Linux partition blocks cloning HDD to SSD

vw98008 · 11-16-2022, 06:09 PM

To improve the performance of my near ten years old Dell desktop, I want to add an SSD as the boot disk. The desktop is dual boot with Linux. After connecting a new SSD with a SATA power cable and a SATA data cable, I start to clone the HDD to SSD with Macrium Refect on Windows. The used hard drive space is 170 GB and the SSD has 240 GB space. But I am blocked by the Linux partition. The message says "this partition has a fixed size and can't be shrunk to ....". What is a good solution for the issue? One solution is not to clone the Linux partition and do a dual boot setup again on the SSD and copy any want-to-keep files manually through a third media. But, I don't know whether the boot script would work or not because that is for the dual boot. Another solution is to shrink the Linux partition to fit in the rest of the space in the SSD. (edited to clarify possible solutions)

camorri · 11-16-2022, 06:43 PM

It appears that Macrium Refect is a windoze only program. It will not be able to read any linux file system.

Have a look at this link for ways to clone a linux system. -->https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/2-meth...ux-hard-drive/

Hope this helps.

vw98008 · 11-16-2022, 06:59 PM

I have edited the post to clarify where I run the app.

syg00 · 11-16-2022, 07:27 PM

The implication from the message is that the allocated (rather than actually used) space is larger than the target. From a linux terminal run this and post all the output.

Code:

lsblk -f -o +size

vw98008 · 11-16-2022, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

The implication from the message is that the allocated (rather than actually used) space is larger than the target. From a linux terminal run this and post all the output.

Code:

lsblk -f -o +size

Code:

NAME   FSTYPE LABEL    UUID                                 FSAVAIL FSUSE% MOUNTPOINT                  SIZE
sda                                                                                                  223.6G
sdb                                                                                                  931.5G
├─sdb1 vfat            5450-4444                                39M     0% /media/abc/5450-4444  39.2M
├─sdb2 ntfs   RECOVERY 0E22934B22933725                                                               18.6G
├─sdb3 ntfs   OS       B65E95ED5E95A721                        548G    24% /media/abc/OS        717.6G
├─sdb4                                                                                                   1K
├─sdb5 ext4            88c46e6e-5970-4f91-82e2-bd947a24f33c  145.2G    17% /                         191.5G
└─sdb6 swap            e6de0bc8-555b-49b1-b3c6-486f54926212                [SWAP]                      3.9G
sr0

1024M

syg00 · 11-16-2022, 10:33 PM

How about you stop editting prior post(s) - post new data in new posts to save confusion.

I know nothing of Macrium, but if it handles the resizing of the Windows partition ok, you might still be in strife if it treats the ext4 partition as unmovable (as well as a fixed size). You might want to try resizing it with a gparted livecd, but with (presumably) a non-gpt disk structure, you'll probably have to re-install grub if it does get moved.
As per the link above, clonezilla is the usual suggested solution for linux users, but Windows might be an issue. Or not, I haven't moved it around for many years.

jailbait · 11-16-2022, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vw98008

What is a good solution for the issue?

1. Forget any attempts to use a cloning or direct copy program to copy the SSD.

2. Use a partitioning program such as gparted to create and format the partitions on the new drive.

3. Use the cp program to copy the files from one partition to another.

4. Run a grub install if needed.

Debian6to11 · 11-17-2022, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

As per the link above, clonezilla is the usual suggested solution for linux users, but Windows might be an issue. Or not, I haven't moved it around for many years.

I used Clonezilla to backup a dual boot disk of Windows 10 and Debian. The image was verified.
Since it can backup Windows, I do not see a reason not to able to copy them.

pan64 · 11-17-2022, 12:42 PM

I would try to install a fresh linux on that ssd and copy the required files from the old partition. But it depends on the amount of that data.

vw98008 · 11-17-2022, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jailbait

1. Forget any attempts to use a cloning or direct copy program to copy the SSD.

2. Use a partitioning program such as gparted to create and format the partitions on the new drive.

3. Use the cp program to copy the files from one partition to another.

4. Run a grub install if needed.

That will request a lot of work, right? And mistakes could easily happen with those commands.

vw98008 · 11-17-2022, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pan64

I would try to install a fresh linux on that ssd and copy the required files from the old partition. But it depends on the amount of that data.

I have thought about this approach, but worry about the dual bost script. I might need to delete the Linux in the HDD and set up a dual boot on SSD later.

pan64 · 11-18-2022, 12:41 AM

you don't need to delete the old one. Linux (almost any kind of distro) will detect all the available (bootable) systems and will automatically configure the boot menu.
So in that case you will have 3 entries: windows, old linux and new linux. And if you don't like it you can still do something else.

TenTenths · 11-18-2022, 04:10 AM

One bit of wisdom that has always served me well is "Never try to clone to a smaller drive."

You say you've 170Gb used in what looks like a ~750Gb Win partition and a ~200Gb Lin partition and you want to shoehorn that in to 240Gb...

Yeah, you'll not have much space left in either partition after that.

Buy a 1Tb SSD.

fatmac · 11-18-2022, 04:29 AM

Windows used to write stuff to the end of the partitions, if I remember, which could cause problems trying to clone it to another drive.

Personally, if you want to keep Windows, just install Linux onto the SSD, & leave the other disk alone. You could maybe shrink the Windows partition, then use it to store data for both systems, also where the previous Linux used to reside.

vw98008 · 11-18-2022, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pan64

you don't need to delete the old one. Linux (almost any kind of distro) will detect all the available (bootable) systems and will automatically configure the boot menu.
So in that case you will have 3 entries: windows, old linux and new linux. And if you don't like it you can still do something else.

I have thought the same. That will be required to change the boot order in the loader. I learn two options for changing the loader: a command "bcdedit /enum firmware" and making changes with UEFI on Windows. But I get "the boot configuration data store could not be opened" for the command and only the "turn off your pc" option for UEFI. I run into a wall right now.