using parted to resize ext3 (problem)

carboncopy · 10-08-2004, 10:38 PM

Hi!

I am encountering a problem using parted. Below is the command and error message:

Code:

root@testy:/# parted -i /dev/hdb resize 1 1 62880
Warning: Unable to determine if partitions are mounted via /proc/mounts or /etc/mtab.  Make sure you don't attempt to resizeor modify mounted file systems.  (Even read-only mounted)
Ignore/Cancel? Ignore
No Implementation: This ext2 filesystem has a rather strange layout!  Parted can't resize this (yet).
Information: Don't forget to update /etc/fstab, if necessary.

/dev/hdb1 is currently formatted with ext3 filesystem. It is on a 80Gbyte disk. I want to shrink it to 60Gbyte.
what is the problem? What should I do?

edited:
extra information

Code:

root@testy:/# fdisk -l /dev/hdb

Disk /dev/hdb: 81.9 GB, 81964302336 bytes
16 heads, 63 sectors/track, 158816 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 1008 * 512 = 516096 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hdb1               1      158816    80043232+  83  Linux

And from parted /dev/hdb print

Code:

root@testy:/# parted /dev/hdb print
Warning: Unable to determine if partitions are mounted via /proc/mounts or /etc/mtab.  Make sure you don't attempt to resizeor modify mounted file systems.  (Even read-only mounted)
Ignore/Cancel? Ignore
Disk geometry for /dev/hdb: 0.000-78167.250 megabytes
Disk label type: msdos
Minor    Start       End     Type      Filesystem  Flags
1          0.031  78167.250  primary   ext3
Information: Don't forget to update /etc/fstab, if necessary.

carboncopy · 10-08-2004, 11:09 PM

I downloaded the 1.6.15 source and compiled it.
And use it.

I still get the same error.

gbonvehi · 10-08-2004, 11:47 PM

Do you have a backup of the data on it? If you can trash it, then i'd suggest you to delete the partition and recreate it.
Also, did you unmount it before trying to resize?

carboncopy · 10-09-2004, 01:17 AM

Yes, I unmounted it before I tried resizing.

Delete it? Ouch.. it has 18Gbyte of data inside. Sigh.. I guess I can transfer it to an external USB drive and copy it back in later. USB 2.0 is pretty fast. May take up a few hours. HEhehehehe...

Anyway of getting parted to work?

edit:
cleaning up harddisk is a chore, I wish to have spotlight technology in Slackware.

Now it is down to 14Gbyte. Still pretty substantial. At least it can fit comfortably into 20Gbyte harddrive.