[SOLVED] Resizing external 4 TB HDD NTFS partition

usr345 · 10-11-2020, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuckyCyborg

I suggest you to mount the /dev/sdb1 (eventualy read-only) and to look what files contains.

From my experience, those Windows reserved partitions can contains Windows or whatever software installation or recovery kits, or could be even an EFI "backup" partition.

It doesn't mount unfortunately:

Code:

# mount -o ro /dev/sdb1 /mnt/floppy/
NTFS signature is missing.
Failed to mount '/dev/sdb1': Invalid argument
The device '/dev/sdb1' doesn't seem to have a valid NTFS.
Maybe the wrong device is used? Or the whole disk instead of a
partition (e.g. /dev/sda, not /dev/sda1)? Or the other way around?

Probably, some Windows recovery programs from Seagate reside there.

Here is more info about the disk:

Code:

# parted /dev/sdb "unit s print"

Model: Seagate BUP BK (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 7814037167s
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/4096B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags: 

Number  Start        End          Size         File system  Name                          Flags
 1      34s          262177s      262144s                   Microsoft reserved partition  msftres
 2      264192s      4259403775s  4259139584s  ntfs         Basic data partition          msftdata
 3      4259403776s  7814037133s  3554633358s  ext4

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuckyCyborg

IF the Windows partition do not contains any useful data, you can delete it, then to use GParted to move and resize the Linux partition, to fill all available space.

This is what I meant by "merging".

LuckyCyborg · 10-11-2020, 04:20 AM

@usr345

Anyway, at its size of 128MB, its presence is more aesthetically disturbing than a waste of storage space...

As having to use /dev/sdb2 instead of /dev/sdb1 in your commands, for mounting the Linux partition. So, I suggests you to leave it to live alone and to step forward.

Who knows? Maybe in one bright day you will reconsider this hard drive usage and what is in this partition, may be somewhat useful.

Didier Spaier · 10-11-2020, 08:56 AM

You won't need the stuff in this partition if you wipe your Windows system so you can safely remove it.

usr345 · 10-11-2020, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Didier Spaier

You won't need the stuff in this partition is you wipe your Windows system so you can safely remove it.

That's what I did. Merging the partitions right now, moving the files. 21 hours are left so far. Hope, everything will be fine tomorrow.

usr345 · 10-12-2020, 08:37 AM

After 26 hours of work it's over! All the files are on the new ext4 partition:

Code:

# fdisk -l /dev/sdb
Disk /dev/sdb: 3.7 TiB, 4000787029504 bytes, 7814037167 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 33553920 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: 1F43D503-0E02-4798-B698-8CB4751B2518

Device     Start        End    Sectors  Size Type
/dev/sdb3   2048 7814035455 7814033408  3.7T Linux filesystem