbook for some weeks, than decided to throw it of (don't ask why..).
After some months of massive HD abuse (movie editing, DVD ripping and backing up, installing (and deleting) hundreds of apps.. ) I decided i wanted bootcamp back again.. Then the error showed up here as well..
THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR ME ,WAS TO FOLLOW JACKSLATER'S SOLUTION
(tnx mate!, was on the edge of backing up everything and doing a complete format en reinstall.. the bootdisc saved my live)
After some months of massive HD abuse (movie editing, DVD ripping and backing up, installing (and deleting) hundreds of apps.. ) I decided i wanted bootcamp back again.. Then the error showed up here as well..
THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR ME ,WAS TO FOLLOW JACKSLATER'S SOLUTION
(tnx mate!, was on the edge of backing up everything and doing a complete format en reinstall.. the bootdisc saved my live)
Alright peoples, here's my solution to this problem:
I had Parallels installed, my HD was almost full (2GB left) and I wanted to install XP via BootCamp. So, I deleted large files, and uninstalled Parallels. That gave me 18GB free space, but BootCamp still wouldn't work: 'some files can't be moved'...
Solution:
Get iDefrag, and take a look at your HD. In my case, a lot of scattered data was sitting around all over my HD, so it was impossible for BootCamp to create a 5GB partition at the end of the HD, although I had a total of 25GB free space (I deleted whatever I could). Since iDefrag won't work from within OS X (it can't move system files that are in use) you have to get Coriolis CDmaker (Comes with iDefrag if you buy it). This will let you burn a bootable CD with iDefrag on it. Restart from CD, let iDefrag run a Full Defrag (took 8 hours on my 80GB drive) and then you have a beautifully defragmented HD with all the free space at the end of the drive. This will allow BootCamp to set up the new partition in just seconds....
And I'm not gonna tell you where to get the programs, use your imagination
Try these:-
1) Remove those VM Parallels files.
2) Defrag your Mac, I know programs exist that do this.
3) Backup and Re-install OSX.
I tried 1, never tried 2 and eventually 3 worked. I think the problem is that there exist sectors on the HD that cannot be moved, defrag rearranges everything leaving the freespace as a unified bloc, rather than having bits of files all over the place. As for people being partitioning sucessfully with 1GB partitions, I can only presume that they just happened to be lucky enough to partition space that did not contain any unmovable files. In any case, a clean install of OSX is not that painful and will take a day to get things up and running and back to normality. I quite like a spring clean now and then, but then again I used Windows for ten years so I'm kinda used to it.
1) Remove those VM Parallels files.
2) Defrag your Mac, I know programs exist that do this.
3) Backup and Re-install OSX.
I tried 1, never tried 2 and eventually 3 worked. I think the problem is that there exist sectors on the HD that cannot be moved, defrag rearranges everything leaving the freespace as a unified bloc, rather than having bits of files all over the place. As for people being partitioning sucessfully with 1GB partitions, I can only presume that they just happened to be lucky enough to partition space that did not contain any unmovable files. In any case, a clean install of OSX is not that painful and will take a day to get things up and running and back to normality. I quite like a spring clean now and then, but then again I used Windows for ten years so I'm kinda used to it.
I've been getting the same error and I'm faintly pissed off by it all. I understand that Boot Camp is a public beta and provides no guarantees and I'm cool with that.
What annoys me is that it is clearly the fragmented state of my drive that is causing the problem. When I switched I swallowed all the BS that "macs don't need defragging" (probably my first question as a switching newbie), yet here I am with a fragmented drive that is preventing me from doing something I want to - and there is no system tool to defrag my drive. iDefrag looks good but it's nearly £20. Have I finally found somewhere that windows is superior to OS X?
What annoys me is that it is clearly the fragmented state of my drive that is causing the problem. When I switched I swallowed all the BS that "macs don't need defragging" (probably my first question as a switching newbie), yet here I am with a fragmented drive that is preventing me from doing something I want to - and there is no system tool to defrag my drive. iDefrag looks good but it's nearly £20. Have I finally found somewhere that windows is superior to OS X?
The only deterministic solution to this problem is to buy some defragmentation software like iDefrag and compact the drive. Once you do, the problem with go away. See my full post on the subject:
http://pluralsight.com/blogs/aaron/archive/2007/03/09/46388.aspx
http://pluralsight.com/blogs/aaron/archive/2007/03/09/46388.aspx
I just wanted to say I got this error which scared me! But my fix is easy and I did not have to reinstall OS X.
When it fails to create the partition, you still have the one partition disk. Insert your OS X CD and boot from it by holding down C at reboot. Run disk utility and repair disk. That did the trick for me, when it fixed, I went back to Mac OS X, cleared my trash and any other temp files just to be safe, reran boot camp assistant and the partition worked just fine.
The error it found when fixing the disk (fix the disk, not permissions), was that one of the cataloging files (I can't remember at the moment, I think it had to do something with free space) was off by a few bytes.
I dunno why no one tried to repair the disk?
When it fails to create the partition, you still have the one partition disk. Insert your OS X CD and boot from it by holding down C at reboot. Run disk utility and repair disk. That did the trick for me, when it fixed, I went back to Mac OS X, cleared my trash and any other temp files just to be safe, reran boot camp assistant and the partition worked just fine.
The error it found when fixing the disk (fix the disk, not permissions), was that one of the cataloging files (I can't remember at the moment, I think it had to do something with free space) was off by a few bytes.
I dunno why no one tried to repair the disk?
I dunno why no one tried to repair the disk?
Actually, the first error I got when trying BootCamp told me to repair the disk. I had to boot from the install disk so I could repair it. I did this and then started getting the error this thread is dedicated too.
I hope this is solved by the time leopard gets here.
yeah looks like the problem is not in things that are being used but by unused space, i recently moved alot of stuff from my harddrive leaving 60 gig free, so i should have plenty of space to move stuff around for the partition, but because ive torn my harddrive up pretty bad with all this re arranging there are files in the way. Seems the best way to do it is to get a defrag program and run that (iDefrag)
Look you guys, it's not very complicated.
If you have files near the end of a volume, you can't shrink the volume without leaving those files outside the volume. Diskutil, which resizes the volume, won't move those files closer to the beginning, no matter how much space you have left in your drive. If you guys want a picture, I'll make one later.
EDIT: Ok here's a picture that should clear things up. Also, it reveals why a volume doesn't actually HAVE to be very fragmented; just one misplaced file will do. Note how both drives have the same amount of space free, but one can have a large Boot Camp partition while the other can barely have any.
If you have files near the end of a volume, you can't shrink the volume without leaving those files outside the volume. Diskutil, which resizes the volume, won't move those files closer to the beginning, no matter how much space you have left in your drive. If you guys want a picture, I'll make one later.
EDIT: Ok here's a picture that should clear things up. Also, it reveals why a volume doesn't actually HAVE to be very fragmented; just one misplaced file will do. Note how both drives have the same amount of space free, but one can have a large Boot Camp partition while the other can barely have any.
