A fine mess... Partition help.

While I am using Lucid, I feel this is a problem with partitioning and not a development issue. Therefore I am posting here. :)

I decided to try and clean up the partitions on my drive as I got a low space warning while upgrading. After monkeying around for a while I have discovered I haven't a clue how to move partitions around! I have read a number of tutorials, but seem to have hit the wall. I want to consolidate the unused portions and allocate them to sda7, and perhaps eliminate one of the two swap files. I have attached a pic of my drive in gparted. sda1 is XP, sda5 is my development test bed (Lucid Lynx beta 2) and sda7 is my "working" ubuntu partition. I know how to resize the partitions, but haven't the foggiest how to move them... As I said, I want to consolidate and allocate the unused portions to sda7, and perhaps end up with one swap file. So left to right would be sda1 (xp) sda7 (Future Lucid release) and sda5 (development test bed) then the swap file at the end?

I hope I haven't messed things up too bad...

Thanks!

I should add that I have already shrunk sda1 and sda5 to the size I want using gparted from a live cd. I just can't figure out how to move the unallocated spaces to the left and consolidate them, then allocate to sda7.

Thanks again!

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Originally Posted by Nesaskewatch

I should add that I have already shrunk sda1 and sda5 to the size I want using gparted from a live cd. I just can't figure out how to move the unallocated spaces to the left and consolidate them, then allocate to sda7.

Thanks again!

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You might wan to consider making an image (or more) image backup(s) then restructuring partitions, then merging partition data (if needed) to the newly formed partitions. If you have solid image backups you can wipe everything and build anything you want... Oh verify your images first... Had a lot of extra work because of that once.

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Originally Posted by Doctor Mike

You might wan to consider making an image (or more) image backup(s) then restructuring partitions, then merging partition data (if needed) to the newly formed partitions.

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I have just this one drive I'm afraid. This is the first time I have tried to move partitions. It sounds so easy in the various howto's I've read, but I can't quite figger it.

There is always a risk of something going wrong when you edit partitions. A common one is to delete the wrong partition...
You should backup your data,if you cant backup everything, backup the most important stuff (to cd/dvd/usb...)

To get the unallocated space outside your extended partition inside, resize sda2.
The unused swap (the one without the little key icon) can be deleted.
then resize/move the partitions one by one so all the unallocated space ends up next to sda7.

Hey! Thanks for the reply! A few questions if I may;

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Originally Posted by s_ø

To get the unallocated space outside your extended partition inside, resize sda2.

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So I can just select sda2 from the list and enlarge it all the way pretty much? (Save some for swap file size?) Then I will have the option of moving them?

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Originally Posted by s_ø

then resize/move the partitions one by one so all the unallocated space ends up next to sda7.

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This is where I got stuck. All I was able to do is resize them. I am hoping that by resizing sda2 I will have the option of moving them as opposed to resizing only...?

I am asking these questions first before I actually try them with the live cd. I will try to backup onto a dvd, but that will be a first as well.

Cheers man!

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So I can just select sda2 from the list and enlarge it all the way pretty much? (Save some for swap file size?)

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Yes enlarge it all the way, unless you need some for another primary partition (for windows or another os). Swap space can be inside the extended partition.

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Then I will have the option of moving them?

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To move partitions you need somewhere to move them, you cant move them into each other. You should be able to move sda5 so the unallocated space is between sda5 and sda8. Then you can move sda8 so unallocated is between sda7 and sda8.
Then resize sda7.

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Originally Posted by s_ø

You should be able to move sda5 so the unallocated space is between sda5 and sda8. Then you can move sda8 so unallocated is between sda7 and sda8.
Then resize sda7.

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Sounds like tiddlywinks! Or maybe chess?

Thanks very much! Easily understood.

BTW, I just downloaded Clonezilla. I'll burn an image somewhere somehow.

I'll post the result shortly I hope.

Cheers!

Well, lookie here! (See attachment)

Thanks for the help friend! Worked great. I had to get rid of the swap that was "in between", and do the sda2 resize separately, but all went swimmingly well. Maybe sometime I might be able to help you? Who knows...

Thanks again.

I spoke too soon? I just found out XP won't boot now! lol Reverts to the grub screen for selecting kernels/OS's when I select it and hit enter. Won't let me select XP. Everything else works great. Perhaps I messed up Grub? Going to search around a bit. If anyone has any ideas...?

Thanks!