Ubuntu - Gparted question

markyboy

Hi there,

I've a dual boot machine. From the attached screenshot, there is an amount of unallocated disc space between my Ubuntu partition and my XP partition. Is there any way I can append that allocated space to the other Linux partition (/dev/sda3) without having to reinstall?

Thanks in advance!

AndrewMc

I've not used gparted, and I don't know if this would break Windows, but is it possible to pull sda2 (the NTFS partition) back to just above sda1? You could then move sda3 down to the end of sda2, and extend it to fill the available space.

Before you do, it'd be no harm to give a few more gigs to sda1. Space is cheap, and if it filled it'd just be a pain.

ethernet

If you want to use that unallocated space for another Linux installation, right click on it in GParted and do 'Format to' --> ext3. That's the room sorted out. You can then install whatever disto on that partition and you already have a swap partition

The tricky part could be editing grub for choosing what OS to boot. Adding another distro *might* make a balls of it. You should backup /etc/grub/menu.lst before installing another distro. You can always manually edit it if the other distro messes it up.

markyboy

Thanks AndrewMc and Ethernet.

ethernet wrote:

If you want to use that unallocated space for another Linux installation, right click on it in GParted and do 'Format to' --> ext3.

Tried as you suggested but the 'Format to' option is greyed out.

The only option I have is 'New' and that gives me 'It is not possible to create more than 4 primary partitions'

ethernet

I missed the obvious. You have four primary partitions, the fourth containing a logical partition.

I suggest you do the following:

• Delete /dev/sd4 [your swap partition]
• Your unallocated space will now increase
• Now create a new logical partition using the unallocated space
• Within this new partition, you need two partitions: a replacement swap partition [do this first to keep the same partition ID of sd4 and so avoid confusing your current installation] and a new root partition for another Linux distro
• Be sure to set the swap space to be used as swap space -- try the Format To option here
• Do Format To for the new Linux partition too, choosing ext3 this time.

I hope this will work for you

Capt'n Midnight

Is there a switch in gparted so it aligns with cylinders only - or am I thinking of another partition editor ?