# Boot Camp 1.1 won't partition "because some files cannot be moved"



## xopher (Sep 1, 2006)

I was trying to create a Windows partition using the Boot Camp Assistant v1.1 on my 15" Macbook Pro.  I have plenty of free disk space, close to 40GB of it, and I have used Disk Utility to verify and repair the drive and permissions.  Firmware is the current version available from Apple (Boot ROM ver. MBP11.0055.B03, SMC ver. 1.2f10).

However, every time I try to create a 20GB partition for Windows using the Boot Camp Assistant, I receive the attached error dialog stating "Your disk cannot be partitioned because some files cannot be moved." and prompting me to back up and reformat my disk as a single Journaled HFS+ volume, which it already is.

Also, per the recommendation of a coworker, I looked in the /var/logs/system.log file and noticed the following error:

*Sep  1 14:55:30 chmac kernel[0]: hfs_truncatefs: couldn't reclaim space on Macintosh HD*

Has anyone else encountered this?  Any known solutions?


----------



## smz (Sep 15, 2006)

i am having the exact same issue - and am still at a loss as to why it is happening - have you had any luck yet?

black macbook 2ghz
1.25gb ram
10.4.7


----------



## xopher (Sep 15, 2006)

Actually yes, I did resolve the issue, I simply forgot to come back and update this thread to indicate how.

I was able to resolve this by deleting a couple large (greater than 1GB) files and then Boot Camp was able to partition.  I used an application called Disk Inventory X to give a graphical display of the files on the disk, making it easy to identify and locate large files.


----------



## texanpenguin (Sep 15, 2006)

Incidentally, I was having the same problem with my brother's MacBook Pro. For him, deleting files wasn't the solution.

I had read all over the Internet that the problem was with Parallels/Crossover and their images, so we tried moving those files off onto an external, and deleting the applications themselves, but to no avail.

Luckily, we DID FIND A SOLUTION.

We had to defrag the disk. That's not always an easy task on a Mac (and normally something of an exercise in futility) but luckily we had a Universal copy of Tech Tool Pro which we left defragging overnight (not a quick process) and Boot Camp worked just fine.

So there you go, iDefrag, Tech Tool Pro, whatever: defragmenting fixes the problem.


----------



## smz (Sep 16, 2006)

I tried removing all large files on my drive - I went so far as to leave no file over 150mb on there. To no avail - i am still recieving the  "because some files cannot be moved" error. This leads me to believe that it is the level of fragmentation on the disk as previously mentioned and not the existence of large files alone. I am going to defrag using techtool and will report back.... wish me luck.


----------



## skonnard (Mar 9, 2007)

The only deterministic solution to this problem is to buy some defragmentation software like iDefrag and compact the drive. Once you do, the problem with go away. See my full post on the subject:
http://pluralsight.com/blogs/aaron/a.../09/46388.aspx


----------



## treeferreefer (Jun 28, 2010)

ok this worked for me anyways.  And it seems to easy to be true, because it doesnt require defrag... but heres my fix:

1)Turn off your mac
2)hold shift key down and boot into safe mode
3)goto bootcamp assistant and it works!

lemme know if this works for you, as like i said it seems too easy to be true, but it did the trick for me!


----------



## grayme (Jul 7, 2010)

Didn't work for me (putting it into safe mode).

All the guff about how wonderful Macs are and how you don't need to defrag.... here's an example when you seem to.

Not happy, why didn't I just buy a PC rather than be duped by an Apple fanboi?


----------



## DeltaMac (Jul 7, 2010)

There are specific issues that may be fixed by a defrag - even on a Mac. This would be one of those.
Did you try a defrag yet?

Sounds like your situation was precipitated by your perceived need for Windows, which would not be the goal of any tried-and-true Apple fan that I have ever met. Windows is optional.


----------



## grayme (Jul 7, 2010)

I'm definitely no Apple fan, I have tried to like it, believe me. (guess I'm in a bear pit here ) 

I'm installing Windows as i honestly prefer Office on it, prefer Windows Explorer, use MS Money, etc. 

i have to use a torch to reinstall OSX, what's that all about?


----------



## ElDiabloConCaca (Jul 7, 2010)

grayme said:


> I'm installing Windows as i honestly prefer Office on it, prefer Windows Explorer, use MS Money, etc.


All very valid reasons to use Windows.

We had the exact opposite of this come to work for us -- he was a staunch OS 9 user, and when we supplied him with the venerable Windows laptop, he balked and refused, claiming he didn't know how to use Windows.

