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ubiquity package

How to increase the Win partition of the dual-booted Ubuntu?

Asked by Alex Rogachevsky

I have a 256G SSD, and initially allocated inadequate Windows (Win7) partition: 50G thinking it is enough, as it is not my primary OS. Ubuntu is - taking the rest of the drive. However I started working with 3D software in Windows and am short appr. 20G.

I am about to do a clean re-install of Ubuntu (changing from 11.04 to the latest 12.04) and would also like to use this chance to increase the Windows partition to 70G. Windows is OEM, so I do not have the installation CD. It was transferred from the original notebook drive. I do not want to go through that process (of shrinking 1T to 70G) again as that drive is now used as a backup and has tons of data. And I am OK with erasing and reinstalling Ubuntu since I'd like to do a clean install anyway - but not Windows.

Is it possible to use the partition tool (part of Grub?) from the Ubuntu installation CD to increase Windows partition - erasing my existing Ubuntu, which I will replace with the new version anyway? Windows would pick up the increased size automatically (or using Disk Utilities), wouldn't it?

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Wyatt Smith (wyatt-smith) said : 		#1

It is best to resize you windows partition inside of Windows 7 rather than a linux utility as this can "freak" Windows out. There are internal checks that windows performs related to the filesystem and redundancy of the FAT that the linux utilities cannot duplicate. Use windows disk management utility do resize diskmgmt.msc.

After you resize your windows partition, then you can install the latest version of Ubuntu.

Hope this helps

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Alex Rogachevsky (a-rogachevsky) said : 		#2

There is no free (unpartitioned) space on the drive now.
50G Windows, and 200G Ubuntu, swap, and something else which I don't remember.
I need it to be: 70G Windows and 180G unpartitioned space (for Ubuntu) without loss of Windows. I don;t care about my current Ubuntu installation since I will do the clean install anyway - and I have the installation media unlike OEM Windows.

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#3

you can delete the ubuntu partition and use windows7 to expand as needed to the new space. then reboot to the install media and put in ubuntu.

be sure you backup what you need

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Best Wyatt Smith (wyatt-smith) said : 		#4

Backup any important user data on you ubuntu partition. Then you can delete the ubuntu and swap partitions to create the free space that you need. After you resize Windows, you can then install 12.04 in the remaining free space.

The other partitions you are referring to should be the 100MB System Reversed Partition and possibly an OEM partition. Please leave these intact.

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Alex Rogachevsky (a-rogachevsky) said : 		#5

Thanks. I'll try it. Of course full backup first.
Grub will still be there, as I remember. But it shouldn't intefere with Windows re-partitioning?

So the sequence is the following:
1. Delete the second (Ubuntu) partition - via unistalling Ubuntu?
2. Reboot, pick Windows and use its tool to increase the partition.
3. Install the new Ubuntu in the free space.

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Alex Rogachevsky (a-rogachevsky) said : 		#6

Thanks Wyatt Smith, that solved my question.