Windows 7 - create new partition on running system

I have a Windows 7 Home Premium laptop with a single partition. For various reasons I'd like to create a second partition (secondary, non-bootable) on it.

Is it possible to do this without rebuilding the system?

There's plenty of space, and also files can be taken off for the duration.

Is there free software that can do it - I seem to recall having used Easeus Partition Manager but I think that was on an XP system. I also seem to recall using the Windows 7 Disc Management tool to extend/shrink partitions.

But what I need to do (I think) is to shrink the existing partition from 100% of HDD to, say, 20%. Then create a new partition in the free unallocated space.

Can the Windows 7 tool do that? If not is there a free alternative?

The Windows tool should be able to do this.

diskmgmt.msc

Thanks. I can see there's a Create Partition option but wasn't sure whether it was more for a new disc or one whose space wasn't fully allocated. And for the 'system' drive I was wary.

Anyway, I'll give it a whirl.

All the data is backed up every which way and I've a Windows image of it as well.

You should be able to right click the main OS drive (i.e. C: ) and select shrink? And then you will have unallocated space to the right of which you can create a new partition. You can only expand a new partition "to the right" so you need to shrink the main one first. If it won't let you do that try defragging the drive

Yep, I was aware there ought to be contiguous space to be able to shrink.

Hopefully I'll have time to have a play tomorrow

there are some free software that will do the job

http://www.ilovefreesoftware.com/18/featured/5-best-...

some of them are linux based, but I have used EASEUS which is windows based and it works ok.

Thanks Adrian, I'll see what happens with the Windows Disc Management tool first, and keep yours in reserve as it were.

Just to update (albeit by replying to myself).

The Windows Disc Management tool did the job. I offloaded a load of files, then defragged using Defragger with Show folder index entries in file list set in advanced Options, without that setting some file fragments were left in the middle of the drive so I couldn't shrink as required. Afterwards I was able to shrink from 600GB to 200GB and use the released 400GB as a new logical drive.

Thanks for the help.