How to fix Error 408 on Windows 11

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Troubleshooting Guide: Error 408 – “No Physically Aligned Free Space Was Found on the Volume”

Why This Error Happens

This error typically occurs when Windows 11 attempts to shrink, extend, or partition a volume (often during Disk Management operations or Storage Spaces configuration) but cannot find a contiguous block of free space that aligns with the disk’s physical sector boundaries. This is commonly caused by heavy file fragmentation, unmovable system files (like the page file, hibernation file, or MFT) sitting in the middle of the disk, or an outdated/corrupted disk driver misreporting sector alignment. It can also occur on SSDs or Storage Spaces virtual disks where the underlying physical layer doesn’t match the logical volume’s expected alignment.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

  1. Disable the Page File and Hibernation temporarily
  • Go to Settings > System > About > Advanced system settings > Performance Settings > Advanced > Virtual Memory. Set it to “No paging file” and click Set.
  • Open an elevated Command Prompt and run powercfg /hibernate off to remove hiberfil.sys.
  • Restart your PC.
  1. Run Disk Cleanup and Defragment/Optimize the Drive
  • Open Disk Cleanup (search in Start Menu), select the target drive, and clean system files.
  • Open Defragment and Optimize Drives, select the volume, and click Optimize (this also issues a TRIM command on SSDs).
  1. Check and Repair Disk Errors
  • Open an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell and run:

    chkdsk C: /f /r
  • Restart the system if prompted to allow the scan to run before boot.
  1. Retry the Operation Using DiskPart Instead of Disk Management GUI
  • Open elevated Command Prompt and type diskpart.
  • Run list volume, then select volume X (replace X with your target volume number).
  • Attempt shrink desired=<size in MB> directly; DiskPart sometimes handles alignment calculations more reliably than the GUI.
  1. Update Storage Controller and Disk Drivers
  • Go to Device Manager > Disk drives and Storage controllers, right-click each device, and select Update driver.
  • Alternatively, download the latest chipset/storage drivers directly from your motherboard or laptop manufacturer’s website.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • After completing the steps, retry the original shrink/extend/partition operation and confirm Error 408 no longer appears in Event Viewer (Windows Logs > System).
  • If the issue persists, back up your data and use a third-party partition tool (e.g., MiniTool Partition Wizard or GParted) that offers more flexible alignment handling than native Windows tools.