Diskpart has encountered an error!

[Demonperformer]

This isn't specifically Astro-software (but it is something I need to do to get the linux software running on my currently Win7 machine).

I am running diskpart to create a usb capable of booting my laptop if everything goes "up the creek without a paddle" when I try to shrink the Win partition. Below is a screenprint of how far I have got.

As far as I can see, the syntax I am using for the format command matches that required, but it seems to be saying that one of the parameters is incorrect. It is suggesting I go to the "system event log", but I have no idea where to find it - did a search from the start button, but it produced a load of files, none of them called "system event log".

Any thoughts on what I am doing wrong and/or where I should go from here gratefully received.

Thanks.

[SkyBound]

Hi,

i have always used the disk manager in windows for this job, rather than the DOS version that you are using...

its under the Administrator tools...

[SkyBound]

Also if you are goimg to use diskpart, then check out this page, especially the bit lower down about formatting to fat32 instead of NTFS

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj200124(v=ws.11).aspx

[Demonperformer]

Will check that Disk Manager for it - I was going to use that for the shrinking process, but for this part I was told to use Diskpart. I've also been told that it will need to be ntfs.

Thanks

[SkyBound]

I was under  the impression that USB drives were fat32...! But maybe I am remembering wrong.

[Demonperformer]

There is, as they say, more than one way to skin a cat ...

No matter what I tried, I could not get it to format from scratch in NTFS, but it would format in FAT32 (thanks, SkyBound). I then follow this procedure and (as if by magic) I now have a USB stick formatted in NTFS.

I have created a working "rescue environment" (after fighting my way - and it was a fight - into BIOS to make the USB the primary boot source). Next stage will be to create a complete computer image on my spare 2TB usb drive. This may take a while ...

[SkyBound]

Yes I think that they always have to be formatted to Fat32 first, but did not realise you could then change to NTFS, so we both have learned something there...

[Demonperformer]

In truth, I don't know what difference it makes to the overall process. It could be that the program (Macrium Reflect) will function perfectly well no matter which system I use, but my default position is always to try to follow the instructions as closely as possible.

It is currently creating a full disk image, which I would then use to restore my computer using the "rescue environment" if things go disastrously wrong when I "shrink" my windows partition to enable me to install a linux partition. So, hopefully, all of what I am doing at the moment will prove to be a total waste of time (i.e. everything goes fine and I won't need it).

[SkyBound]

Shrinking partitions using the disk manager in windows is a very simple process that takes a few mins, I have done that load of times with no problems at all, to create extra partitions, so you should be fine

to ne honest I have never created a rescue disk either, as there is not much that can go wrong, it either shrinks or it doesn't..

[Demonperformer]

If the "maximum partition size available" (that's from memory) was greater, I would probably not be bothering, but it is only offering me 5+GB out of 83 GB free, so I need to follow the procedures here to get it to allocate the space I need. But when people start talking about "disabling system files" (even temporarily) I start getting jittery. I would rather go through this "restore" process and not need it than to completely mess-up the system and have no way of restoring it. And of one thing you can be absolutely sure: if there is a way of messing it up completely, I will find it ...

[Gina]

Oh, me too!!

[SkyBound]

Lol....I know what you both mean

if it is not showing the full amount of space, then maybe there is some unalloctaed space that needs allocating...?

just a thought..

[Demonperformer]

Well, from what I can gather (and am hoping) it is simply that there is a file "MFT" at the end of the C: drive, as discussed in the page linked above. If that is the case, I should have no problem allocating a 16GB section to a new partition to run my new linux system. If not, then I will have to try something else. At least now that I have got my full backup and "rescue environment" sorted, I should be alright whatever happens. << JINX!!

[ChrisLX200]

3 hours ago, Demonperformer said:

Well, from what I can gather (and am hoping) it is simply that there is a file "MFT" at the end of the C: drive, as discussed in the page linked above. If that is the case, I should have no problem allocating a 16GB section to a new partition to run my new linux system. If not, then I will have to try something else. At least now that I have got my full backup and "rescue environment" sorted, I should be alright whatever happens. << JINX!!

I thought that once... then I discovered the backup wouldn't restore when I needed it!  I had to use an older backup, but now I keep several copies.

ChrisH