overlapped partition 32bit

[dkim53]

Hello,
I recently installed windows xp pro as a 3rd os on this older single core computer. Originally started with windows home, then added ubuntu 11.10 and upgraded to 12.4LTS. I learned how to use Clonezilla and Gparted. I used Gparted to create and format the partition I installed xp pro on. Now Grub is gone and I can only boot to the two windows os, pro and home. I have use the ubuntu live cd to get to this. It seems the /dev/sda2 is overlapped to /dve/sda3 which is the Linux swap partition. How can I manually change the ending of dev/sda2 in the terminal? Here is the output of sudo fdisk -l -u.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l -u
omitting empty partition (5)

Disk /dev/sda: 400.1 GB, 400088457216 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 48641 cylinders, total 781422768 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x414c936c

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 143362047 71680992+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 143380478 781422591 319021057 5 Extended
/dev/sda3 779853824 781422591 784384 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda5 143382528 290838527 73728000 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda6 681791488 778280959 48244736 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 778283008 779843583 780288 82 Linux swap / Solaris
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

[fantab]

You have to re-install GRUB using Live Ubuntu DVD/USB. Read HERE and HERE

[oldfred]

You cannot have a primary partition sda3 inside the extended partition which is sda2.
since it is just swap I would delete it. If it is the swap you are using, you then would have to edit fstab with the UUID of your other swap.

First backup partition table, use your drive for sdX or sda, sdb etc.
sudo sfdisk -d /dev/sdX > parts.txt

This may just let you reorganize partitions.

Fixparts - Repair broken partition tables (not overlapping issues) & delete Stray gpt data from MBR drives
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...7#post10367957
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1705325
http://www.rodsbooks.com/fixparts/

[dkim53]

You have to re-install GRUB using Live Ubuntu DVD/USB. Read HERE and HERE

Thanks fantab! I used the second (HERE) solution http://howtoubuntu.org/how-to-repair...d#.UmMC6HBvPk8
That worked perfectly for reinstalling GRUB to my Ubuntu 12.4LTS. Now I can boot to any of the OS's.

[dkim53]

You cannot have a primary partition sda3 inside the extended partition which is sda2.
since it is just swap I would delete it. If it is the swap you are using, you then would have to edit fstab with the UUID of your other swap.

First backup partition table, use your drive for sdX or sda, sdb etc.
sudo sfdisk -d /dev/sdX > parts.txt

This may just let you reorganize partitions.

Fixparts - Repair broken partition tables (not overlapping issues) & delete Stray gpt data from MBR drives
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...7#post10367957
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1705325
http://www.rodsbooks.com/fixparts/

Hi oldfred. Can you help me with the terminal commands? I think all I need to do in sfdisk is manually change the end of the extended partition to end before /dev/sda3. Your thoughts...

[oldfred]

If you want to manually edit partition table that can be done. It might just be easier to change sda3 to sda8 so it then is logical. Fixparts makes that easier to do.

You can export text file with sfdisk and edit partition numbers or start and size of partition manually, but need to be sure to follow details. Some math also as sfdisk uses start & size where most outputs are start & end sectors.

You may just be able to use fdisk to reunmber disks also as it rewrites partition table. But if you have any place not using UUID, but using device that may then need editing.

Caljohnsmith using sfdisk to edit partition table from text file
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1036600
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1038943
caljohnsmith and meierfra use sfdisk links:
Exported partition table & reimported to fix with sfdisk.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1591704

[dkim53]

If you want to manually edit partition table that can be done. It might just be easier to change sda3 to sda8 so it then is logical. Fixparts makes that easier to do.

You can export text file with sfdisk and edit partition numbers or start and size of partition manually, but need to be sure to follow details. Some math also as sfdisk uses start & size where most outputs are start & end sectors.

You may just be able to use fdisk to reunmber disks also as it rewrites partition table. But if you have any place not using UUID, but using device that may then need editing.

Caljohnsmith using sfdisk to edit partition table from text file
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1036600
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1038943
caljohnsmith and meierfra use sfdisk links:
Exported partition table & reimported to fix with sfdisk.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1591704

Another observation with this overlapped extend partition is Gparted sees the drive as unallocated. This seems to be be consistant with many other of the forum threads. Do you think that moving /dev/sda3 to /dev/sda8 will help remedy the Gparted as well? I'm game with giving this a go. Can you help with the terminal commands?

[oldfred]

I really suggest fixparts as the easiest way.

I have never directly edited a partition table but have the old links above where those who knew a lot did export data, edit it and reimport it. But that is almost never required now with fixparts.

[dkim53]

I really suggest fixparts as the easiest way.

I have never directly edited a partition table but have the old links above where those who knew a lot did export data, edit it and reimport it. But that is almost never required now with fixparts.

Ok oldfred, let's give fixparts a go. Please walk me through the the commands from downloading to finish. I am not an accomplished Linux user. The computer that I'm doing this to is not my main computer, it's like a test one to learn Ubuntu. If all fails, I'll wipe the drive and start from scratch. This will be a learning experience for me.

[oldfred]

Click on this link.
http://www.rodsbooks.com/fixparts/

Read the instructions and follow the link to download the 32bit .deb file. You should be able to double click on it and it will install. It is a command line program so from a terminal just run
fixparts /dev/sdX where the X is the drive with your issue.

If instructions are not clear post back terminal output using advanced edit include in code tags (# after highlighting).