Changing Partition

[harrydawizard]

So here's my issue: I have ubuntu 12.04.01 LTS. I intended to partition my 200 GB hard drive into roughly half. I want half for windows and half for ubuntu. Currently, my computer has quite a jumbo of partitions. I have 6 total. The second largest is 8.5 GB and the largest is 219.79 GB.
So here's the problem: I have Ubuntu on a partition on 3.6 GB which is much smaller than I intended. So is there a way to repartition without reinstalling?
I installed ubuntu via USB.
Anyone know how to do this?
I tried using GParted but it wouldn't let me change my 219.79 GB partition. The minimum I could change it to is 225 061 MB and the maximum is 225 062 MB.
Also, this same partition (219.79GB) has a red ! warning.
What to try next?

[carl4926]

You need to take a screenshot of what you see in gparted and post it here

[offgridguy]

I am assuming that windows is already installed ? Probably on the
219 gb partition, which is why you are seeing the warning flag.
Without a screenshot, we can only guess.

[Mark Phelps]

If your Windows version is newer than XP, I would strongly advise AGAINST using GParted to mess with any of the Windows filesystem partitions. Instead, use the Windows Disk Management utility.

OR, better yet, download and burn the Minitool Partition Wizard Boot CD, boot from that, and use that to modify Windows filesystem partitions.

[harrydawizard]

Here is a screenshot of Gparted and one of the Warning.

Also, I currently have Windows 7, and installed Ubuntu from a USB because I have no optical drive.

Thanks for the speedy replies.

[oldfred]

Does Windows boot? I would try chkdsk first.

Then use Partition Wizard to repair and shrink the Windows partition.

http://www.partitionwizard.com/features.html
http://www.partitionwizard.com/parti...ition-fix.html

Then with gparted delete your current Linux partitions and the extended partition. You can only have one extended and it is trapped into the small space. You then can create a new extended in the unallocated you create by shrinking Windows and can make as many loggical partitions for Linux and shared NTFS data partitions as you want.

[carl4926]

@oldfred is correct

But I only ever use Gparted, well Parted Magic. But for me Windows is Not important, I never use it. And I never leave the original install of windows in place, because I have access to all the Full DVD's, so I always do a clean, untainted install and partition my HD as I like it.

Back to you though, you need to delete:
sda6
sda5
sda4

@oldfred asked if windows boots
BUT what I find odd is it's not showing any data on it? Which could be down to the error!? So there probably is data on it, unless you formatted it?

Anyway, with those partitions deleted you need to shrink sda3, from it's far right point to the left. Problem is we don't know how much we can shrink it. But we'll get back to that. Once you have freed up some space (you will see it as unallocated), fill it all with an extended partition. Then you can create logical partitions inside that space for swap and ext4 for / )

Back to windows. With sda4,5,6 deleted you should get windows back in order, working and booting normally, then backup and defrag it, and only then work on the partitioning for Ubuntu.

[harrydawizard]

Ok so here's where I'm at. I have been able to boot windows but have a problem with it freezing. I ran the chkdsk and it seems to have removed the warning sign in Gparted. I booted windows to run partitionwizard so that I could adjust the acer partition but it wouldn't allow me because partitionwizard wanted me to purchase the full program. BUT, I booted ubuntu and gparted now allowed me to adjust my acer ntfs. So now I have 122 GB unallocated but I can't follow the next step because if you look at this screen shot sda2, sda5 and sda6 all have the "key" symbol so I can't adjust/delete these partitions. I can't do it from windows without getting another program. What to do?

[carl4926]

Wow
That's all changed

You need to delete
sda6
sda5
sda2
In that order and apply it.

Then you can create an extended space in the unallocated area. Just click to focus on it
This will give you a clue, but it's just to show you some of the principles, it's not specifically what you have to do
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10573557/wi...partitions.m4v

Once you have the extended space you can create logical partitions for ubuntu

[arpanaut]

@OP you cannot remove partitions while your system is booted to and mounted on those partitions.
You will need to boot from a live cd/usb and then un mount the swap partition then you will be able to delete the partitions as instructed above, then you can create an extended partition with the unallocated space then create logical partitions within that and install ubuntu there with plenty of space to spare.