How to shrink a veracrypt partition?
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Hi guys, after succesfully recovering my partition, the one i posted about before, i still need to shrink it, do you have any idea how could i go about that? It's a veracrypt partition containing an outer and a hidden volume, how could i do that without damaging the hidden volume?
Hi again, could someone respond?
Is shrinking a VeraCrypt partition containing a hidden volume even possible?
Not possible since you will destroy data and or the headers. The only option I am aware of is to copy data to another drive and rebuild smaller.
What about in the case of a normal volume (i.e. without a hidden volume)? I see that there is an expander tool, but is it not possible to shrink? I undertand why the hidden volume would be destroyed - but it seems like this should be possible with a normal one (if it can be expanded), no?
Still not possible due to the headers contain the VeraCrypt size and the embedded backup header is located at the end of VeraCrypt volume.
Wouldn't those problems be the same with expanding tho? i.e. if expanding is possible (which would change the size, and move the embedded backup header - just to the right insted of the left), why would shrinking not be?
Not possible unless the developer is able to create a tool to shrink an existing VeraCrypt volume without hidden volume.
Gotcha. So just to clarify: technically it's possible (just like growing is possible), just there's no currently existing tool that will "shrink and move header to the left" (Only one that will "grow and move header to the right)." Correct?
Correct. Also update the VeraCrypt header with various changes for the new size.
https://www.veracrypt.fr/en/VeraCrypt%20Volume%20Format%20Specification.html
Understood. Bummer, but thanks for the reply & clarification - I guess my only bet for now is to decrypt and re-encrypt the whole disk then.