SOLVED Dual Boot Dilemma

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I've been reading a How To Geek article about how to dual boot 7 with 10. I did manage to download an iso of 10 which will begin installation if I change BIOS boot sequence. My problem is that when I try to shrink volume in OS(C) not enough space is offered. Thinking that I may have corrupted space in (C) I decided to restore win 7 to factory condition. I sure did: My laptop went to windows 7 home edition with a message that 185 updates were pending. Well over an hour later I was back in business. There's a happy bonus to this. Somewhere along the line I blundered into upgrade windows now and discovered that entering my update key would bring me back to windows 7 professional.
Now when I go to disk management and right click to attempt shrink volume all I am offered is a default value of 4822 MB which is 4.7 GB when 20GB is required to install 10. So here's my dilemma: The total space before shrink is 461838MB. Clicking shrink brings up 4.7 GB unallocated. Not enough for 10.
Now I chickened out and thought "how do I reverse this mess"? I tried right click on (C) and then extend volume and delete partition which brought me back to 451.0 GB where I started from.
Conceding the fact that I'm a little over my head any helpful suggestions would be appreciated.
 
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No. I tried that and I get an error to the effect that there's not enough space to shrink as much as I want. Which I don't understand because there's 400+GB on the drive.
Further, entering a number greater than the default offered instantly puts space after shrink to zero.
 
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No. I tried that and I get an error to the effect that there's not enough space to shrink as much as I want. Which I don't understand because there's 400+GB on the drive.
Further, entering a number greater than the default offered instantly puts space after shrink to zero.

A 3rd party program has been suggested to you.

Here is another one which I use myself and I vouch for it.
MiniTool Partition Wizard
http://www.partitionwizard.com/download.html
 
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Thank you. I just did a system restore because I tried something with that other program and had no faith in it. I'll try yours since you vouch for it.
 
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I had it for a while. Tried to extend partition. Got as far as where to borrow unallocated space from clicked ok and absolutely nothing happened. Tried to close window got warning pending change would abort. Waited quite a while. Tried clicking pending actions at lower left, pressing enter but still no go.
Now a different problem. This PC is terribly sluggish. Don't know if it's something I did. Tried to do system image only to discover that advanced startup has changed. Shift/restart no longer works. Go to settings and recovery and only options are "use device" which leads to ipv4 or ipv6 either of which simply continues boot sequence.
I'm going to bite the bullet and do "reset this PC". That's going to take a bunch of effort to put things back the way they were but things are so lousy now I've got to do something.
Dual boot can wait. That was just something to try.
Edit: Well that didn't work either. Even tried a rescue disk made when 10 was installed. Weird message about unable to find recovery device. Looks like i'm stuck with what I've got. Bummer!
 
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minitool partition #0.jpg


minitool partition #1.jpg


minitool partition #2.jpg


minitool partiion #3.jpg
 
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Got it! I wasn't looking at the right place for the Apply button. Watched an extend tutorial and then was able to do it. This program is definitely a keeper. Now I feel a lot better about everything.

While i'm on this kick what ever did happen to advanced startup in 10?
 
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Shift+restart only leads to "use device" which in turn leads to ipv4 or ipv6 and continues boot. No option to reset or run system image,
Here's an addendum about using Partition Wizard. Going back to disk management on the PC shows the disk is now like it was before i messed with it. So it's idiot proof.
 
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Shift+restart only leads to "use device" which in turn leads to ipv4 or ipv6 and continues boot. No option to reset or run system image,
OH. I apologize.
I did not read all the threads because I am more consumed in watching NFL.

I don't know what has become of your computer.
Age has little to do with it, if any.
I have a 7 years old Dell laptop with only 111.47 GB hard drive capacity.
It runs without a whine.
In fact, I used it to dual boot Win 8.1 and Insider Preview since build 9841.
Now it is running Insider Preview only.
 
