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ERROR_NO_PHYSICALLY_ALIGNED_FREE_SPACE_FOUND
No suitably aligned free space is available
ERROR_NO_PHYSICALLY_ALIGNED_FREE_SPACE_FOUND means free capacity may exist, but none of it starts and ends on boundaries acceptable to the requested storage operation. The distinction between total free space and usable aligned space is important.
Typical scenarios
- Creating a partition or metadata region with strict physical alignment.
- Provisioning on a disk fragmented by small existing partitions.
- Working with advanced-format, RAID, or virtualized storage that imposes larger boundaries.
- Attempting an operation after a topology or sector-size change.
Diagnosis
Map every occupied and free region with exact byte offsets. Record the required alignment, not just the requested size. A large free extent can still be unusable if its starting offset is wrong.
Resolution
Move, shrink, or recreate partitions using supported tools, or choose another disk. Avoid manually rounding offsets without accounting for all metadata and recovery partitions. Back up the disk before layout changes.
Implementation guidance
Storage software should calculate aligned usable capacity before presenting an operation as feasible and should distinguish “not enough space” from “no aligned extent.”
References
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