10.04 (64 bit) resize boot partition issue

[dhron]

Hi guys, ):P

I dual booted my win 7 with ubuntu 10.04. I am happy to use ubuntu only, so I want to remove win 7 and resize my boot partition. It is a single hard drive with the following partitions,

|---win 7----|---/ (ubuntu)----|---swap space----|

I have already removed win 7 using "disk utility"...but when I boot in using Ubuntu live CD and use gparted I can't resize "/". So, windows is removed fine. I can boot in to ubuntu but I can't resize "/" using gparted (even with sudo).

There is a key next to ubuntu and swap space (both of these partitions appear in as one extended partition). may be that tells something ???.

Please help!!! :(
Regards.

[dhron]

Anyone? I don't want to reinstall it. Please help!!!

[siddhanathan]

EXTENDED PARTITION is what you have to consider... An extended partition is different from primary partition... you cannot merge them together unless the extended partition is deleted.. I had to backup my entire system to do this...

In my case the extended partition was my storage drive, so I was able to back it up... But in your case, deleting the extended partition would mean deleting ubuntu and the swap space itself...

This is one stupid thing computer manufacturers do... They make Windows the primary partition and keep the storage drive as the extended partition :mad:

[reiki]

The key means it's locked. You can't move/resize it if it's mounted. You can't unmount it if you're using it. Try booting a live CD and use gparted from there.

[dhron]

EXTENDED PARTITION is what you have to consider... An extended partition is different from primary partition... you cannot merge them together unless the extended partition is deleted.. I had to backup my entire system to do this...

In my case the extended partition was my storage drive, so I was able to back it up... But in your case, deleting the extended partition would mean deleting ubuntu and the swap space itself...

This is one stupid thing computer manufacturers do... They make Windows the primary partition and keep the storage drive as the extended partition :mad:

Thanks for your response.

So pretty much I have to reinstall (or backup reinstall) right?

[garvinrick4]

Use live cd (install cd and use try ubuntu) nothing will have key next to it because nothing is now being used (mounted) Now you can format Windows 7 partition in gparted to ext3 or ext4 what ever you are using in your Ubuntu install and then move it to the left. It will take a while to move so be patient.
Or you can start over from scratch which ever you feel like doing. If you have personal stuff in home folder in Ubuntu back it up somewhere if it is valuable to you. Anytime you mess with drive. Enjoy your Ubuntu

[dhron]

Use live cd (install cd and use try ubuntu) nothing will have key next to it because nothing is now being used (mounted) Now you can format Windows 7 partition in gparted to ext3 or ext4 what ever you are using in your Ubuntu install and then move it to the left. It will take a while to move so be patient.
Or you can start over from scratch which ever you feel like doing. If you have personal stuff in home folder in Ubuntu back it up somewhere if it is valuable to you. Anytime you mess with drive. Enjoy your Ubuntu

Mate, I can't resize even with Live cd. I did mention that in my first post.

When I log in via Live CD -> try ubuntu -> gparted ...it still shows a key and it doesn't move left...i did sudo gparted but it still shows the key...I will try it again right now and report back...

[dhron]

Yeah it is the same. Even with live CD I can't resize. I believe that is because (as siddhanathan suggested) it is extended partition.

I guess I will just reinstall.

Thanks for your help guys.

Cheers!!!

[garvinrick4]

Can you take a screenshot of your gparted and post here or run this code in live cd.

sudo fdisk -l (small L)

[dhron]

Can you take a screenshot of your gparted and post here or run this code in live cd.

sudo fdisk -l (small L)

Hi garvinrick4,

The screenshots are attached.

If you notice in the gparted screenshot I am trying to resize but it doesn't let me and there is a a key next to the extended partition.

[siddhanathan]

Thanks for your response.

So pretty much I have to reinstall (or backup reinstall) right?

Yep I guess so... Make sure you back up everything you need before proceeding...

The only way to combine the partitions is to first delete everything in the extended partition... That means you'll have to delete both the linux-swap partitions (sda 6,7) and also the ext4 partition (sda 5)... You may want to take a backup of sda5(ubuntu) before proceeding...

After deleting all the extended partitions (sda 5,6,7) you must delete the extended partition as a whole (sda2)...

Once you delete sda2 as a whole, the extended partition should merge with your free space as unallocated space... On doing that you'll probably be left with nothing but a blank disk...

After that you can partition your disk as you like and install ubuntu in one of the partitions you make... Make sure you avoid extended partitions after this as they create lot of problems...

Think twice before deciding to do all this, as it means deleting your main Operating System... This may take hours to do, and it is definite that you need to do all this with a ubuntu live cd...

[dhron]

Yep I guess so... Make sure you back up everything you need before proceeding...

The only way to combine the partitions is to first delete everything in the extended partition... That means you'll have to delete both the linux-swap partitions (sda 6,7) and also the ext4 partition (sda 5)... You may want to take a backup of sda5(ubuntu) before proceeding...

After deleting all the extended partitions (sda 5,6,7) you must delete the extended partition as a whole (sda2)...

Once you delete sda2 as a whole, the extended partition should merge with your free space as unallocated space... On doing that you'll probably be left with nothing but a blank disk...

After that you can partition your disk as you like and install ubuntu in one of the partitions you make... Make sure you avoid extended partitions after this as they create lot of problems...

Think twice before deciding to do all this, as it means deleting your main Operating System... This may take hours to do, and it is definite that you need to do all this with a ubuntu live cd...


Yeah, I think that's the only way to go now. I will do that. Thank you all for your help!!!