LinuxQuestions.org - partition software for linux

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partition software for linux

hi:

I initially partitioned my hd into two large portions, one for linux and one for windows.
I think I would rather have linux taking up the entire HD now, so is there any software available, a la PartitionMagic for Windows, that would allow me to resize ext3 partitions on Linux? In case it matters, I am using Fedora Core 3 Test 2.

Thanks,
Abhra

i hear QtParted is good.

just tried qtparted, and looks awesome, but it seems as if there is no capability for resizing ext3 partitions in particular, quite problematic since all of mine are of that variety.

does anyone know whether Qtparted allows resizing of ext3?

I know that 'parted' can resize and/or move ext3 partitions, but the way it does that is kind of strange. It can only resize the endpoint of the partition and not the beginning. So if your ext3 is hda1 then its easy, if it is hda2 then you will have to move it then resize.

I just went to qtparted's home page and it's NOT able to RESIZE ext3 partitions.

Your best bet is to backup, delete partitions & create new ones. I'm faced with the same problem. I will be moving to Fedora Core 3 when it comes out and I will probably loose my /home ...

I don't know about QTParted, but I know for a fact that parted can resize ext3. But as I said before, if you want to move the start of the partition, you will have to use the 'move partition' command.

to use parted or qtparted, disable journaling of the ext3 partition to make it an ext2 partition. Then resize. Then create a new journal.

To do this, unmount the partition you wish to resize (if it is the root partition, boot from a rescue disc or telinit into single user mode). Use tune2fs to disable journaling (I think the command is tune2fs -O ^has_journal $PARTITION where $PARTITION is the name/location of your partition). When you are done resizing with Parted, reboot into a shell that has access to the unmounted partition and tune2fs -O has_journal $PARTITION will make the partition ext3 again.

you don't need to turn journaling off to resize

Opps... my bad. I must have gotten that idea from having to use partion magic or something... thanks for the correction..

take from the parted website:

Code:

        detect                create                resize                copy                check        

ext2                *                *                *1                *2                *3        

ext3                *                                *1                *2                *3        

fat16                *                *                *4                *5                *        

fat32                *                *                *                *                *        

swap                *                *                *                *                *        

HFS                *                                                                        

JFS                *                                                                        

NTFS                *                                                                        

Reiser                *                *6                *1, 6                *6                *6        

UFS                *                                                                        

XFS                *

Supported operations

Notes:

1. For ext2, ext3 and reiserfs: the start of the partition must stay fixed.
2. For ext2, ext3: the partition you copy to must be bigger or exactly the same size as the partition you copy from.
3. For ext2 and ext3: the checking is limited to ensuring the resize and copy commands will be ok.
4. For fat: the size of the new partition after resizing or copying is restricted by the cluster size. Parted can shrink the cluster size, so you can always shrink your partition. However, if you can't use FAT32 for some reason, you may not be able to grow your partition.
5. Parted supports both FAT16 and FAT32. Parted can convert file systems between FAT16 and FAT32, if necessary.
6. Reiserfs support is enabled if you install libreiserfs, available at http://reiserfs.osdn.org.ua. (It is likely to be available soon from http://www.namesys.com)