Hi all!
I have been trying to partition a hard drive to install Ubuntu "Dapper" behind Win XP. I am using Partition Magic as my partitioning tool. When I try to resize the partition "C:" smaller, after it appears to complete step 1 of 4, I get

"Error 1655 while executing Batch
"Error FRS not in any directory, File 26064 - 26064"

Is this a problem with "Partition Magic", or with win XP ?

I know I can always use the partitioning tool in Ububtu, I just have always used Partition Magic, and was not sure if I tried to force this to partition (using Ububtu), if I would damage Win XP.

Right now the partitioning scheme is C: WinXP (majority of drive), a small unallocated space, and then D: recovery.

Any thoughts on this will be greatly appreciated!

I have 54 GB on the partition to work with (C: ), the thought is 30GB for XP and 24GB for Ubuntu

Thanks Much
Justbill

Some thoughts:
- defragment the drive if you haven't already and maybe run scandisk
- write down all the partition information that you're starting with - might help to recover
- your windows recovery might not work if it looks for the second partition on the disk and the recovery partition becomes the third or fourth after you insert your linux partitions (anyone else know this?)
- try a linux partition tool and some linux live cds - gparted gets good reviews - also learn how to use fdisk (not the Windows/DOS one)
- is a new hard drive too expensive?
- ubuntu forums website has lots of ubuntu-related info that you won't find here
- have fun with linux

Maybe this Wikipedia article helps with the Partition Magic problem.

Otherwise, resizing the partition using the Ubuntu installer should not damage your Windows installation, although I'd recommend a backup in any case.

Thanks for the thoughts guys!

I am trying to help some friends get started with Linux, I have been a Linux user for a couple of years now.

I had already defraged, that didn't seem to help.

One suggestion has been to run CHKDSK to check for, and fix errors.
Actually I found that through google (yeah, go ahead and dis me, I forgot the golden rule, "Google first, ask questions later")

gparted was the next step. I have used it, I just don't want to damage there existing WinXP system. I figured if there was an error, and there was, that "Patition Magic" would possibly fix it.

Thanks again
Justbill

Well, I ran chkdsk /f and then tried to resize my partition. Now I am really in trouble! When Partition Magic rebooted and started resizing, it completed 1 of 3 operations, briefly gave an error number (that was to quick for me to catch), rebooted to a screen that gave several boot options (safe mode with network, safe mode with command prompt, safe mode, last usable configuration, and normal,). When I try to boot to any of these, I get the WindowsXP splash screen, with the blue line thing moving across, it acts like its trying to boot, and then, it restarts and I am back to the screen with the boot options. This is not good!

My best guess at this point, is to run a linux live cd, use gparted to finish the partition job, install a linux system that has a grub bootloader, and see if it will boot then. I suspect the problem is in XP's mbr, but I am not sure.

Am I on the right track? Any thoughts?

Thanks
Justbill