parted and umount file systems

Freestone · 04-14-2006, 08:07 PM

Hello all,

I've done some searching for similar threads to no avail so here goes:

What I'm trying to do is copy my / partition to another partition. From what I've read at GNU's documentation site, this is possible. Here's what I get from a parted print:

Using /dev/hda
(parted) p
Disk geometry for /dev/hda: 0kB - 40GB
Disk label type: msdos
Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32kB 82MB 82MB primary ext3 boot
2 82MB 18GB 18GB primary ext3
3 28GB 39GB 10GB primary ext3
4 39GB 40GB 1045MB extended
5 39GB 40GB 1045MB logical linux-swap

You'll notice a gap between Number 2 and Number 3. I resized Number 2 and after I move / to Number 2 I'm going to resize Number 3 with what is leftover from the resize.

Number 3 is my root partition, 10GB and its too small. Of course from a command line while Linux is up and running, and issuing the command cp > /dev/hda> 3---of course it tells me that /dev/hda3 is busy and mounted. I want to copy / to Number 2. It of course makes sense that its busy and mounted while the system is up and running.

The issue I'm having is I boot up from a rescue disk (FC 5 by the way) and I've tried running in the root environment by issuing 'chroot /mnt/sysimage' and then running parted and trying to copy. I get the same error message: Partition /dev/hda3 is being used. You must unmount it before modifying it with Parted. I've tried everything I know to do.
How do you unmount /dev/hda3 when booting from a rescue disk and running linux rescue. I've boot from the rescue cd 'read only' and I still can't umount /dev/hda3. What gives? How can I get into the system while not being on / ??
Good question or am I brain dead?

Thanks,
Freestone

homey · 04-14-2006, 09:27 PM

You have already created the partitions so, I would proceed as follows.

Code:

1. Boot into FC5

2. Format /dev/hda2 with the command: mkfs.ext3 /dev/hda2

3. Create a folder and mount it...
mkdir /mnt/new
mount /dev/hda2 /mnt/new

4. Copy your existing root structure over to the /mnt/new with cpio...
find / -xdev -print0 | cpio -admvp0 /mnt/new

5. After the cpio is done, cd into /mnt/new and change the /boot/grub/grub.conf to add an entry showing the new location of FC5 .
For example:
# the original system on /dev/hda3
title Fedora Core (2.6.16-1.2080_FC5)
	root (hd0,2)
	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.16-1.2080_FC5 ro root=/dev/hda3 rhgb quiet
	initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.16-1.2080_FC5.img

# the new system on /dev/hda2
title Fedora Core (2.6.16-1.2080_FC5)
	root (hd0,1)
	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.16-1.2080_FC5 ro root=/dev/hda2 rhgb quiet
	initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.16-1.2080_FC5.img

6. While in the /mnt/new folder, edit the /etc/fstab for the / (root) and /swap as the LABEL= parts will not work on the system after it has been moved.
For example:
/dev/hda2               /                       ext3    defaults        1 1
/dev/hda5               swap                    swap    defaults        0 0

7. Start the grub utility and tell it where to look for grub in /dev/hda2 now.
For example:
grub
grub> root (hd0,1)
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit

8. Reboot and see if you can get into the new location ok. If not, you still have the original system in working order.

homey · 04-14-2006, 09:38 PM

I hate it when I have selective vision.

Since you have a separte /boot partition, you may be able to skip all the parts about grub.

Freestone · 04-15-2006, 08:32 AM

I appreciate your detailed response. I'll give it a shot later today when I have a few minutes to monkey around with this thing.

Thanks again,

Freestone