Jump to content

Resizing NTFS Partitions with DiskDrake [solved]


Aomighty
 Share

Recommended Posts

Ok, so I want to install Mandrake 10.1 as a dual-boot system with Win XP and I've done this before and it's worker fine for me. The only problem is that right now my Windows installation uses my whole hard drive (80 GB), and I want to resize it to about 40 or 45 GB and give Linux the rest. When I go to resize it with "Custom Partitioning" in DiskDrake with Mdk 10.1 CD1, it warns me about possible data loss. Now, I've already run Chkdsk and defgragged it multiple times. Do I have to worry about losing data?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's always a possibility.

I suggest you try resizing with some Windows specific software. I think Symantec has one good. Think it was called "Partition magic".

Linux is not particulary good when dealing with NTFS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used Partition Magic 8 to resize my NTFS partition, when I installed around a week ago, simple to use, and although not quick I didn't lose any of my data.

 

I sized my NTFS Win XP partition down to 25Gb, created a new FAT32 partition for file swapping between the OS'es, and left the rest unallocated, and used the Custom Partitioning option during the Mandrake Install.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

diskdrake shouldn't be any less dangerous than Partition Magic. There's *always* a theoretical loss of data in any such application, it'd be irresponsible not to warn of it, but if it's a clean and defragged disk the chance is very small and no worse than any commercial app.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I installed 10.1 Community a few weeks ago. I used the partition tool on the install, everything went very smoothly. It booted right up, no problem, and XP booted fine too. I have a laptop with a 40 GB hd, it had one partition NTFS. Mandrake handled it well. I did the defrag, disk clean up and backed up all important data.

 

:thanks: Mandrake for the clean install and partition tool.

 

Shane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest szaka
diskdrake shouldn't be any less dangerous than Partition Magic. There's *always* a theoretical loss of data in any such application, it'd be irresponsible not to warn of it, but if it's a clean and defragged disk the chance is very small and no worse than any commercial app.

Please let me make a few comments as the author of the NTFS resizer (ntfsresize) used by DiskDrake.

 

If NTFS isn't clean then ntfsresize's consistency check catches it and refuses to do any modification to NTFS.

 

Fragmented NTFS also isn't a problem because ntfsresize is able to relocate data safely and the previous, three years old ntfsresize, not being able to do the same, restricted resizing to a safe size (the last used block/cluster).

 

I'm documenting what may go wrong in the non-NTFS related components/parts during NTFS partition resizing at http://linux-ntfs.sourceforge.net/info/ntf...ml#troubleshoot

 

Additional Mandrake/Mandriva related notes:

 

- if DiskDrake can't unallocate enough space then it switches to destructive partitioning and gives the warning "After resizing partition X, all data on this partition will be lost". If one ignores this warning then he/she will lose his/her Windows data. Partition Wizard in Mandrake 9.1 doesn't warn, it just goes ahead.

 

- Mandrake 10.0 may create unbootable Windows partition by corrupting the partition table due to a filesystem independent, disk geometry detection problem ("feature") in Linux 2.6 kernels.

 

And naturally I agree about the importance to warn users and have regular backups. There are several situations when things can go really very badly, like power outage, accidently kicking the power button, hardware crash, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Guest CupofDice

Hey, I just got Mandrake 10.1 (3 Cds) from xplinux.biz and instead of just annoying people with another post, I will just ask my question here.

 

 

 

 

Comp Specs-

 

White Box Systemax

 

Windows XP Home SP2 (takes up whole HD)

 

76.58 GB HD (though it was supposed to be a 40 gig HD)

 

C: total size is 66.6 GB with 55.9 GB free space and is NTFS

 

D: (Something to do with System Rescue) total size is 9.98 GB with 7.49 GB free space and is FAT32

 

223 MBs Ram

 

I want a dual boot with 10 GB for Mandrake 10.1. I know that I need to shrink Windows XP with a program like Partition Magic, but I was wondering if I could do it with DiskDrake. I know that is sort of answered here, but I have been checking out Disk Drake before I got Mandrake, and all the information is sort of confused. So, I just need to know if I can use Mandrake 10.1 Disk Drake to shrink my Windows XP, and have Mandrake set everything up WITHOUT Partition Magic. I just want to set up the / root and swap partition. No need for XP and Mandrake to talk with each other. Also some info about exactly how do I partition with DiskDrake will rock. Thanks for any help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DiskDrake during the install will resize your NTFS partition no problem.

There are kazillions of posts here about how to use DiskDrake to partition and what recommended sizes, but I can give a quick summary

 

Click on Custom Disk Partitioning.

Click on NTFS partition

Click Resize

Resize it down.

If it says something like 'After resizing this partition, all data will be lost', click 'Cancel'...you probably didn't defrag well enough or the disk is just too full to not do a destructive resize.

Click on the empty space left after resizing and choose to make a new partition. I strongly recommend 'Ext3' for the type.

Select a mount point for that partition.

Do the same for each partition you want to create.

I very very strongly recommend a separate /home partition, so

/

/swap

/home

 

With a separate /home partition, you get to keep and not format it when you upgrade and so you get to keep all your personal settings for all your users' apps.

Edited by Steve Scrimpshire
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest CupofDice

Just installed it, and everything went fine. Regretting not making FAT32 partition to talk to Windows. Thanks.

 

(Reinstalled and made a Share partition)

Edited by CupofDice
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...