I asked him if he knew what icons were, how to single- and double-click, and how to find a web browser.  All answered, "yes."  I kindly explained to him that that's all he needed to know in order to "switch" operating systems.  It really _is_ all icons, click- and double-click.  That's it.

While some may warm to OS X and the "Mac" way of doing things, others will not for various reasons... some being fear, others being unfamiliarity, yet others being compatibility, and, in your case, favorite applications that are not available (at least in the form you're accustomed to) on OS X.

I recommend and suggest that one familiarize themselves with Mac OS X as Mac OS X -- and not try to think in a Windows-centric mindset, nor try to use Windows-specific tricks or shortcuts.  Your apps are still icons, your documents still in folders, and networking is identical (TCP/IP, ethernet, wireless, etc.).  Just because it's _command_-c to copy instead of _control_-c is a minor annoyance to overcome.

It does take a tad bit of flexibility and an open mind to switch from one OS to another, and if you go into the new OS expecting things to be identical, then you will find nothing but frustration at the end of that tunnel.

We're here to help, not judge, and if you're willing to give Mac OS X a _real_ try, we will help you the best we can in finding alternative applications, workarounds, and to help you learn the system.  There truly is pride in being able to say, "I use both systems quite well," when face-to-face with a fanboi, cultish, Mac enthusiast and a die-hard, "never want to learn anything new!" Windows user.

We'd like to see you stick around, but I can tell you from experience that quotes like "I thought Macs were supposed to be all easy and $%^!" or "Hey, Macs aren't supposed to crash!  This platform sucks!" won't go far with certain people here.  You get what you give, and I'm sure you wouldn't want an answer in the same tone as the question asked.  You don't have to suck the platform's... popsicle... but a tactful, tasteful question gets a tactful, tasteful answer.  We understand your frustration and disappointment with the Mac -- no need to pepper every post with it.



> i have to use a torch to reinstall OSX, what's that all about?


What does this mean?  To reinstall OS X, simply boot from the CDs/DVDs that came included with the computer and follow the on-screen prompts.  No serial numbers (unlike Windows), no multiple-dialog-boxes to dismiss midway through the install (unlike Windows -- date and time? networking options?), and depending on the Mac, you can perform a complete reinstall in less than an hour, and sometimes less than 30 minutes (again, unlike Windows).

You also have three different reinstall options: a clean install which erases the drive and installs a fresh copy of OS X, an archive & install which preserves user accounts, most settings, applications and your documents, and an upgrade install which upgrades a point release to the next point release (like 10.4 to 10.5, or 10.5 to 10.6).


----------



## grayme (Jul 11, 2010)

I agree with everything you have written, but unfortunately I can't break through the 'I thought Macs were supposed to be easy' mentality I developed from work colleagues who constantly told me before I bought mine, how much better they are than Windows; I understand that is my failing.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing and I can see why basic users will warm to an operating system that looks after them, but I want to know what it is doing and be in control. It is for this reason I have installed XP and not Windows 7 which for me gives a lot of the same as it seems MS weren't shy to copy Apple's OSX. (When I start installing something, I don't want to have to confirm continually that I do intend to install something).

I'm happy now though, got XP working, got past the initial inabilty to install SP3 (and enjoyed the banter as people on the solution containing forum blamed either MS or Apple for attempting to install on the first partition or creating read only partions respectively) and even managed to get my DVD drive set up for Zone 2 rather than Zone 6.



ElDiabloConCaca said:


> What does this mean?  To reinstall OS X, simply boot from the CDs/DVDs that came included with the computer and follow the on-screen prompts.  No serial numbers (unlike Windows), no multiple-dialog-boxes to dismiss midway through the install (unlike Windows -- date and time? networking options?), and depending on the Mac, you can perform a complete reinstall in less than an hour, and sometimes less than 30 minutes (again, unlike Windows).
> 
> You also have three different reinstall options: a clean install which erases the drive and installs a fresh copy of OS X, an archive & install which preserves user accounts, most settings, applications and your documents, and an upgrade install which upgrades a point release to the next point release (like 10.4 to 10.5, or 10.5 to 10.6).



I found initially a while ago that my disc would start the install process, then the screen would go black; my daughter's worked though so I used that. Recently both made the screen go black.

A google revealed I was not alone (I'll be good now ) but it wasn't that the machine was freezing or similar, but that for some reason the back light was going off and the solution they used was to use a torch to see the information that was there but unlit; rather bizarre really.


----------