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By coincidence, one of my Laptops is also a 7 + year old Dell.. It has the original 500 gb HD. I am Tri booting Windows 10: Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 ( for compatibility with a couple of my family members. I suspect you have , on your computer, a manufacturer's hidden system folder, or similar, for the purposes of factory restore. It would help, possibly, if you got hold of the free copy of something like Eusus, which can show these hidden folders

http://www.easeus.com/partition-manager/epm-free.html

Also, could you post an explorer picture of you C: drive.? You may have !. An already downloaded Windows 10, waiting for installation and, also, left over Win.old folders, taking up space. Before you do this, in the folder options, make sure you have "Hidden" and "protected operating system", revealed.
 
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You are correct. I've been reading articles in Mini Tool Wizard about delteing volumes in win 7. It is protected by the system but Mini Tool claims it can be done anyway. Under the subject How To Delete Volume C with Mini Tool Wizard it says select volume C and click delete volume. Since this volume saves Windows OS the partitioning software will ask "are you sure you want to delete this volume?". Click yes. Can i believe the OS will be saved?
I'm thinking about getting a thumb drive big enough to hold Win 7 in a system image just in case i lose the OS. But would a system image boot?
You're ahead of me on hidden folders. I never worked with them but i will take your advice and check things out.
C drive.PNG
 
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Making an image is undoubtedly a 100% good idea.
From your first post, I read that you would not be happy to return to factory settings (Windows 7 home) You could consider that, in that case, will you ever need that factory restore partition again. It is a life saver, so give it careful thought.
I have no idea where "There's a happy bonus to this. Somewhere along the line I blundered into upgrade windows now and discovered that entering my update key would bring me back to windows 7 professional." this comes into the equation. Rather unusual to go up to pro without paying something to someone!!

I have no idea what you are using those various partitions for but, ere it mine, I would make sure all data on them was transferred to a safe place and, if you do have that facility, wipe the whole lot , and format reinstall with Windows 7 pro and go through the upgrade process again - making images along the way.
No idea, either, what might lie on the removable disk, but that is not of consequence .
 
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Good ideas there. I paid for upgrade to 7 professional so that's why I had a key. You are correct about imaging the upgraded version. The concern I had was if I lose the OS by trying to make room for 10 will a system image boot? On second thought if I do an F8 startup won't that take me to advanced recovery? From there I can run system image.
Speaking of 10 there's no hint of it in hidden files, I do have a 10 .iso on a thumb drive which I already know will begin 10 installation if I change boot sequence in BIOS. Given the old adage that well enough is best left alone maybe I should just forget this whole idea of dual boot. But what fun would that be? By floundering around with things I don't know about I eventually learn the hard way.
Just re-read your post. The factory (Dell) image is very much in place. That's how I restored to 7 home before going to professional. I did that years ago when I first bought this computer, I was never a fan of it because it takes so long and loses so much. I greatly prefer system image and restore points.
 
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Here's the latest. Just did an F8 startup on win 7 which went to options for system image and restore points. So if I totally screw up the 7 OS by trying to make room for 10 there should be a way to put things back.
Speaking of startup I'm still trying to figure out how to initiate system image recovery in win 10. Advanced startup options no longer offer system image. Here's a picture of my win 7 disk management. The earlier picture was of win 10. With two laptops here I lose track of which is which. Two Microsoft 3500 wireless mouses doesn't help either. They have separate USB transmitters so you have to grab the right one.
7 Disk Management.PNG
 
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Here I am posting on my Win 7 laptop with Win 10 just installed. The only glitch was after running the iso file from a thumb drive the pc restarted into the iso again and ran it second time, I let it go until the second restart and then yanked the thumb drive. Choose a system shows twice but I can live with that.
Now on Win 7. Delay time on choose a system is too short. Gotta fix that. Got a message windows must be activated before personalization (account picture etc,). That might be because I checked do it later at enter product key(mainly because I don't have one). But so far so good-wish me luck.
Found something called easyBCD. It will set 7 or 10 as default and adjust timeout or wait for user input.
 
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