How to use unallocated space Safely in GParted

[zenawenliang]

Ok after much questions I found out that Im just gonna try to use my unallocated space and add it to ubuntu, So tell me how can I SAFELY add that unallocated space

[samcot]

I suppose you mean that you want to add in the unallocated space without affecting your current Ubuntu installation? I really like GParted, and I've been using it quite a bit, but I haven't experimented with adding space to existing partitions.

[jerome1232]

Before you messaround with partition editing, ALWAYS backup your data, there's always a chance something will go wrong (like gremlins cutting power to your machine during the process)



Anyways you should be able to "move" sda5 all the way to the left up against the begining of your extended partition sda3. This will take a very long time as gparted has to copy the partition and all of the data to a new location, including free space.

Once that is complete you can then drag the edge of sda5 to the right to extend the partition and grow the filesystem.

I'm going to emphasize backup'ing up. While this is a fairly safe procedure, data is much to valuable to risk to accidental "oops didn't want to delete that partition", or other mishaps.

edit: Also you'll have to do all of this from an Ubuntu live CD or a Gparted live cd, since the partitions can't be mounted during the process. Did I mention you should make backups?

[zenawenliang]

Alright, but how do I "Move" the partion over?

[jerome1232]

See my edit, it's been awhile since I've used gparted but there is a move partition button in there somewhere, I'll start my virtual machine and see if I can make screenshots of it.

[Miljet]

I think someone has already mentioned this in answer to your many posts, but you can not resize a partition that is in use. So you will need to boot from a live CD so your Ubuntu partition is not mounted. Or from a gparted CD.

After you open gparted, click on the partition you want to change ( in this case sda5), click resize from the top menu, then click and drag the Left edge of sda5 to the left so it includes the unallocated space. Then click apply from the top menu.

It will take a long time to complete. Anytime you expand a partition to the left, everything in the partition has to be rewritten.

[Rasa1111]

If you don't have much data on your Ubuntu install..
(it doesn't appear so)..
to be honest..
I would just save whatever files I want to keep, (say, to a folder on an external drive named "Home")-
pop in the CD and do a fresh install and use the entire HDD.

Once install is finished, drag the contents I saved to the external in the "home" folder i made, to the "Home" folder in Ubuntu.
and do my updates, install my apps/programs, and call it a fresh, new ubuntu machine! lol

This way i know for sure that everything windows has been removed, and the only thing on my HDD is Ubuntu.
and I also know that everything is installed/partitioned properly so there is less chance of failure in the future.

If this doesn't sound useful to you, Please disregard. lol

Congrats on ditching windows!
I did it a little over a year ago..
and have never been happier with my computers!

Have fun.
Peace

[jerome1232]

First boot from an Ubuntu Live CD, select "Try Ubuntu"

Get into Gparted and...

Select the partition you want to edit, click the "resize/move" button it looks like an arrow point to the right at a line, then to move the partition you grab it's center and move it toward the left or right, to resize you grab it's right or left hand side and drag it right or left.

So you may be able to simply grow it to the left instead of having to move it then grow it to the right.

I couldn't easily get screen shots while in a live cd in a virtual machine, so hopefully you get it from that.


I see other's chimed in while I was playing with my virtual machine, I'll leave this up anyways.

[samcot]

I like the way you're thinking, Rasa. After all, he just installed Ubuntu, so how much could he need to backup? Perhaps nothing! It sure would be faster and easier the way you suggest.

[zenawenliang]

Ok I loaded up my livedisk, I went to linux-swap right clicked clicked swapoff, then I resized my sda5 to use the allocated space, then I increased my linux-swap to 3 gigs, because I have 3gs ram.