Re: partition types
On Wed, 6 Feb 2002 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dumb question is: can I change my root partition to type extended and create two logical partitions (one holding the original root stuff, the other for Linux from Scratch things) within it? Without destroying my beloved Debian system? What are the other three partitions you mention doing? Can't one of them be resized instead? Messing around with the root partition is possible, but not easy. The problem is that you need to reboot after re-partitioning the disk, and before making filesystems on the new partitions. If you touch the root partition during re-partitioning, it may be that your Debian system becomes unbootable. A kind of Catch-22 situation. You will anyway need to backup all your data before attempting anything so drastic, and most times you'll end up restoring from backup, too. There is a fairly non-intrusive way to do this by borrowing a second empty hard disk, copying the system to it, making it bootable, checking everything is there and only then re-partitioning the original disk, copying the system back, and making that bootable. Once the original disk has booted again and you've checked everything is there, the borrowed disk can be returned. I understand that hard disks don't generally lie around waiting for people to borrow them for copying systems over, but if you do happen to have access to an extra disk I'd be happy to talk you through the process. Best regards, | George Karaolides 8, Costakis Pantelides St., | | tel: +357 99 68 08 86 Strovolos, | | email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Nicosia CY 2057, | | web: www.karaolides.com Republic of Cyprus |
Re: partition types
On Wed, Feb 06, 2002 at 09:56:34PM -0600, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: OK, I've got a REALLY STUPID question here. :/ there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers :) I decided recently that I wanted to try out the Linux from Scratch project (http://www.linuxfromscratch.org). In order to do this particular thang one has to create a reasonable sized partition on which to create the installation. Now, when =I= go into my /dev/hda with GNU parted, or fdisk, or what have you, what do I see? That's right, 4 primary partitions: the max you can have. Dumb question is: can I change my root partition to type extended and create two logical partitions (one holding the original root stuff, the other for Linux from Scratch things) within it? Without destroying my beloved Debian system? Or does it just not work that way? Well, it might be kinda tricky ;) and you might loose all your data my little adventure A few days ago I wanted to merge some partitions so that I could use my disk space a bit more efficiently. I had something like this: /dev/hda1 /boot start-16 meg on drive /dev/hda3 / 16M - 400M /dev/hda2 /vat 400M-512M What I did was go to cfdisk, deleted /dev/hda3 and /dev/hda2, created a new /dev/hda2 [all disk space except for boot]. Then I modified /dev/fstab and /dev/lilo.conf so that my root partition will be on /dev/hda2 not hda3... I copied e2resize program (ext2resize) to /dev/boot... run lilo Make 2 boot dists (rescue and root from potato - BTW, I'm running woody). Rebooted with rescue in floppy mode. Went to shell :) Mounted /dev/hda2 on some directory to see if it is still there - worked!! so I unmounted the /dev/hda2 and run e2resize on it... Worked fine... [phew at this point - apparently e2resize will run with libc from potato!] didn't loose my data :) /my little adventure You can use e2resize to shrink partitions as well. Please read documentation that comes with it.. But then it only works on ext2 fs... If you change anything, be prepared to loose data... Sometimes you are lucky and sometimes it blows up in your face.. - Adam
Re: partition types
* [EMAIL PROTECTED] ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) spake thusly: OK, I've got a REALLY STUPID question here. :/ I decided recently that I wanted to try out the Linux from Scratch project (http://www.linuxfromscratch.org). In order to do this particular thang one has to create a reasonable sized partition on which to create the installation. Now, when =I= go into my /dev/hda with GNU parted, or fdisk, or what have you, what do I see? That's right, 4 primary partitions: the max you can have. Dumb question is: can I change my root partition to type extended and create two logical partitions (one holding the original root stuff, the other for Linux from Scratch things) within it? Without destroying my beloved Debian system? Or does it just not work that way? I told you it was stupid! See how I trust you fine folks, to parade my ignorance before you like this? :-) It'll work if you're careful and a little lucky. Why not buy a cheap hd and use that for LFS? Dima -- Surely there is a polite way to say FOAD.-- Shmuel Metz Go forth and multiply. -- Paul Martin
partition types
OK, I've got a REALLY STUPID question here. :/ I decided recently that I wanted to try out the Linux from Scratch project (http://www.linuxfromscratch.org). In order to do this particular thang one has to create a reasonable sized partition on which to create the installation. Now, when =I= go into my /dev/hda with GNU parted, or fdisk, or what have you, what do I see? That's right, 4 primary partitions: the max you can have. Dumb question is: can I change my root partition to type extended and create two logical partitions (one holding the original root stuff, the other for Linux from Scratch things) within it? Without destroying my beloved Debian system? Or does it just not work that way? I told you it was stupid! See how I trust you fine folks, to parade my ignorance before you like this? :-) Foolishly, Glenn ++ http://www.burningclown.com Everyone's Portal to Nothing At All ++
Re: partition types
On Wed, Feb 06, 2002 at 09:56:34PM -0600, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [...] Now, when =I= go into my /dev/hda with GNU parted, or fdisk, or what have you, what do I see? That's right, 4 primary partitions: the max you can have. Dumb question is: can I change my root partition to type extended and create two logical partitions (one holding the original root stuff, the other for Linux from Scratch things) within it? Without destroying my beloved Debian system? That should be okay. AFTER you have backed up everything on your root partition that you do not want to lose if not all goes well, use fdisk to print the existing partition geometry, note down all figures exactly, delete /dev/hda1 (or whatever number is mounted as /), then create /dev/hda 1 as an extended partition with the same start and end as the former hda1 logical partition. Lastly, create a new hda5 with the same start and end as the old and new hda1. Try out partition after a reboot (don't forget to edit lilo.conf or menu.lst and /etc/fstab). If it works you can re-size the / partition and split it if you like. -- Henry House The attached file is a digital signature. See http://romana.hajhouse.org/pgp for information. My OpenPGP key: http://romana.hajhouse.org/hajhouse.asc. pgpVHlQWnUeKv.pgp Description: PGP signature
Re: spontaneously changing partition types (GRUB)
On Sun, Mar 11, 2001 at 03:53:59PM -0500, Balbir Thomas wrote: ... 2) After installing grub the first time I boot it gives me the menu based interface . Howver the second and subsequent times it drops me into the shell. sorry, overlooked this one. Well, that's to be expected:) Your /boot/grub/menu.lst file isn'taccessible as it resides now on that partition of unknown type. Solve the first problem and this will be solved too. -- groetjes, carel
spontaneously changing partition types (GRUB)
Hi, I have installed dos 6.22 , windows 98 and debian 2.2 (kernel-2.2.17) using grub( version 0.5.96.1) as my boot loader. I face two recurring problems 1) Every time I reboot (usually into dos or win and back to linux) grub is unable to boot linux , and reports the stage 2 error 17. I boot with a rescue disk and find my linux partitions is reported as being of type amoeba under cfdisk. I change it back to linux ext2f using cfdisk. In the process I lose no data but the error repeats the second time I boot. 2) After installing grub the first time I boot it gives me the menu based interface . Howver the second and subsequent times it drops me into the shell. Could you please explain what is going on and any work around if possible. balbir thomas
