Hello. I have a pc running Windows XP and would like to dual-boot with Linuxmint. I went to defrag my c:\ drive in Windows and heres what the file structure looked like:

||||||______________|______________

^most of my files are nice and tidy at the front of the drive
..........................^ there is a small group of files sitting half way into the disk.

My question is this: Is there any way to move that "lone tree" to go alongside the "forest".
Also, when I go to install Linuxmint, do I have to allocate half of the drive to Windows due to that lone "tree" sitting out there halfway into my disk. Or can I go with something a lot smaller since the vast majority of my files are in the beginning part of my drive.

thanks in advance.

That's the page file, it's immovable. You need to disable it: Right click My Computer => Properties => Advanced => Performance: Settings => Advanced => Virtual memory: Change => check No paging file => click Set => OK => OK => OK.
Then reboot, defragment, resize your XP partition, restore the page file. And then you're ready to install Mint.

As far as the dual boot I don't think anyone has ever concerned themselves with what is where with windows. You are the first. If there are problems with the partitioning and the linux install it won't load and you will get a real nice ambiguous error dialog box that states this. As far as I know Linux will partition it's self and is designed to operate this way. I would go with at least twenty gigs. for windows through my own experience. My opinion is that twenty gigs is small and forty is medium in a practical sense. Some programs won't connect to a file that is not on the same drive as c. From experience I would have one partion for windows, and one or more dependening on the size of my hard drive for storage. Puting a program somewhere other than C is a risk.It won't work is all. I don't know how to manually partition a drive or run windows on a space that only it will fit but I'm sure these things can be done but are not practical for most users. The partitioning application should take care of that lone tree by cutting it down and shoving it over with the others. When installing your linux distro it would be helpful if you had anther working computer next to it to get info. if you have a question off the web. I once answered a questionnaire which asked what prompted me to start using Linux and I answerered "Vista". May the Open Source Deities be with you.

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Make sure you backup all personal files first.
I think xp has a built in repartitioning program. It should allow to shrink windows without causing problems. Vista certainly can do this.

You could probably get away with 10 gigs for mint but don't quote me on it. Check with the developers.

Hello. Thanks for all the help. I think you are right, it's the page file thats stuck out there. I did some googleing and found a program that helped. "O&O Systems" defrag. After I ran this defrag (they had a free trial version), I re-ran my normal windows defrag and it moved the page file closer to the rest.

take care