Partition without Data Loss

SirJinX · 01-31-2006, 06:45 PM

Hi,

Is there any software for LINUX that can parttion my hard drive without causing any data loss?

Thanks in advance

bosewicht · 01-31-2006, 06:49 PM

look into parted qtparted that might be what you are looking for

SirJinX · 01-31-2006, 09:02 PM

I tried it.
And I ran into quite a few problems.

At the moment, I'm stuck at this one:

Code:

Type "make" to compile QtParted

[root@localhost qtparted-0.4.5]# make
WARNING: use unsermake instead of make or use a wrapper script, e.g. makeobj!!!
/usr/share/unsermake/unsermake all
make: /usr/share/unsermake/unsermake: Command not found
make: *** [all] Error 127

I have tried replacing unsermake with usermake since I tought it was a typo, but it didn't work :S
So I reverted it back

pixellany · 01-31-2006, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirJinX

Hi,

Is there any software for LINUX that can parttion my hard drive without causing any data loss?

Thanks in advance

If you re-partition the whole drive, you lose all data. part of the dirve--part of the data.
It will help to know the current setup--ie what partitions and how full----and what you want to have when you are done.

J.W. · 01-31-2006, 11:16 PM

What exactly are you trying to do? Create new partitions, resize existing partitions, transfer data from one disk to another, etc, etc?

If you have a partition that has been created under one file system (eg, NTFS) and want to convert it to a Linux-friendly file system (eg, ReiserFS), there is no way to do that on the fly. Can you provide more details about your goal?

SirJinX · 02-01-2006, 05:48 AM

I want to resize my linux partition so that I can test another version of a distro without losing my current linux set up.

Except I am having troubles installing qt-parted.

Code:

Type "make" to compile QtParted

[root@localhost qtparted-0.4.5]# make
WARNING: use unsermake instead of make or use a wrapper script, e.g. makeobj!!!
/usr/share/unsermake/unsermake all
make: /usr/share/unsermake/unsermake: Command not found
make: *** [all] Error 127

SirJinX · 02-01-2006, 02:41 PM

Well, I just got home.
And I have more time now.

I searched for what the unsermake command is and it's for KDE.

So I downloaded and extracted it even tough I have gnome.
I didn't know how to install it :S

But I did manage to execute the unsermake file inside the folder.
except,
I get this error now:

Code:

./unsermake
creating ./src/qp_ui_config.cpp
/bin/sh: -c: line 0: syntax error near unexpected token `then'
/bin/sh: -c: line 0: `/usr/lib/qt-3.3/bin/uic -L  -nounload -i qp_ui_config.h /home/sirjinx/Downloads/qtparted-0.4.5/src/qp_ui_config.ui > ./src/qp_ui_config.cpp ; ret=$? if test "$ret" = 0; then echo '#include "qp_ui_config.moc"' >> ./src/qp_ui_config.cpp; else rm -f ./src/qp_ui_config.cpp; exit $ret; fi'
Error creating ./src/qp_ui_config.cpp. Exit status 2.

I really don't know what it means. :S
But the first line in the unsermake file is this:

Code:

#! /usr/bin/env python

P.S. I'm using FC4 with Gnome

Edit:
I tried to do a "./unsermake make" (copied the extracts to where the qtparted folder was) and it says

Quote:

no rule to create target: INSTALL()

J.W. · 02-02-2006, 02:26 AM

I personally haven't attempted to dynamically resize Linux partitions. It's easy in Windows, but in Linux what I've done is to just back up my installation, resize the partitions, then restore from the backup. Granted it may not be the most elegant method but it works. Sorry I don't have any major words of wisdom.

Wim Sturkenboom · 02-02-2006, 02:43 AM

A backup is always advised. There will never be a guarantee that there's no data loss.
Power failure, user mistake.

PS Is parted not part of your distro? So no need for compiling, I suppose

enorbet · 08-26-2006, 12:25 AM

Hello
Regarding the installation of QTParted as well as it's usability, usefullness, safety, etc here are some answers.

First of all it is never wise to take what may appear to be an executable from an uninstalled source tarball and attempt to use it as someone here may have done and renaming it for any length of time invites forgetfullness and can bite one in the arse. (This sort of casual behaviour is exactly the sort of thing one does not want to engage in with a low-level program such as QTParted or any other partitioning application.) If you download the source file it is really essential to do the reading of the "Install", "readme" and usualy the "faq" at the website is also a good idea. There you will see what is required to install QTParted and it is unusually involved. So be careful and methodical here. The entire QT SDK must be installed as well as the entire "libparted" libraries which must be in running condition, not just some files present. If you wish to install QTParted from source, which I generally do definitely prefer but in this specific case, I recommend finding a package. Slackware users can find it at "www.linuxpackages.net". Google will likely help you guys with other distros. Also IRC channels devoted to your distro and to QT, KDE, etc can sometimes help if a local guru resides there and is willing to share. I have installed QTParted in Slackware from source as well as with the package and since the sdk requirement the package is likely the best option for the average user.

Usability - As stated QTParted is a graphic interface loosely based on PQMagic and though it's appearance is considerably funkier than PQMagic, it is still quite intuitive and easy to use.
Usefullness - Partitioning tools are extremely useful to those who like and use multi-OS systems. They are also very useful to the few folks who actually bother to backup their systems instead of just talk about it. It is not a pita to backup a few gigabyte partition, but it is when they are in the 10's and 100's of gigabytes, unless you backup to a large hard drive. Even then it is more effective to deal with multiple smaller partitions for example where programs, data, collected downloads, etc are separated from system files. This is especially useful in Linux where one can mount root, home, /usr directories on separate partitions and makes restoring from backups as well as upgrading the system easier and more ordered.
Safety - Deep level programs like this can be extremely destructive even when they are stable and while I have yet to have a major mishap, I have not used it to do a lot of work other than provide a great deal of information in one quick-to-grasp picture equalling thousands of words. The author of QTParted notes that it is very beta and even the unsermake utility itself does not come stock with stable KDE. It is or was CVS (now "subversion") software, the bleeding edge og beta.

Recommendation - If partitioning, resizing, low level checkdisking, moderate data recovery, etc are things that are important to you, in other words the real *work* as opposed to info of partitioning tools, I side with Patrick Volkerding, creator of Slackware, who recommends PQMagic (Partition Magic, originally made by PowerQuest but since bought out by Norton/Symmantec). It, unlike QTParted (and even moreso GParted, the Gnome "version") is very mature software that kicked ass even at version 1 and is now on version 8. It handles ext2, ext3, reiser and many more filesystems even including low level chkdisk-ing. Version 8 comes on a bootable CD so it runs from a single-user, single task environment and is by far much safer if just for that - no competing background processes, plus it means you don't have to have windoze.

I generally prefer building from source and also using native linux software sometimes even when that app may be at present less evolved than some windows app. In this case however, I highly recommend anyone really serious about using such a tool, spring for the few bucks it takes to get the best partitioning tool ever made, PQMagic. I have no affiliation with it other than as an extremely satisfied user ever since it first came out having bought versions 3,4,5,7, and 8. It also means a great deal to me that Patrick recommends it since I am in awe of his skills as basically the sole creator of the best Linux distro out there, and at the very least the only distro not created by committee, but by one guy.

Hope this helps
enorbet