Ubuntu
gparted package

Partition resize problem

Asked by kencm

I did not think when installing Ubuntu that 10.04/10.10 would be the distro that met all my needs so I just used the generic partitions on my laptop. Now I have a problem. I have the max of 4 primary partitions and while I can resize the win 7 partition I cannot use the empty space or move it. I tried the Windows Manager, GParted, and another Powerful partition editor/manager with no success. Ant help or must I uninstall and repartition and reinstall. Would hate to do that since I have Ubuntu set up just fine. With the exception of (GRRRR) Netflix.

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Daniel Martí
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Best Daniel Martí (mvdan-deactivatedaccount) said : 		#1

I'm sorry, but the only thing you can do is erase one of the four partitions in order to have space for another operating system. You can also use the GUID partition table, which lets you use more than 4 partitions, but that would mean problems booting Windows 32-bit and formatting your whole hard disk.

Hope this helps!

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PeterPall (peterpall) said : 		#2

Seems like you might have several options:
 - If you just need more than 4 partitions you can create extended partitions (which work as fine as primary partitions do if you don't try to install windows on them)
 - You can span a linux file system over several partitions and/or hard disk. One way to do so is nemad lvm (logical volume manager or so). But since I never had to use it I only know the name of the program not how to use it
 - You can install your home directory in a different partition than your system (Just edit the /etc/fstab file and tell there which partition has to appear where in the filesystem)
 - And if you have an external hard disk you can
   - create a ext2 fileystem on it
   - copy the contents of your Ubuntu partition there,
   - do anything you want to your internal hard disk,
   - then boot Ubuntu from a CD ROM,
   - copy the old partition's contents to a new filesystem on the internal hard disk,
   - chroot into this system
   - run "sudo grub-install" there
 - and you have moved a partition.

Well... ...The last option is the think I did this every time until now when facing a similar problem, but... ...I think lvm looks way easier to me. Will be away for the next 2 weeks, so I am leaving this question "open".

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PeterPall (peterpall) said : 		#3

named lvm. Seems like I am still not used to the keyboard of my new computer.

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marcus aurelius (adbiz) said : 		#4

windoze 7 should have only 2 partitions. have a look in the partitions to see what's there. if it's garbage, you can delete that and use it for ubuntu.

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kencm (kencm41) said : 		#5

Win 7 has 2 partitions and dell has one. Ubuntu took up the other. Since I have a 64 bit system it looks like a reload. Oh well, live and learn. Be 69 in 3 days... still learning and having fun! Thanks a lot for the input. Will consider this solved.

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kencm (kencm41) said : 		#6

Thanks Daniel Martí, that solved my question.