Can't create partition - some files could not be moved..help!

[jcs]

Hi folks,
I'm trying to install Boot Camp on my MBP C2D, 2.33GHz, 3GB RAM, x1600 128. I set the size of the partition and after a long time get an error that the partition could not be created, because some files could not be moved. It tells me to go into disk utility and restore the Mac OS drive to a single partition and install OSX again.

I'm at university so I can't reinstall OSX, and don't want to. As I've read from around the net this problem means there is a big file somewhere that can't be moved, or something similar. What I've done is check my disk with iDefrag, which says its only 0.7% fragmented, I've 'erased' my free space, I've deleted even more stuff off my Mac HD (have 35 or so GB free, only want a 5GB partition), I've verified and fixed both the drive and permissions in disk utility and disk ulitity from a CD boot, and tried changing the size of the partition. I tried creating a partition in disk utility, and was told it could not be done because there was not enough space (there definately was). I've used a bunch of tools to clean up my computer, re-indexed spotlight, and I'm at the end of my rope of ideas. I've had bootcamp many times on this laptop before, so am totally at a loss what to do. Does anyone have any ideas? Again, I can't reinstall OSX/wipe the drive.

I'm using Leopard, 10.5.5.

Thanks!

[Vapor]

Hey JCS,

I too had the same issues and tried everything as you have noted in your post above. I was formatting and defragging for 2 solid days to no avail.

What ended up working for me was creating a boot disk using iDefrag. Starting up using the boot disk and then running iDefrag with the "Compact" option. This will rewrite everything on the disk to a new consolidated location. Unfortunately defragging doesn't consolidate files, it just rewrites files to be efficiently organized.

Give that a shot and see if it works for ya...and good luck!

Cheers,
-V